Top Cake Decorating Trends 2019

Wave goodbye to unicorns and drip cakes, this year cake decorating will bring a whole new meaning to the term “edible art”. From meringue mushrooms to mastering the art of ‘everyday sprinkles’, read on for our top ten cake decorating trend predictions for 2019.

(top image credit: Hungry Girl por Vida)

Update: read our baking and decorating trend predictions for 2020!

1. Artistic Expression

From palette to palate, 2019 will push the boundaries of cake design with incredible creations inspired by the shapes, patterns and prints of modern artists. While they might not last quite as long, these edible artworks will bring your favourite pieces to life in the most delicious way possible.

 

 

2. If you go out in the woods today…

While we’ve seen many woodland-themed baby shower cakes in the past 12 months, 2019 will see decorators refine this cutesy style into something a touch more sophisticated. Use Black Food Colour Gel to achieve the rich, earthy tones of woodland flora, then decorate with meringue mushrooms and fondant fungi.

 

 

3. Feeling hot, hot, hot!

From tacky lawn ornament to towering cake topper, flamingos have gone from kitsch to cool over the past few months. This fresh, playful and flamboyant trend incorporates all the best parts of a tropical vacation into one fabulously pink cake! Paired with palm trees, brightly coloured fruits and colorful animals, this trend will allow you to go a little wild in 2019.

 

 

4. Fiesta Fever

Llamas have been on our radar for a while now, and we’ve been watching keenly to see if they’ll knock unicorns off the top spot. These exotic creatures initially featured bright, bold colours, making llamas the perfect accompaniment to the cacti and succulent cakes that emerged in 2017. This year, we predict more of a subtle nod to the fiesta trend, with gentle pastels and pared back cake toppers.

 

 

5. Textural Temptations

Forget slaving away over sharp, angular edges or perfectly smooth sides: textured buttercream has finally found its place in the spotlight and we’re all breathing a sigh of relief! In 2019 our favourite icing will become a key design element rather than a simple backdrop, with swoops and swirls bringing texture and movement to layer cakes. Colour is a strong driver for the evolution of this trend, with elegant and natural colour palettes (another trend you’ll see more of in ’19) enhancing the effect even further.

 

 

6. Say it with cake

A trend made popular by the notorious “Drake on a Cake” creator, Joy the baker, we’re starting to see an influx of witty typography created with piped royal icing, letter-shaped biscuits and fondant cut outs. This trend incorporates basic baking with a hint of humour and a bucket load of sass.

 

 

7. A touch of fondant

Fondant has a bad rep in the cake decorating world, but it’s not always about perfectly smooth, snow-white wedding cakes. Instead, this year we’ll be embracing it as a compliment to buttercream rather than committing to a whole cake. Use it to add a pop of colour, a little texture and a whole lot of pizzazz to cakes, cupcakes and biscuits.

 

 

8. Magical Meringue

We predicted meringue would make it big back in 2017 and look how far we’ve come! The rise and rise of this sweet, crunchy treat shows it’s resilience in the constantly evolving word of desserts. This year we’ll be seeing it torched, coloured and piped as a stand-alone treat, or artfully arranged on top of cakes instead of traditional buttercream swirls.

 

 

9. Everyday Sprinkles

Sprinkles have come full circle since we first explored the concept in 2016. Moving away from towering confetti layer cakes and intricate piñatas, this year we’ll be seeing more of an “everyday” sprinkle incorporated into our much-loved, simple bakes. 2019 is all about a subtle flourish of sprinkles to jazz up an otherwise everyday recipe.

 

 

10. Elegant, muted shades

While we’ll always have a soft spot for brightly coloured rainbow cakes, in 2019 we’ll see a shift towards a more refined colour palette. Elegant, muted shades will add a touch of sophistication to our cakes and cupcakes, working perfectly with the textured buttercream trend. Want to achieve the perfect shade every time? Get ahead of the trend with a little help from our Food Colour Mixing Chart.

 

 

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Comments & Reviews

Cake Pro decoration! I would like to see and learn the detailed cake decoration as an Autum forest.

Rosy

“I think this is one of the most significant information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. Thank for sharing”

Cakeflix

Love these, special favourite is the textured sides, so many possibilities

Kath