Last Updated on March 4, 2023
Looking for a way to spruce up your cakes? Wanting a simple way to decorate buttercream? Using cake stencils is an easy and fun way to step up your cake-decorating skills.
This post will tell you everything you need to know on how to use cake stencils on buttercream. Using cake stencils to decorate allows you to make ornate designs without spending hours trying to do it freestyle. You’ll love how simple they are to use and how beautiful the result will be.
Advantages of Using Cake Stencils
Let’s face it, not all of us have an artistic side. We may try for hours and hours to perfect a cake design and still never get it right. Cake stencils allow you to create elaborate designs without having to have the artistic ability.
Cake stencils are simple to use and cheap. They can be found in cake decorating stores, online, and some grocery stores. They come in a variety of different designs and sizes.
You don’t need any baking or artistic ability to use cake stencils. However, using them will make you look like a cake-decorating wizard.
Another great thing about stencils is that they are reusable. After every use, you can wash them with warm water and soap and use them as many times as you’d like.
Using buttercream frosting with stencils guarantees a great taste and beautiful design. Using food coloring, you can create many beautiful colors of buttercream. Using cake stencils to decorate buttercream will save you time and stress.
How to Use Cake Stencils on Buttercream: Equipment
To follow this tutorial for using cake stencils on buttercream, you will need:
- Buttercream
- Cake Stencils
- Wax or parchment paper
- Gel food coloring
- Spatula
- Scissors
- Piping Bag
- Shortening
You may use store-bought or homemade buttercream. It is common to start with white buttercream for the base, however, you may choose whatever color you’d like. You can then set aside some of the buttercream you are going to be using for the stencils and add food coloring to reach your desired shades.
How to Use Cake Stencils on Buttercream: Instructions
Step One: Frost Your Cake
Frost your cake with buttercream frosting. Place it in the fridge and allow it to chill for at least an hour.
Step Two: Prepare the Stencils
Decide on what stencils you are going to use on your cake and wash them before using them. You may need to trim the stencils down with scissors, so they fit on the cake. Then take your stencil and lightly coat it with a layer of shortening, as this will allow it to stick to the cake.
Step Three: Place the Stencil on the Cake and Add Buttercream Frosting
Once your buttercream frosted cake has been chilled, take it out of the fridge. You may place a piece of wax or parchment paper on your cake with a thin layer of shortening on the cake side to avoid smearing and give you a place to rest your hand.
Take your stencil and place it on your cake, shortening side down. Take a piping bag of frosting and carefully fill in the stencil with your desired color of buttercream. You may also use a frosting spatula to gently smooth out the frosting.
Step Four: Remove the Stencil
Carefully remove the stencil from the cake. If any of the stencils are smeared on the cake, carefully take a knife to remove it. Wipe the excess frosting off of the stencil. Repeat until you have reached your desired design on the cake.
You may use just a cake spatula when frosting the stencil. Just be careful not to accidentally spread the frosting underneath the stencil while filling it in. The shortening will act as a glue and help keep your stencil in place, so make sure to put some on to lessen the chance of the stencil slipping.
Tips and Tricks: How to Use Cake Stencils on Buttercream
It is important to make sure that the buttercream frosting on the cake has fully chilled. Freshly frosted buttercream will smear and be hard to get a smooth finish from using a stencil. Chilling the cake prior allows the buttercream to stiffen up, lessening the chances of the buttercream smearing and making it an easier surface to work with.
Some stencils are a lot more detailed than others. It is best to start with a simpler stencil and work your way up to something more intricate.
If you are planning on using multiple colors, it is best to use gel food coloring. Gel food coloring works best with buttercream frosting because it is less likely to leave a taste and requires fewer drops. However, if you do not have gel food coloring, any food coloring will work fine.
You can also use the stencils to decorate with sprinkles on top of the cake. Just be careful when removing the stencil, so that the excess sprinkles don’t spill onto the cake. Airbrushing is another technique used to decorate cakes with stencils, but it can be a bit tricky at first to get the hang of.
You can store your buttercream frosted cake at room temperature for up to three days. It can also be stored in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for six months. Allow the cake to reach room temperature before serving.
Buttercream frosting does not hold up well in the heat, so if you are serving your cake at an outdoor event in the summer, store your cake in the fridge until it is ready to serve. The heat may cause the designs done by stencils to melt and run some.
Read more about Crusting Buttercream Without Shortening
How to Use Cake Stencils on Buttercream: Easy Guide
Equipment
- Cake Stencils
- Wax or parchment paper
- Scissors
- Piping Bag
Ingredients
Instructions
- Step One: Frost Your Cake
- Frost your cake with buttercream frosting. Place it in the fridge and allow it to chill for at least an hour.
- Step Two: Prepare the Stencils
- Decide on what stencils you are going to use on your cake and wash them before using it. You may need to trim the stencils down with scissors, so they fit on the cake. Then take your stencil and lightly coat it with a layer of shortening, as this will allow it to stick to the cake.
