This post is sponsored by Nestlé® Toll House® Morsels, the perfect special ingredient for all of your family’s favorite treats!
Today is the second post in our “how to frost a cake” series. I asked pastry chef Hope Waggoner to us some tricks on how to frost a scallop cake. When I was a little girl I was always planning parties (even then!) and I remember my mom helping me bake miniature cakes for a tea party. This little girly cake would fit in perfect at a tea party or shower. Before frosting the scallops the cake needs to have it’s crumb coat and have set in the fridge. (Follow steps 1-4 on this post.) I like that you don’t need anything fancy to make this cake, just a pastry bag and a good ol’ butter knife.
Materials Needed: All you really need to frost this cake is: A large Offset Spatula for the first layer of frosting, a heavy duty pastry bag with large tip, and a knife.
Step 1: Follow steps 1-4 over here until the cake has it’s basic layer of crumb coat and has chilled. The cake should be cold and the frosting should be room temperature.
Step 2: Fill a large pastry bag with icing and create a row of straight dots going from top to bottom.
Step 3: Gently spread each dot with a knife, cleaning the knife on a rag as necessary to make sure the scallops are even.
Step 4: Create another row of dots where the frosting ends and spread each dot with a knife. Repeat over and over until the whole cake is finished. (Pro tip: It’s easy to remove a mistake with a knife and begin a row again.)
Step 5: When the scallops end add a final row of dots to “seal” the seam for a finished look.
A special thanks to Michelle for letting us borrow her beautiful kitchen, to Hope for her expertise, and to little A for modeling.
Photos by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day
Lele
September 12, 2012
great!!
^^
Tara
September 12, 2012
How pretty! My sister-in-law’s birthday party is this weekend, and I usually frost cakes the regular ol’ way… maybe I’ll try this out!
Damaris @Kitchen Corners
September 12, 2012
My daughter’s birthday is on Saturday, I think a scalloped cake is in order!
Karen @sugarspicelivin
September 12, 2012
Gorgeous and so fun!!!
Rebecca - A Daily Something
September 12, 2012
GASP! This is stunning – such a pretty, light-filled kitchen…and wow, I want to eat that cake NOW! 🙂 Thanks for a great how-to!
Debbi
September 12, 2012
How pretty! Thank you so much! I could/would never have imagined! And I have a birthday cake to decorate this very day! Thank you! Thank you!
Caitlin
September 12, 2012
a crumb coat! seems so simple- why didn’t I think of that? can’t wait to try it on my next cake!
Kate
September 12, 2012
Gorgeous, Jordan! I love having this – plus its intentionally less perfect kid brother (https://ohhappyday.com/2012/08/styled-eats-how-to-perfectly-frost-a-messy-cake/) – in my cake decorating arsenal.
Lacey
September 12, 2012
Love it! I am having my wedding cake scalloped like this! What I REALLLLY want to know is where that cake stand came from! I need it in a big way!
The stand was bought a few years ago from Sur la Table 🙂
Evani G
September 12, 2012
How did I ever get through life without Oh Happy Day?! This is such an amazing tutorial!
Evani
http://www.simplyevani.com
how2home
September 12, 2012
BEAUTIFUL cake and pipping 🙂
Erin
September 12, 2012
Jordan I’m loving this series…. keep it up!
Caitlyn
September 12, 2012
Yum. These little tidbits of knowledge make me so happy. It’s something I would have never thought to look up, but am very thrilled that I now know it. Thanks!
Lisette
September 12, 2012
Simple and charming, the best combination!!
marla
September 12, 2012
Such a fun post!! Beautiful cake and adorable birthday girl!
Tamsyn
September 12, 2012
Gorgeous photos!! Thanks so much for this tutorial, I’m throwing my son a ‘fish’ party and these scallops could look just like the scales on a fish 🙂
Melanie from A Cut Above The Retsy
September 12, 2012
I will have a go at this for my daughter’s birthday 🙂 Thanks!
Deb
September 13, 2012
Think I will do this with pastels, and offset… could be really cool…
Bethany Lamb
September 13, 2012
I did the same, but instead of going sideways I dragged the knife up. I made the cake for a nautical themed party, so each layer was a little lighter color than the previous for an “ombre” feeling – turned out great! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=607022815771&set=a.527979828551.2033116.152001321&type=3&theater – I put edible sand (grahm crackers and brown sugar) around the outside and spiked the top to look like waves… I was really happy with how it came out!
Hannah @ Sparrow + Spark!
September 13, 2012
Ooh pretty! I might just be able to attempt this, although I am sure it wouldn’t come out as neat!
priscilla kwak
September 13, 2012
this is such a fascinating idea, will try to this next time i bake a cake!
Stephanie Lee
September 13, 2012
JOrdan~
Your post on how to ice a messy cake saved my butt in icing my friends wedding cake!!!!!!
I was wondering what kind of buttercream icing recipe you used for this cake.
Thanks!! I love love love these cake posts!
Theresa
September 13, 2012
Beautiful! That makes me want to bake a cake!
Theresa
http://bomamma.blogspot.com
sofia
September 14, 2012
amazing! Planning to do this real soon!
Dianna
September 14, 2012
LOVE this! I am a very amateur baker, but I am constantly trying to learn more and this is such a great tutorial to help!
Thanks and have a lovely weekend!
Dianna @ Virgnia is for Lovers
Elena @ Randomly Happy
September 14, 2012
Thanks for another great tutorial on frosting. The whole crumb layer of frosting was a total revelation!
Beautiful photos. Loving the colour co-ordination!
x Elena @ Randomly Happy
Christina Main
September 14, 2012
This is fantastic! Thanks!!!!
Shannon
September 14, 2012
I have to make my son a dragon cake soon – this technique will be perfect for making the scales. Thanks!
Iris
September 14, 2012
Love this…I think I will try it in blue for my dads bday this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Haylee
September 15, 2012
Wow, I love this. What a simple and incredibly creative idea. Well, I say it’s simple but it probably is 10x harder than it looks. ha nonetheless it turned out beautifully, great job!
Iris
September 15, 2012
Hi…trying to make this tonight…and to be continued tomorrow morning…BUT I need to know if the cakes can be left in the freezer (in the saran wrap) over night? Instructions say a few hours…not sure if overnight too long or okay. Anybody have an answer for this???
Thanks,
XoXo
Iris
Glory Girl
September 16, 2012
OOOh, i need to try this! how glamorous!
Kris
September 16, 2012
This is adorable! Can’t wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing.
thecircleofit
September 17, 2012
ok…this is why i LOVE your blog!!!! perfect post perfect cake!
Chelsey
September 18, 2012
I love this series and clear photographs/directions! Hope to see more of these in the future!
Happy Wedding Anniversary
September 25, 2012
Brilliant instructions and photos for a DIY celebration cake! Really tapping into the big baking movement in the UK too as well.