Buttercream Flower Painting Tutorials

Sharing is caring!

These Buttercream Flower painting tutorials are videos on how to paint with buttercream using a palette knife technique. An easy cake decorating techniques that is fun and creative

Just like you make flowers of frosting using piping nozzles, in the same way palette knife buttercream flowers can be made using the knife technique. A variety of flowers and patterns can be created just by swinging the palette knife around the cake. So, lets get creative with some more frosting skills

Painting with buttercream on cakes refers to a decorative technique where buttercream is applied to the cake’s surface in a manner similar to painting on a canvas. It’s a way to create beautiful, artistic, and often intricate designs on cakes using buttercream as the medium. Here’s a bit more about the process and the various techniques:

1. Tools:
   • Palette Knife or Offset Spatula: Used to apply and spread buttercream, creating various textures and patterns.
   • Paintbrushes: Various sizes and shapes can be used to create different effects, from broad strokes to detailed designs. Ensure these brushes are food-safe and used only for cake decorating.
2. Techniques:
   • Watercolor Effect: This is achieved by applying thin layers of different colored buttercream, then blending them slightly for a soft, watercolor-like appearance.
   • Impasto Technique: This involves applying thick layers of buttercream to create texture and dimension, similar to the impasto technique in traditional painting.
   • Brushwork: Detailed designs, such as flowers or other motifs, can be painted using buttercream and a fine brush.
   • Stenciling: Buttercream can be spread over a stencil placed on the cake’s surface to create intricate patterns.
3. Preparation:
   • Smooth Base: Before painting, ensure the cake has a smooth layer of base buttercream or fondant to create a “canvas.” This base layer should be chilled to firmness, so the painting process doesn’t damage it.
   • Consistency: The buttercream used for painting should be of the right consistency. It can’t be too runny or too stiff. Depending on the effect you want, you might thin the buttercream with a little milk or thicken it by adding more powdered sugar.
   • Colors: Use food coloring to achieve the desired shades. Gel-based colors are often preferred as they don’t alter the buttercream’s consistency as much as liquid-based colors.
4. Advantages:
   • Texture and Depth: Unlike flat painted designs on fondant using edible colors, buttercream painting adds texture and depth to the cake design.
   • Flavor: Since it’s all buttercream, the decoration is as delicious as it is beautiful.
5. Challenges:
   • Temperature: Buttercream can melt or soften, especially in warmer conditions. It’s essential to work in a cool environment and store the finished cake appropriately.
   • Mistakes: Unlike with water or gel-based paint on a fondant surface, mistakes in buttercream painting can be a bit trickier to correct without disturbing the base layer.

Painting with buttercream is a skill that requires practice. It’s a beautiful way to blend the art of painting with the craft of cake decorating. If you’re interested in exploring this technique, many tutorials and classes are available, both online and in-person, that can guide beginners through the process.

Paint flower with Buttercream by BK Floral Delight by Jiahn

Palette Knife Dahlia painting by BK Floral Delight by Jiahn

Buttercream Palette Knife Painted Rose Cake by Baking Butterly Love

What cake recipes work best for buttercream painting?

Here are cake batters that provide a solid foundation for most decorative endeavors, which should work well for “painting with buttercream”:

1. Pound Cake: This dense and buttery cake provides a sturdy base, which is great if you’re stacking layers or need the cake to hold up under the weight of decorations.
2. Butter Cake: A rich and moist cake, it’s versatile for carving and decorating.
3. Vanilla or Chocolate Sponge Cake: These cakes are light but can be made stable enough for decorations with proper layering and filling.
4. Mud Cake: Especially popular in Australia, mud cakes have a dense and fudgy texture, perfect for holding decorations.
5. Red Velvet Cake: Beyond its striking color, red velvet has a tender crumb that can be a good base for decorative cakes when handled carefully.
6. Madeira Cake: This traditional British cake is firmer and is often used when a robust cake is needed for decorations.

