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Brush Stroke Cake

Steps involved

  • Make cake layers

  • Make cream cheese icing

  • Make buttercream

  • Assemble and ice cake

  • Make brush strokes, let dry, and add to cake

READ BEFORE CONTINUING: The following recipes are scaled to make the cake pictured above -- a 4 layer cake made with 6-inch round cake layers. If you wish to make a smaller cake, please scale down these recipes. 

recipes used

  • 2x vanilla cake recipe

  • 1 - 1.5 batches Italian meringue buttercream

  • I made this buttercream vanilla flavored by adding 1 tablespoon of vanilla to my 1.5x batch (can add less or more to taste)

  • I always like to have extra buttercream rather than not enough, so if you're not sure how much to use, I would recommend making 1.5x

  • Cream cheese icing (recipe below)


Cream Cheese Icing


Ingredients:


  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

  • 2 tbsp. butter, softened

  • 3 cups powdered sugar

  • 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract

  • milk, if needed to thin icing


  1. Mix butter and cream cheese together

  2. Add vanilla, mix

  3. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until all incorporated

  4. If icing is too stiff you can add a splash of milk until it's the consistency you like

Colors used

To get these colors, I used Wilton's Color Right Food Coloring System.*

For the cake layers:

No food coloring used

For the brush strokes:

Blue Brush Strokes:

Blue: 1-2 drops

Yellow Brush Strokes:

Yellow: 1-2 drops

Pink Brush Strokes:

Pink: 1-2 drops

Supplies/tools

To find the tools I use for almost every cake I make and decorate (including pans, cake boards, icing smoothers, etc.), click here.

The supplies/tools below are specifically for decorating this cake, which I used in addition to the ones in the link above.*

*Some of these links may be affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small amount from some purchases, however, this does not affect my recommendations.

Decorating the cake

After the cake has been assembled and iced:


  1. Line tray with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. Divide a bag of white candy melts between 3 bowls.

  3. Melt one bowl of candy melts according to package directions. Add about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of shortening and 1-2 drops of color. Mix until combined.

  4. Spoon a small amount of mixture onto your lined tray. Using a food safe brush, brush the candy melts away from the blob to create a brush stroke. Repeat until you have as many brush strokes in that color as you would like.

  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other two bowls.

  6. Allow all brush strokes to dry.

  7. Gently peel brush strokes from parchment paper.

  8. Add a blob of buttercream to the back of a brush stroke and place onto cake. Repeat until your desired look is achieved.

  9. Slice and enjoy :)


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