How to create a Rainbow Ombre Buttercream Finish
Starting with a chilled crumb coated cake; pipe rings of buttercream around the cake starting with the darkest colour at the base of the cake. We chose to create a rainbow ombre so started with the violet shade.
Pipe the other colours buttercream up the side of the cake and pipe your top colour on the top of your cake as well.
Use a palette knife to smooth the top of the cake. Then using a cake scraper to smooth the sides of the cake, fill in any gaps with buttercream and continue to smooth the buttercream until you have a smooth ombre buttercream cake!
An Ombre cake is a cake that has a gradual colour gradient using buttercream. The colours typically fade from light to dark (or vice versa) in shades of a single colour, creating a smooth, elegant transition.
- Turn Table
- Offset spatula
- coloured buttercream
- Icing smoother
- Paring knife
- Round piping tip and bag
- Crumb coated cake- (check out our hints and tips on how to do this here- How to Crumb Coat a Cake )
What kind of buttercream should I use for an ombre cake?
For an ombre cake, there are 2 typed of buttercream you can use. You need the buttercream to be smooth, stable, and easy to colour and blend.
Classic Buttercream
This is made with butter and icing sugar, sometimes a splash of milk or cream.
Thick, sweet, and easy to colour with gel food colouring. This buttercream also holds it’s shape well for layering and piping.
Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream
This type of buttercream is silky, smooth, and less sweet than classic buttercream. It is excellent for fading colours smoothly and creating a professional finish. It is also Stable enough for tall cakes or more intricate designs.
We would recommend using classic buttercream, as it is the most stable and easier to colour.
How do I prevent the colours from blending too harshly on an ombre cake?
Make sure that you use a bench scraper or offset spatula to smooth frosting gently.
Work in thin layers and wipe the scraper between passes.
Chill the cake slightly if the buttercream becomes too soft.
make sure you check our our full Dr. Oetker Range of Food Colours these are perfect for creating a Ombre finish. And check out our guide on how to use them here- How to Use Food Colouring in Baking
Why not check out our other handy baking tips? We have everything you need to know here- Hints & Tips