Abstract Monarch Cake
Steps involved
Make cake layers
Make buttercream (no color)
Split and color buttercream
Assemble and ice cake
Pipe design onto parchment
Transfer icing to cake to decorate
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
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 also added some cocoa powder to the black icing to darken it - more information under the "colors used" section
Colors used
To get these colors, I used Wilton's Gel Icing Colors and Wilton's Color Right Food Coloring System.*
For the cake layers:
No food coloring used.
For the icing:
The colors may differ depending on how much icing you're coloring and the starting color of your buttercream (certain butter brands are more white or yellow which can make the buttercream whiter or more yellow). These are the amounts I used and should get you close.
Black Icing: *for more in depth instructions on how to get deep black icing, click here.
- Cocoa Powder: I added Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder until I liked the taste and the color. This gives the icing a darker color to start, so you don't have to use as much food coloring to get it to black.
- Wilton's Gel Icing Color in Black: 1-2 containers (1 oz. each)
*TIP* - If you want your icing extra dark, color it the day before using; this will deepen the color without having to add any extra food coloring. Be sure to re-mix prior to icing the cake.
Yellow Icing:
Yellow: 20 drops
Orange: 2 drops
Orange Icing:
Yellow: 120 drops
Orange: ~180 drops
Red: 13 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:
Store the iced cake in fridge while completing next steps.
Cut a piece of parchment long enough to wrap around the whole cake (at least 19.5 inches) and tall enough to cover the side of your cake.
Using piping bags with small openings cut into them and filled with your icing colors, pipe an abstract monarch design on the entirety of the parchment. Make sure to leave a bit of room on the ends so you can pick it up later. I piped oblong shapes with orange and dots with white and yellow. I then filled in between with black. You can refer to the video below for the visual of this.
Optional: Once design is piped, you can gently run an offset spatula over the design to remove some air bubbles and make it an even layer.
Check on the cake that has been in the fridge - you want the icing to be firm to the touch before moving forward.
Once cake is cold and icing is firm, remove from fridge.
Carefully, to make sure the parchment doesn't fold in on itself, pick up the parchment and wrap it around the cake. *This works best if you have a cake turner or a person turning the cake for you as you go. If doing this step alone, it may be easiest to start in the middle, wrap one side around, then wrap the other around.
Use your hands or an icing smoother to smooth the parchment on the cake, making sure it is flat against the side of the cake--not wrinkled. Keep the parchment paper wrapped around the cake and place in the fridge until the icing has become firm.
Once firm, peel back a corner of the parchment paper to make sure the icing stays behind. If the icing comes off with the paper, stick the cake back in the fridge and allow to cool for a little while longer. If the paper comes of cleanly, take the cake out of the fridge and gently remove the parchment paper, leaving the icing behind.
Use an offset spatula to remove any icing that may be hanging over the top edge of the cake and clean up the seam of the wrapped icing if necessary.
Slice and enjoy :)
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