Once you’ve perfected your smooth buttercream skills, a door to a whole world of decorating options opens up. By piping and smoothing layers of crusting buttercream on a cake, you can create a graceful draped fabric look, jaunty pleats, unique ridges and so much more. Master the techniques in this tutorial, and let your imagination run wild!
Supplies
- #12 round piping tip
- Angled modeling knife
- Ball tool
- Cake
- Crusting buttercream
- Skewer
- Viva paper towels
Using crusting buttercream, cover and smooth cake using the Viva paper towel method. Mark the cake with a skewer or a needle tool where you want the pleats to be. Start with the center line, marking from the bottom up three quarters of the way to the top.
Mark the curved side lines from the bottom up to the top with two on each side of the center line.
Using a round tip #12, pipe over the center line.
Blend the line with the side of an angled modeling knife. Wipe the knife after each swipe.
Smooth the piped line using a Viva paper towel with light finger pressure.
For intricate smoothing where your finger won’t fit, over a Viva paper towel, use a ball tool with light pressure.
Continue by piping and repeating the blending and smoothing techniques on each line marked off on the cake.
Finish the cake with a pearl border using a round tip #4.
As seen in Cake Central Magazine Volume 1 Issue 3
How beautiful!! Thank you so much!!
Awesome!!
I always wanted to know how you did this technique. Thanks for sharing!
Oh i love this.. thanks for sharing Edna !
Thank you so much for this tutorial Edna, it is wonderful!
Once again you amaze! Thank you Edna for simplifying these techniques!
Wow, clever, looks good. Thanks for sharing
How cool is this! Thanks!
Thanks so much. I'm in love with this technique and now I have the tools to do it. All I lack is practice, so excited!
Thanks so much. I'm in love with this technique and now I have the tools to do it. All I lack is practice, so excited!
Lovely. Thank you. Please could we have the recipe to your nicely crusting icing?
That is so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing. I can't wait to try it.
I am totally trying this, thanks Edna!
Thank for sharing
Just the other day I asked if CC could provide a tutorial on this technique! Thank you SO much! I LOVE your work, Edna.
Thank you for sharing your butter cream decorating skills. I have been trying to sell butter cream technique in lagos nigeria.
That is so BEAUTIFUL. I am going to do that tomorrow.
So pretty! I can't wait to try it!
So pretty! I can't wait to try it! Thanks Edna!
Beautiful....I'm always looking for unique buttercream designs. This technique is easy yet elegant! A thousand thank you's for sharing:)
Thanks for sharing your talent!! Will definitely try this on my next cake!!
I have been looking for YEARS for the Viva paper towels that are not already marked with a designed in them. In my area they just do not carry them. I have looked at every other brand around and everything has designed stamped into them.
WOW!
Thanks for sharing your idea and recipe.