31 Easy Cake Decorating Ideas That Will Make You Seem Like A Master Baker

There’s really nothing better than a gorgeous cake for celebrating everything from birthdays to graduations, big holidays to minor weekday wins. What’s not so great? If you’re not a master baker, the idea of frosting and decorating a cake can be overwhelming. Luckily, we’ve got lots of ideas for you—everything from super simple options (really, they’re so easy kids can help out!) to more involved endeavors. Check out our 31 cake decorating ideas for inspiration—ALL are impressive enough to make anyone feel extra special.

If you’re new to cake decorating, let us recommend some tips of the trade. As any chef knows, it’s ALL about having the right kitchen tools, and when it comes to cake decorating, there are a few that will set you up for success. The ultimate is an offset spatula. You can use it to get your cakes out of the pans, swoop frosting over the layers, get the perfect ganache drips, and even delineate lines for slicing. If you can’t get the hang of frosting an entire cake, try another trick of the trade: covering your cake in so much deliciousness no one will even notice the frosting. Sprinkles (like in our funfetti cake or donut cake) are the OG, but we’re also partial to freeze-dried strawberries, like in our strawberry crunch cake; toasted coconut flakes, like in our pineapple coconut cake; fruit, like atop our sangria cake or strawberry cheesecake; or even candy, like in our peanut butter cake or number cake (cakes are the BEST excuse to raid the holiday candy aisle).

When it comes to frosting a cake, our greatest advice is stick with it. We promise, even for experienced bakers, there’s a point in assembling and frosting every cake where it’s very tempting to throw in the towel and give up. Keep at it, and it will come together, trust us. If it still seems like too much, we’ve got you: try our naked cake-style of frosting, or go super simple with a dusting of powdered sugar, like in our olive oil cake, or nothing at all, like in our almond cake. We pair it with nothing but a few fresh strawberries and some whipped cream, and trust us—no one has ever not been blown away by its simplicity.

This cake is a BEAUTY. Our favorite thing about upside-down cakes? They're impossible to mess up because you can place your fruits just so before pouring the batter on. It's always a joy to see how they turn out once you flip them—they ALWAYS impress.

Get the Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake recipe.

Sprinkles are a classic for a reason—you really can't beat 'em when it comes to making a cake feel extra celebratory. Sprinkle them on top, and around the bottom right after you've frosted your cake to make sure your buttercream is still wet enough that they'll stick.

Get the Funfetti Birthday Cake recipe.

It's surprisingly easy to frost a cake with this ombre effect: Simply split your frosting into 4 bowls, and color each using increasingly more food dye than the last. Pipe them around the cake, then use a bench scraper or offset spatula to smooth them out. Hot tip: don't skip refrigerating the crumb coat! It makes it a LOT easier to frost once it's been chilled.

Get the Creamsicle Ombre Cake recipe.

Want to give classic cheesecake an elegant (and easy!) upgrade? This strawberry topping is your answer. All you need to do is heat together strawberry preserves and lemon juice until smooth and thick then brush it over fresh strawberries on top of your cooled and beautiful cheesecake.

Get the Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.

Those that love peanut butter LOVE peanut butter, and this cake was made with those in mind. Peanut butter cake, peanut butter frosting, AND peanut butter drizzle make a big statement, without too much effort. We love adding whole chopped Reese's, but for a colorful (and still peanut-buttery) twist, use chopped Reese's Pieces instead!

Get the Peanut Butter Cake recipe.

A naked cake is THE best way to frost a cake if you're worried about getting it just right. The imperfections in the frosting are what makes a naked cake so beautiful!

Get the Naked Cake recipe.

For this cake, we traced our number on the back of an empty cereal box to used it as a stencil—trust us, it's very doable! Use this method (or a shaped cake pan, no judgement) to write out almost anything. As long as you top it with a fun assortment of candies and/or fruits, it'll look adorable no matter what.

Get the Number Cake recipe.

When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade—make a fruity, white chocolate mousse cake instead. Top it with sugared blueberries, white chocolate shavings, and lemon peel, and you'll have a cake worthy of any celebration.

Get the Blueberry Mousse Cake recipe.

Once you've got the ganache atop your flourless chocolate cake down, take it to the next level with the addition of peanut butter. Dot melted peanut butter in horizontal lines on top of ganache all the way down the cake, then use a toothpick to drag lines up and down the cake. Let it set for at least 15 minutes before cutting (bonus: more time to admire your handiwork!).

Get the Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake recipe.

This is one of those gluten-free and dairy-free recipes we turn to again and again. It's SO good, you can leave it decorated simply with a little homemade whipped cream and fruit.

Get the Almond Cake recipe.

This chocolate cake is rich and almost brownie-like and goes so well with the tart raspberry cream cheese frosting. It’s best to use a large round tip for the bottom 2 layers, saving the more decorative designs for the top. Add raspberries between the layers if you want extra cuteness!

Get the Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe.

For a blast of flavor and color, our spin on the classic firecracker cake upgrades itself from white cake to a tangy lemon batter with blueberry- and strawberry-flavored swirls on the inside. On the outside, we split a simple glaze into multiple colors, and went wild with decorating to match 4th of July fireworks.

Get the Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake recipe.

This cake is WAY easier to make than it looks, trust us. All you need is two boxes of store-bought cake mix (strawberry and vanilla) to create those gorgeous layers, and some Nilla wafers and freeze-dried strawberries (hint: check the baby food aisle if you can't find them by the baking stuff) to create the ice cream bar coating effect on the outside. Easy peasy!

