17 Buttercream-Painted Wedding Cakes Made With Palette-Knife Artistry

There’s certainly no shortage of options when it comes to wedding cake designs. From traditional white cakes to modern motifs, working with your baker to find the perfect style to fit your wedding is absolutely achievable. And for those hoping to incorporate a more abstract, artful touch to their cake table, a buttercream-painted cake may be the ideal fit.

“Buttercream-painted cakes are perfect for weddings that have an organic, natural feel, or weddings with a very romantic and soft theme. They are also perfect for relaxed or boho weddings,” says Randi Smith, owner of Sugar Euphoria.

According to Smith, buttercream painting is the technique of using buttercream, whether American, Swiss, or Italian, to create motifs on a cake. Palette knives and piping tips are typically utilized to match the style of oil painting.

“A painted buttercream cake is perfect for a couple looking for something colorful and a little different on their wedding day,” says Heather Leavitt, owner of Sweet Heather Anne. “Because the technique is so versatile, it can add an artful touch to just about any wedding.”

While a buttercream-painted cake can display any design, Leavitt says florals are incredibly popular with this technique. “We often use our clients’ wedding flowers as a reference to create an original painting that fits their aesthetic,” she says. Smith notes that landscape and nature-themed painting is popular as well.

Choosing a buttercream-painted cake will allow you to truly display an artistic masterpiece at your wedding, and the design can be achieved no matter how small the cake. “There is something about a painted buttercream cake that makes you want to pause and admire it,” says Leavitt. “The variety of textures and colors you can achieve is stunning, and the fact that it is an edible piece of art makes it even more appealing.”

Think a buttercream-painted cake is right for you? Read on for 17 of our favorite awe-inspiring designs.