- Step Three: Place the Stencil on the Cake and Add Buttercream Frosting
- Once your buttercream frosted cake has been chilled, take it out of the fridge. You may place a piece of wax or parchment paper on your cake with a thin layer of shortening on the cake side to avoid smearing, and give you a place to rest your hand.
- Take your stencil and place it on your cake, shortening side down. Take a piping bag of frosting and carefully fill in the stencil with your desired color of buttercream. You may also use a frosting spatula to gently smooth out the frosting.
- Step Four: Remove the Stencil
- Carefully remove the stencil from the cake. If any of the stencils smeared on the cake, carefully take a knife to remove it. Wipe the excess frosting off of the stencil. Repeat until you have reached your desired design on the cake.
- You may use just a cake spatula when frosting the stencil. Just be careful not to accidentally spread the frosting underneath the stencil while filling it in. Using the shortening will act as a glue and help keep your stencil in place, so make sure to put some on to lessen the chance of the stencil slipping.
Notes
- It is important to make sure that the buttercream frosting on the cake has fully chilled. Freshly frosted buttercream will smear and be hard to get a smooth finish from using a stencil. Chilling the cake prior allows the buttercream to stiffen up, lessening the chances of the buttercream smearing and making it an easier surface to work with.
- Some stencils are a lot more detailed than others. It is best to start out with a simpler stencil and work your way up to something more intricate.
- If you are planning on using multiple colors, it is best to use gel food coloring. Gel food coloring works best with buttercream frosting because it is less likely to leave a taste and requires less drops. However, if you do not have gel food coloring, any food coloring will work fine.
- You can also use the stencils to decorate with sprinkles on top of the cake. Just be careful when removing the stencil, that the excess sprinkles don’t spill onto the cake. Airbrushing is another technique used to decorate cakes with stencils, but it can be a bit tricky at first to get the hang of.
- You can store your buttercream frosted cake at room temperature for up to three days. It can also be stored in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for six months. Allow the cake to reach room temperature before serving.
- Buttercream frosting does not hold up well in the heat, so if you are serving your cake at an outdoor event in the summer, store your cake in the fridge until it is ready to serve. The heat may cause the designs done by stencils to melt and run some.
Best Cake Stencils For Buttercream
If you’re looking for the best stencils to use for decorating buttercream, there’s a huge selection that you can choose from. From crafting stores to online marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon; you’ll be spoilt for choice when shopping for stencils for buttercream. But I thought I’d share some of my favorite options with you, and you’ll be able to reuse these stencils again and again.
Stores like Amazon have a great selection of stencils. One of my most used stencils is the 4pcs Cake Decorating Floral Reusable Stencils. They come in 4 different designs, which are versatile and can be used for any occasion, such as birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. As well as being high-quality material, they’re also incredibly easy to use. And all you need to do once finished stenciling your buttercream is wash it with soap and water…and they’re ready to reuse! These particular stencils are currently $8.99.
Another favorite of mine from Amazon is the 8pcs Floral Cake Decorating Stencils. Again, they are incredibly versatile and can be used for a variety of reasons. They’re easy to use and perfect for use over and over again. These stencils are $10.99 for 8. What I like about these stencils is that there’s not only a range of designs but also varying sizes too.
If you’re looking for value, Amazon is the best place. However, if you’re looking for more intricate stencils, or looking to design your stencils, online stores like Etsy are perfect.
How to Use Cake Stencils on Buttercream: Method #2
If you’re looking for a slightly different method for how to use cake stencils on buttercream, then look no further. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment:
- a cake frosted with buttercream, chilled
- additional buttercream (around 1 cup for every color that you’re using)
- gel food coloring
- stencil(s) of choice
- scissors
- parchment paper
- shortening
- baking spatula
- food-grade paintbrush
- piping bags
- piping tips (small and round will work best)
Now all you need to do is:
- Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly bigger than your cake and coat one side with a thin layer of shortening.
- Then place the paper (with the shortening side down) on top of your cake. You can use this to rest your hand.
- Using the shortening, grease your stencil with a small amount of shortening; using a paper towel is best. Add enough so that the stencil will stick to your cake with ease.
- Stick the stencil to your cake and start piping your buttercream onto the cake. Use your spatula to spread evenly. Start from the middle of the stencil and spread outwards.
- Then give one final brush over the area with your spatula; this will help to keep the buttercream smooth.
- Start by lifting one side of the stencil and pull away gently from the cake.
- Place your stencil in warm, soapy water and move on to the next design; ensuring that you wash your stencil every time you remove it from the cake. Repeat until the cake is completely decorated.
- Add any final details you may want, such as luster dust, fondant flowers, etc.
- If you’ve made any mistakes, you can easily cover them with additional decorations.
A Simple Way to Make a Beautiful Cake
I hope this post has helped you to become more familiar with how to use cake stencils on buttercream. Stencils are a must-have for cake decorating. They not only make your cake decorating look flawless but also allow you to decorate a cake in a matter of minutes.
Cake stencils will make you look like a decorating expert. Did you enjoy learning how to use cake stencils on buttercream? If you liked this article on using stencils on buttercream, please share it.
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Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.