13 Creative Ideas for Decorating Sheet Cakes

Sheet cakes can make life a lot simpler. Although you will need to find a bit more space to fit a sheet cake in the refrigerator, they’re easy to slice and easy to feed a large group of people. They also have lots of landscape room, so you can really throw yourself into your design. Plus, they’re very affordable, so if you throw a lot of events, they can prove a cost-saver. And if you think they’re too boring for a non-kids’ party, think again.

“When we think of ‘fancy cakes,’ I think we often imagine a tall, multi-tiered layer cake, covered in smooth fondant or buttercream frosting. But the humble sheet cake can make a striking impact too,” says Jessie-Sierra Ross, author of “Seasons Around the Table: Effortless Entertaining with Floral Tablescapes & Seasonal Recipes.” “Often thought of as an ‘office birthday party’ icon, sheet cakes are becoming more popular because they are practical, as well as delicious!”

That’s not to say you won’t need a little extra cleverness to pull things off, because you do have a lot of ground to cover. “To elevate the traditional sheet cake, try utilizing eye-catching designs and colors to make up for the lack of height,” says Trina DeKett, the pastry chef behind BāKIT Box. “These, as well as creative toppings, create a more appealing end product.” Seriously, even if all you want to do is dress up a mini sheet cake for an occasion, these ideas can help you get there. Let’s take a look at 14 of the best ways to creatively decorate sheet cakes.

“Sheet cakes also act as a blank canvas, so the options are endless,” says Odette D’Aniello, co-owner of boutique bakery Dragonfly Cakes. Cookies are among the best ways to dress them up, she says, because “texture is everything.”

The expert chefs we consulted uniformly agree that cookies are an easy but effective way to go. “We add macarons for buttercream cakes and shaped vanilla cookies for fresh cream cakes to add some colors and different textures,” says Angelica Rose, chef at Tearoom Bambi. Other topping possibilities, according to Jessie-Sierra Ross, include butter shortbread or sablé cookies for a crunchy effect, or macarons to create an eye-catching design.

Trung Vu, chef-instructor of Pastry and Baking Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus, loves the classics: “Nothing says all-American like Oreo crumbles.” Remember that sheet cakes are a lot of ground to cover, though, so make sure to get enough of whatever topping you need. For instance, you might want to shoot for the family-sized pack of OREO Double Stuf Cookies if that’s the route you’re taking.

When it comes to sprucing up sheet cakes, piping makes the job easy. Indeed, it is one of the best skills you can cultivate at home. If you’ve ever watched a baking show, you know that the judges are always wowed by a steady hand and lovely pipework. The good news is, piping isn’t as hard as you might think, and you can take it in all sorts of directions.

“I like to go bold and modern,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. “I’ll use a Sultan tip to create large ruffled cones, adding an edible flower or bright lemon curd to the center of each, then add texture with dollops of frosting from a small to medium French Star tip.”

You can try a variety of other effects as well, Trung Vu says, from seashells to scallops and ruffles, “or combining them and applying entire themes, such as vintage, which is trending.” To pull any of these styles off, though, you’re going to need the right tools. The Riccle Piping Bags and Tips Set, or something like it, is a good place to start.

Want to take your piping to the next level? Don’t be afraid to try something new. “I think many of us have a basic metal piping tip hanging out in the back of our kitchen drawer, but have you ever heard of Russian Piping tips? How about Closed Star tips?” Jessie-Sierra Ross asks. “These piping tips are a quick and easy way to transform basic buttercream frosting into amazing flowers, stripes, and patterns.” For instance, a set of Flower Frosting Icing Tips for Cake Decorating can generate some very cool results that you just can’t replicate with a regular piping nozzle.

Don’t stick with just a couple, either. “Wall-to-wall frosting of different flower techniques is also very popular on social media where a simple theme and color palette can elevate simple cakes and cupcakes,” Trung Vu says. Options range widely, Odette D’Aniello says, from peonies and roses along the borders to a dense floral carpet. Such a flower riot is “lush, colorful, and eye-catching,” she says.

If you love to paint, this sheet cake decoration style is for you. Watercolor frosting involves laying a white base, then adding small dollops of colored frosting and blending them into a blurred finished effect that mimics the bleed of watercolor. It’s a beautiful way to take up lots of surface area à la modern art, or to create a background for more decorations.

Remember, if you’re baking the cake yourself to lay a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting that you then chill onto the cake so that it hardens and prevents bits of cake from mixing into your frosting. “After chilling the cake, divide your plain buttercream frosting equally into several small bowls,” instructs Jessie-Sierra Ross. “Add a few drops of different food coloring to each and mix. These will be your ‘paints.’ Add swaths of different colors to the top of the cake, and then smooth with a bench scraper to create a lovely swirled ‘watercolor’ effect.”

If you’re making your cake yourself, or even if you just want to put an extra coat of frosting on a store-bought sheet cake, you can save yourself a lot of time by purchasing frosting instead of making it; 2 Pounds of Satin Ice Buttercream Icing Mix ought to do it. Of course, this isn’t the best course of action if you love whipping up butter and sugar (as this writer does, mostly so she can lick the beaters), but it will certainly shave off minutes if you’re in a hurry. Either way, you’ll want some nice food coloring, such as these 12 Color Food Grade Vibrant Food Dyes.

