You don't have to be a self-proclaimed artist to turn your dessert into a work of art. A cake is a blank slate waiting to be beautified. Decorating a cake is a fun activity to explore solo, with friends or your children. Everyone will love taking time to exercise their creativity for a special occasion. So skip the supermarket and make your own cake this year–your efforts won't go unnoticed! Here are some surprisingly easy ways to turn your cake into a masterpiece.
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Funfetti
We all have the best memories of funfetti cakes, so why not carry out the tradition. We love this grown-up version of the cake with polka dots.
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Abstract Watercolor
For little painters in training, this cake will allow your kids to practice their brush strokes while baking. Two birds with one stone and you have a delicious treat to enjoy post-art-experiment.
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Gummy Bear Cake
Who said gummy candy and cake don't mix? Sugar is sugar and we can't get enough with this Gummy Bear dream cake.
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Lucky Charms Cake
A cake for St. Patrick's Day, who would've thought! We love the idea of using a favorite childhood cereal to celebrate Lucky the Leprechaun and all his wee friends. Why save this cake for only one day of the year? Just like you can eat Lucky Charms year round, this cake works any time too.
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Edible Flower Cake
Edible flowers make anything you put them on sophisticated and cheery. Add them to your tea, salads, or cakes for a touch of effortless beauty.
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Embroidery with Sprinkles
Embroidery is not just for your garments anymore. Get crafty with teeny, tiny sprinkles to make a cake that looks good enough to wear. This one is simple, but does require patience.
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Gemstone Cupcakes
Not exactly a full-size cake, but how cool are these gemstone cupcakes? We want them at our next birthday party or any night of the week for dessert.
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Sprinkles and Chocolate Cake
Here's another very simple idea that combines two of our favorite things: chocolate and sprinkles. It's a match made in heaven!
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Momofuku Birthday Cake
An exposed creation that says "let's focus on the cake." This is the ultimate birthday cake, including elements of the beloved funfetti cake with a twist.
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Unicorn Birthday Cake
This magical unicorn birthday cake makes it easy to believe wishes can come true. Delight your favorite believer with the colorful layers and candy toppings.
Unicorn Birthday Cake from The Spruce Eats
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Striped Mini Cakes
Sometimes you just need a mini cake. Keep a steady hand to create this rainbow of stripes around your cake. Tip: Coordinate your stripes with your table decor.
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Simple Cookie Flowers
If you can't decide between cookies and cake, have both! This whimsical design uses cookies to make festive flowers around the sides of the cake.
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Sparklers
As a beginner cake decoration artist, you might not have time to fuss with frosting. In this case, sparklers are a great idea. They will distract your guests from your learning curve for sure. Also, this cake is an understated and adorable idea of 4th of July!
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Ice Cream Cake
This extravagant ice cream cake only looks complicated to make. In reality, it's quite simple, and is obviously delicious to eat!
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Pinata Cake
This piñata cake is such a fun idea for birthday parties! Get creative with the candy and your guests will be delightfully surprised after the first slice.
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Pink Heart Shaped Cake
There are so many occasions a pink heart-shaped cake is appropriate. You will definitely want to pick up the easy skill of cutting shapes into cake.
Pink Heart Shaped Cake from The Spruce
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Chocolate Chilli Splatter Cake
Inspired by Jackson Pollack, we love the fun, free-form nature of this whimsical cake decorating technique.
Chocolate Chilli Splatter Cake from My Name is Yeh
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Coconut Cake
Yes, ladies and gents, sometimes all you need is a fresh layer of shaved coconut to decorate a cake. Simple, understated, yet beautiful.
Fresh Two Layer Coconut Cake from The Spruce
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Carnival Cake Topper
The cutest circus friends and an adorable "happy birthday" cake topper make a carnival cake look like it took hours to make. You will be the only one to know your creation was only a couple Amazon clicks away.
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Citrus Slice Cake
Do you have any fresh citrus in your fridge? Just slice it up and throw it (neatly) on the cake. You'll have a fun looking cake in no time.
Citrus Slice Cake from Julep
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Berries on Top
A minimalist's dream come true and the easiest cake to make: Just add your favorite berries in a neatly arranged cluster to create a cake worthy of centerpiece status.
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Cashew Cream and Berries from Design Love Fest
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Rainbow Cake
Here's a special rainbow cake for the most special of days and people. This cake is a sparkling work of art that you can make at home. Go ahead and give it a try.
Rainbow Cake from Alana Jones Mann
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Unicorn Cake
Edible gold dust adds sparkle to this all-occasion unicorn cake, with candy sprinkles adding colorful magic to each bite. The easy-to-follow decorating directions result in a bakeshop-worthy masterpiece.
Unicorn Cake from The Spruce Eats