Once you learn how to make stickers out of buttercream the whole world opens up for you. Seriously. 

Traditionally this technique for spreading buttercream on parchment or wax paper and then applying it to a cake is called a buttercream transfer. Savvy cake decorators use this method for piping characters or detailed patterns, like this savvy cake decorator did over on the Craftsy blog.

Now that you’ve seen buttercream transfers, imagine the possibilities! Or just do exactly what I did and make a simple, but kick-ass buttercream lattice. Slap it on a sheet cake like me or decorate the sides of a tall layer cake. 

How to Make a Buttercream Lattice Sheet Cake

Supplies

• 1 Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe, baked and cooled in the dish
• 2 Batches of Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Gel food coloring: pale green, leaf green, pink, and yellow
• Parchment or wax paper
• Scissors
• Offset spatula
• Piping bags
• Large leaf tip (Wilton 366)
• Large star tips (Bakery Crafts 1B)

My supply list contains affiliate links, because that’s how people on the internet make money. We live in the future! 

Prep the Cake

Tint one of the batches of buttercream pale green. Spread the pale green buttercream over the cooled strawberry sheet cake until it’s #smoothenough. Clean up the edges of the baking dish with a damp paper towel. Pop the cake into the fridge to help the buttercream set up while you work on the lattice strips. 

Make the Buttercream Lattice

Cut 1/2-inch wide strips of parchment or wax paper. Trim the strips so that they’ll fit running diagonally across the top of the cake in both directions. Use a small offset spatula to spread a thin layer of plain buttercream over each strip. Set the strips aside and pull the cake from the fridge. 

Place the longest strip diagonally across the cake, corner to corner, buttercream side down. Gently press the strip down making sure all of the buttercream on the strip comes into contact with the cake. Add more strips on either side of the first strip about 1 1/2 inches apart. Trim away any edges that may be hanging over the sides of the dish. Pop the cake in the fridge or freezer just until the buttercream strips have set up firm, about 5 minutes. Pull the cake from the fridge and carefully peel the paper away. Add another batch of strips in the same way, just running in the opposite direction. Allow the strips to set up firm in the fridge and peel the paper away before moving onto the flowers and leaves. 

Pipe the Leaves & Flowers

Divide the rest of the buttercream into 3 bowls. Tint one pink, another yellow, and the third leaf green. Fit two pipping bags with large star tips. Fill one with the pink buttercream and the other with the yellow. Fit a third bag with a large leaf tip and fill it with the green buttercream. 

Pipe a simple rosette by holding one of the bags fitted with a star tip vertically over the surface of the cake. Apply pressure to the bag, then move the tip all the way around that starting point while continuing to apply pressure. When you circle back to where you started, release pressure from the bag and pull it away from the cake. Repeat to make as many flowers as you like, covering up any squidgy parts of the lattice. 

Pipe a leaf by holding the tip of the piping bag so that the opening looks like a tiny mouth about to chomp down on one of your piped flowers. Apply pressure while pulling the bag up and away from the flower. Release soon after starting the leaf and pull the bag up and away from the cake. Repeat to make as many leaves as you like. 

Serve & Enjoy! 

Your finished cake can sit at room temperature for up to a day or in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to three days.