Painted Buttercream Flower Cake Tutorial by BakeUp

Buttercream Painting Butter&blossoms by Butter&Blossoms

Buttercream Palette Knife Painted Cake by Baking Butterly Love

Buttercream Palette Knife Floral Cake by Eat Cake Be Merry

What frosting works best for buttercream painting

For buttercream painting, you want a frosting that provides a smooth and consistent canvas, holds its shape well, and allows for blending and layering of colors. The best type of buttercream for this purpose is usually a crusting buttercream. Here’s a breakdown:

1. American Buttercream:
   • This is one of the most commonly used buttercreams for painting because of its simplicity and crusting properties. American buttercream is made with butter (or a mix of butter and shortening), powdered sugar, milk or cream, and flavorings.
   • It crusts over time, creating a semi-hard surface that’s suitable for painting.
   • It’s also easy to adjust the consistency by adding more milk or cream to thin it out or more powdered sugar to make it thicker.
2. Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
   • This Swiss buttercream is smoother and silkier than American buttercream. It’s made by cooking egg whites and sugar over a double boiler, then whipping them into a meringue and adding butter.
   • It provides a smooth finish, but it doesn’t crust like American buttercream. While it can be used for painting, it may be slightly trickier for beginners because of its softness.
3. Italian Meringue Buttercream:
   • Similar in texture to Swiss meringue buttercream, Italian buttercream is made by pouring hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites before adding butter.
   • Like Swiss meringue, it’s smooth and creamy but doesn’t crust. It can be used for painting but remains softer than American buttercream.
4. Flour Buttercream or Ermine Buttercream:
   • Made with cooked milk and flour paste, sugar, and butter, this flour buttercream is smooth and less sweet than American buttercream.
   • It doesn’t crust as firmly as American buttercream, but it can still be used for painting, especially if you want a softer look.

Tips for Buttercream Painting:

• Consistency: Depending on the painting technique you want to use, you might need to adjust the buttercream’s consistency. For detailed painting, a slightly stiffer buttercream might be preferable. For more blended or watercolor effects, a creamier consistency might work better.
• Crusting: If you’re using a crusting buttercream, allow the base layer of buttercream on your cake to set and crust slightly before painting. This provides a more stable canvas.
• Colors: Gel food coloring is preferred for coloring buttercream for painting. It’s more concentrated and doesn’t alter the consistency of the buttercream as much as liquid colors.

Overall, while American buttercream is a popular choice for buttercream painting because of its crusting properties, the best buttercream for you will also depend on your personal preference, the specific effect you’re aiming for, and your skill level. Experiment with different types to find what works best for your artistic needs!

Painted Floral Buttercream Cake by Be Kind & Bake For Someone

Painted Buttercream Flowers by British Girl Bakes

Palette Knife Buttercream Flower Tutorial by Maddie Brehm

• Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
• Minion Cake Tutorials
• Frozen Theme Cake Tutorials
• Valentine’s Day Cake Tutorials
• Tree Stump Cake Tutorials
• Edible Cake Lace Recipe and tutorials
• Geode Cake Tutorial
• Stained Glass Cake Tutorial
• Geometric Cake Tutorials

Images for Inspiration

Here are a few cakes made by artist around the glove using the buttercream palette knife technique. Get inspired with these pretty cake patterns for your next cake project with butter cream frosting. Totally worth the effort !! Enjoy ..

Cakes By – Razz Adams, Claudia Prati, 10 bloom cakes, Claudia Prati, emma page cakes, Butter&Blossoms, my cake school, Cynthia Irani Design, sweet guilt by angelica, sweet bloom cakes, Razz Adams

You may also like our post on

• Cake Decorating Tutorials 101 – Tutorials for Beginners
• 5 Buttercream Wedding Cake Tutorials
• Edible Sugar Lace Recipe and Tutorial
• 12 Tip to Make A Naked Wedding Cake
• 20 Tips to Making your own Wedding Cake
• Vanilla Birthday Cake Recipe or Vanilla Birthday Cake Recipe 2

Sharing is caring!