When it comes to baking, there are so many fun and creative ways to decorate a cake. One of my favorite trends right now is tie dye buttercream frosting. It’s a fun and easy way to add a little bit of personality to your cake, and it’s perfect for any occasion.
I love that this trend is not only limited to cakes: you can also use this technique to decorate cupcakes, cookies, and even cake pops. Tie-dye buttercream is also a great way to add some color to your dessert table.
If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to decorate your cakes, I highly recommend giving tie dye buttercream a try.
This recipe is much easier to decorate than other recipes on the Internet. It doesn’t require special equipment and you can just simply swirl the frosting for a quick and easy option.
There are lots of different ways to make tie-dye buttercream, but the basic idea is to add food coloring to your frosting and then swirl it around to create a tie-dye effect.
There are a few different methods that you can use to achieve this look. You can either use a piping bag or a zip lock bag to pipe the frosting onto the cake, or you can use a spatula to spread it on. If you’re using a piping bag, I recommend using a star tip to get the best results.
Once you’ve got your frosting all swirled up, it’s time to decorate your cake. You can use sprinkles and fruits, or make your own decoration.
Ingredients
This cake might look hard and intimidate but it is so easy to make and there are not really any hard-to-find ingredients. Just a simple cake recipe with a fun twist. Here is everything you will need for it.
- Unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Cake Flour
- All-purpose flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Vegetable Oil or shortening
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cold Water
- Whole Milk
- Buttermilk – you can make your own by mixing one cup of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice.
For the buttercream:
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Food Coloring – use any colors you want. Any food coloring you find in the store will work just fine with this recipe as well.
Instructions
This easy-to-make cake recipe is fun but very straightforward. It won’t take any longer than other cakes. See the tips and instructions below. The full detailed recipe is at the end of this post.
STEP ONE: Mix in the Dry and Wet Ingredients
Start by making the cake. Prepare the oven and two round cake pans. Line them with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Set them aside and make the cake mix.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a second mixing bowl combine the butter and vegetable oil. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well incorporated. Add the egg and mix again until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and give everything one last mix.
In a third bowl combine the milk, buttermilk, and water. Whisk to combine. Alternating the dry mix and the milk mix, whisk them into the butter mixture. Add a third of the flour followed by the milk. Continue until everything is well incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the bowl and transfer to the baking pans.
STEP TWO: Bake The Cake
Bake until golden brown. You can check by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is ready to be taken out. If it is looking like it is dark on the outside and still runny on the inside lower the heat and leave for a little longer. Don’t open the oven door too often so it doesn’t crack.
STEP THREE: Start The Swiss Meringue
Prepare a saucepan and a heatproof bowl. Place water in the pan and top with the bowl. It should fit right in the saucepan but shouldn’t touch the water. Bring the water to a boil and then lower it to simmer. Add the egg white and sugar to the bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mix is hot to the touch.
STEP FOUR: Add The Butter
Transfer the egg whites to a large bowl and using an electric mixer whisk until stiff peaks are formed. Start adding the butter several cubes at a time. Make sure they are fully mixed in the egg whites before adding the rest. Continue beating while adding the vanilla extract.
Finish the buttercream by beating it with the paddle attachment to eliminate any air bubbles. Add the desired food coloring to equal parts of buttercream. Then transfer each color of buttercream to a piping bag.
STEP FIVE: Arrange The Cake
Place one layer on the cake stand or on a plate. Spread the buttercream all over it and top with another cake layer. Continue with the rest of your layers. Spread white buttercream all over the cake and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When the cake is cold add the colorful buttercream in different sections. Then using a dough cutter spread evenly all over the cake.
Optional Substitutions
There are a few things you can substitute in this recipe if you need to. Some of the ingredients might be hard to find or you might be allergic to them. Below are a few of the things you can substitute:
All-purpose flour for the cake mix can be replaced with almond flour, gluten-free flour, or oat flour. The buttermilk can be replaced with yogurt, milk + vinegar, or dairy-free milk. The butter can be replaced with margarine or vegan butter. The eggs can be replaced with egg whites or a flax egg.
Proper Storage
This cake will last for about 2 days on the counter or in the fridge. Make sure it is in an airtight container when stored in the fridge or freezer. If you want to keep it for longer, you can store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
You can store buttercream leftovers in the fridge for up to several days and up to two months in the freezer. Just like the cake, make sure it is in an airtight container.
How to Airbrush Tie Dye Cake
To airbrush tie dye cake, you will need to divide your buttercream into 3 parts. Color each part with a different color of food coloring. Place each color into a piping bag. Cut the tip of each bag and pipe the buttercream onto your cake in a swirl motion.
Spread the buttercream everywhere with a spatula. Some other methods of achieving the tie-dye effect are to use a fork or butter knife or use a damp paintbrush to swirl the colors together.
We Thought You Would Like
Can I Make Whipped Cream Tie-Dye Frosting?
Yes, you can make whipped cream tie-dye frosting! Just follow the recipe for the whipped cream, and then add food coloring to each batch until you achieve the desired colors.
Once you have dyed the whipped cream, place it into a piping bag and pipe it onto the cake. Using a knife or a fork swirl the buttermilk all over the cake.
Buttercream frosting tie dye cake
When it comes to baking, there are so many fun and creative ways to decorate a cake. One of my favorite trends right now is tie dye buttercream frosting. It's a fun and easy way to add a little bit of personality to your cake, and it's perfect for any occasion.
I love that this trend is not only limited to cakes: you can also use this technique to decorate cupcakes, cookies, and even cake pops. Tie-dye buttercream is also a great way to add some color to your dessert table. If you're looking for a fun and unique way to decorate your cakes, I highly recommend giving tie dye buttercream a try.
Ingredients
- 1/2 stick butter, usalted
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or shortening
- 1 2/4 sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sprinkles
Swiss Meringue
- 6 egg whites
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 4 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- desired food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Dust with a little flour on the bottom to prevent sticking.
- Whisk together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand-up mixer beat the butter and shortening until creamy and fluffy. Add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat on medium. Scrape the bowl, add the egg and continue beating until just incorporated.
- In a mixing bowl combine the water, milk, and buttermilk. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Alternating add the flour mix to the butter mix followed by the water. Continue alternating them until everything is in. Continue mixing until everything is well incorporated. Finish by hand scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing everything together one last time.
- Separate the mix into the three baking pans. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean the cakes are done.
- Cool off before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling off to room temperature.
- Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl. and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.
- With the whisk attachment start beating the egg white mix increasing the speed gradually. until stiff peaks. About 10 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed add the butter a few tablespoons at a time. Add in the vanilla and switch to the paddle attachment. Continue beating to eliminate any bubbles.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and mix until completely smooth. Start mixing the desired coloring in the buttercream just until incorporated.
- Take the cooled cakes and cut the tops with a knife so they have a flat top. Spread the buttercream on top of each and arrange it on top of each other. Use the last of it to spread on the sides of the cake. Refrigerate to set and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 770Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 321mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 1gSugar: 32gProtein: 7g
My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.