Creating 'Tiers of Ruffles' for Wedding Cake

by Elena
(Lexington, KY)

Question:I will be making my son's wedding cake and I have been requested to make it simple. The bride sent me this photo link of a wedding cake she had seen in People's Magazine:

Being a novice at cake making and decorating, I think this is something I can do with my strong desire to create their 'dream cake, the proper tools, and, a well conditioned limb!

I have ordered the Petal (Wilton #s 127 and 127D) and Ruffle (Wilton #s 402, 403 & 406) decorating tips. I plan to practice with these tips on a practice cake foam until I find the piping tip that will give me the closest look of the icing on the cake. Do you have a suggestion as to which would work best?

As for the frosting, other experienced bakers suggested buttercream icing. Should I use stiff consistency or the medium consistency buttercream? And, do I pipe the icing on crumb coating or need I spread a second smooth coat on the cakes before piping the tiers of ruffles? Also, can these undercoatings be a white chocolate cream cheese frosting rather than buttercream?

Thank you for your help.

Best.
E

Answer:That is a beautiful cake. I have done one similar and is pictured on the wedding cake designs page. It is the first picture as you scroll down and was made with strips of fondant. It looks as though this cake may also be fondant. I think you can get a similar look with buttercream.

Yes the cake should be crumb coated and frosted first, before you add the ruffle, and a medium to stiff consistency will work best. And yes you can use cream cheese or white chocolate buttercream underneath the ruffles.


I would suggest using a variety of basket weave tips, use the smooth side to pipe it out. (turn the tips over, the opposite side is smooth.) Use the smaller sizes for the top tier and larger as you go down to the bottom tier. The beauty of this cake design is in the uneven strips so you have an advantage. LOL

Buttercream recipe suggestions

The royal icing on my cake decorating icing page, or buttercream frosting, or another version here of Italian Meringue buttercream which is a little more work but more stable. You may have to add more powdered sugar to the royal icing. The butter cream has to kept cool or they will not hold form. I don't usually suggest using Crisco based frosting but this is another option. The cake decorating frosting, which is a Wilton recipe and will not melt like buttercream in the heat, or by the warmth of your hand on the bag. This is probably the safest one to use. But I hate the thought of eating Crisco.

I have heard of people doing half and half and mixing it together. You may want to try that.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck. If you have more questions feel free.
Thanks E

We will look forward to your cake photo.

Lorelie