Get the Strawberry Crunch Cake recipe.

This recipe is FULL of cake decorating tips and tricks. Our favorites? Using a clean sponge to get that mottled outside-of-a-watermelon look, and using licorice jelly beans to approximate seeds!

Get the Watermelon Cake recipe.

No one can deny the allure of a good glazed donut. Forget breaking out the heavy-bottomed pot and the fry oil—this easy bundt cake decorating idea checks ALL the same boxes. Thank us later!

Get the Glazed Donut Cake recipe.

Classic buttercream is great and all, but have you ever had Italian meringue? The not too sweet frosting pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and looks great swirled or toasted on the outside. Pipe it on to make pretty swirls and rosettes, or use a kitchen torch for a s'mores vibe.

Get the Marshmallow Cake recipe.

Making this puzzling chocolate and vanilla cake is a little bit of a brain teaser, and you'll need a set of round biscuit or cookie cutters (8", 6", 4", and 2") to achieve it. Once you've got the hang of it though, it's extremely easy. Everyone will love the surprise inside.

Get the Checkerboard Cake recipe.

We can't sing the praises of crushed cookies to decorate a cake enough—here we crushed Nilla wafers to decorate the sides and used whole ones (and bananas!) to stick between piped frosting puffs. Though it will be hard, try to resist adding a ton of banana pudding in between the layers. Otherwise, things will get pretty messy, and it'll be harder to frost.

Get the Banana Pudding Cake recipe.

This fluffy coconut cake is filled with an easy pineapple curd and finished with a cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut flakes. We love decorating with the bigger, unsweetened toasted flakes, but if you prefer sweetened coconut for the outside it works just as well.

Get the Pineapple Coconut Cake recipe.

If you've never had olive oil-based dessert, this citrusy, tender cake is a great place to start. Lemon and orange zest play super well with the grassy, bright flavors of olive oil. Our top tip for dusting powdered sugar on cakes? Sift it through a fine mesh sieve above the cake for the most even application!

Get the Citrus Olive Oil Cake recipe.

A classic chocolate cake is always a good idea, but if you are looking to take your celebration over the top, give this white chocolate cake a try. It's soft and layered with a white chocolate mousse and then frosted with a simple cream cheese frosting. We recommend using good quality bars of white chocolate with this cake as it will really make a difference for the beautiful chocolate ganache and shavings on top.

Get the White Chocolate Cake recipe.

Icebox cakes may be an old-school concept, but this recipe is truly spectacular. The combination of lemon curd and cream cheese frosting is intensely citrusy and refreshing, and the quick candied lemon peel makes it priceless. The quick lemon peel garnish adds an extra special touch to this cake, and is super simple.

Get the Lemon Icebox Cake recipe.

This simple chocolate cake looks anything but, thanks to a fudgy, creamy chocolate ganache. It's one of our favorite decorating tips, since it's so easy (if you can melt chocolate, you can make it), and will hide a myriad of baking sins (flour lumps, cracks, etc.).

Get the Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe.

Take your love of Oreos to new heights with this insane chocolate cake. Layered with Oreo crumbs and a marshmallow frosting, it's the biggest form of an Oreo yet. An easy balloon trick creates a bowl of melted white chocolate that will look like a giant splash of milk on top of your cake!

Get the Milk & Oreos Cake recipe.

Red sangria is one of our favorite drinks in the summer, so we thought we'd borrow its basic flavors for a layer cake! Using sangria wine in the cake batter and brandy in the frosting means every bite is boozy and flavorful. Decorating with fruit is easy and pretty—use your favorite colorful variety.

Get the Sangria Cake recipe.

Based on our super-cute carrot patch brownies, this recipe is one of our fave ways to decorate a cheesecake. Add gummy worms (a la our dirt pudding), or whatever seasonal candy you like!

Get the Carrot Patch Cheesecake recipe.

Bûche de Noël cakes are a French Christmas tradition dating back to the 19th century. Rolling up a warm cake in a towel might seem crazy, but it's the best way to ensure the cake won't crack when you frost it. You could decorate it like a log, as is traditional, or try any other variety of frosting and topping combos—it's all about that gorgeous swirl, so anything else you manage is a bonus.

Get the Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake) recipe.

Have you ever seen a cake so adorable? Impress your family with this super easy, super cute Thanksgiving dessert! The feathers are made by brushing white chocolate onto parchment paper and then chilled until hardened. Use your favorite cake mix or use boxed to keep it simple like we did.

Get the Turkey Cake recipe.

Want to make a Halloween layer cake that you wouldn't be too scared to take a bite of? By topping it with Ghost Peeps, Milano cookies with the letters "RIP", and our favorite candies and sprinkles, the presentation is spooky, but will still lure everyone in for a bite.

Get the Halloween Layer Cake recipe.

You've heard of chocolate ganache drips, right? Take it next level by pairing it with homemade caramel. Here we paired it with a spiced cake, topped with chopped peanuts and WHOLE candy apples, but you can skip those if you want.

Get the Caramel Apple Cake recipe.

We turned two store-bought cake mixes, one 8" cake pan, one 8" heat-safe bowl, marshmallows, and one cake donut to create this joyful igloo cake. Check out our video for tips, and then use this recipe to spark your baking imagination.

Get the Igloo Cake recipe.