Meringue topping? Turns out it’s not just for pie. “Meringue pie toppings, such as a torched Italian meringue, can evoke a tart lemon pie, and it is always nice to enjoy an acidic balance when eating sweets,” Trung Vue says. “A torched meringue topping can also be reminiscent of a toasted marshmallow and would pair well with s’mores flavors, such as chocolate and graham cracker.”

To create this effect, Angelica Rose says, all you have to do is fill a piping bag with Italian meringue, which you can make yourself or buy online. (Judee’s Gluten Free Complete Meringue Powder Mix is one such option.) Then make swirls or whatever decorations you like and caramelize the top using a Dual Flame Butane Torch or other kitchen torch — just be sure to avoid these common mistakes everyone makes when making meringue.

There are some best practices to achieve the right look, though, warns food stylist Katie Miller. “Don’t overload the top,” she says. This is easy to do, even with a light topping such as meringue. “It’s easy to do when the canvas is so large the weight (especially uneven) can cause the cake to break or sag.” That’s why it’s important to use a piping bag, so that your application is even.

Slices of fresh fruit, especially citrus, look gorgeous topping a sheet cake, especially as the unbroken pattern works for both large and small surfaces. “Fresh fruit adds natural color and texture without much effort,” Odette D’Aniello says. “We especially love blood oranges, grapes, blueberries, and raspberries. Mint leaves add color and contrast.” Strawberries, kiwis, and figs are all lovely options as well, says Jessie-Sierra Ross, and Katie Miller adds that it’s nice to match the fruit decorations on top with the fruit that’s in the cake whenever possible. Trina DeKett says that it’s always fun to candy your fruits as well.

If you’re going to use a pure pattern of overlapping fruit, then perfection is the name of the game, so make sure your cake is level. “Homemade cakes will often look domed in the center whereas professional cakes are completely level,” Trung Vu says. “Your best tools to practice applying level frosting are a cake turntable, offset spatulas, and a wallpaper scraper.” The Ateco Reversible 2-Sided Revolving Cake Decorating Stand is a good place to start.

Matching your sheet cakes to the turning of the seasons is one of the best approaches to decorating. “In October, we’ve used Milano cookies as tombstones with a graham cracker dirt path,” Odette D’Aniello says. “For winter, we love white-on-white cakes with piped snowflakes and little sugar sleds. In the spring, pressed or fresh edible flowers are so cute, and candied citrus peels are perfect for the freshness element.” Also, she adds, “Height never hurts. Sculpted fondant can be used to add specific 3D images.”

You don’t need necessarily need to make 3D scenes, though, D’Aniello adds; you can also make them out of frosting. “They’re great for themed parties, birthdays, or any time you want the cake to tell a little story!” For instance, they love doing Monet themes, as impressionist art goes perfectly with a buttercream medium.

One of the best tricks here is to buy your decorations pre-made, so all you have to do is place them around the vignette. For instance, if you’re doing a Halloween cake, you might want to get some Sweets Indeed Halloween Sprinkles or Zombie Cake Toppers. Or you can make meringue ghosts by adding height to the natural kiss shape of meringue cookies, then pipe a set of eyes and an open mouth onto each ghost with dark frosting.

“I used to think that lemon curd, blackberry jam, or even freshly whipped cream were only meant to be inside a cake, but let’s think outside of the box!” Jessie-Sierra Ross says, perfectly expressing the enthusiasm we all have for gobs of whipped cream and sugary fruit preserves. “Stabilized whipped cream is gorgeous when it’s piped into fluffy borders, and citrus curds or jams can add artistic pops of color. I like to add lemon curd into the center of piped Sultan tip frosting circles, or even drizzle a bit of sour cherry sauce on top of a sheet cake.” Seriously, it’s time to get that Ateco Sultan Tube tip.

The only caution she has is to start small, as a little décor can go a long way, and a lot can go too far. This is especially true if you’re making a birthday or wedding sheet cake that relies on a softer sponge, such as genoise. That said, don’t skip this variety out of fear, Angelica Rose says. With fresh cream and fruit, genoise is one of the most delicious options. Just make sure you do the crumb coat and chill your cake, as crumbs in whipped cream can get real messy real fast.

One of the best new options to come to cake decorating lately? Dried fruit dust and edible powders. “Edible gold dust isn’t new in the baking world, but in the last few years more varieties of edible powders have hit the market,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. “From simple green matcha to bright pink dehydrated strawberry or beet powders, these dustings can add a lot of depth to your cake decorating.”

Options such as Organic Strawberry Powder, Organic Dragon Fruit Powder, or Organic Culinary Grade Matcha Powder are all good places to start. Blue spirulina or butterfly pea powder are other options, but be careful you don’t apply it so thickly that you end up lending an unwanted flavor to your creation.

To apply the dust evenly, Ross says, put the powder in a tea ball, then “dust small sections of the sheet cake to add some color. This is an especially elegant look when paired with decorations of fresh berries or fruits.”

Rice paper decorations are another of the best ways to dress up a sheet cake, especially since they add a lot of dramatic height easily. You may have seen these gorgeous flowers and flowing sheets on cooking shows or baking blogs, but if you haven’t tried them yourself, you’ll probably be surprised at how easy they are. It might take a little bit of time to learn to make them, but with the help of online tutorials, you can do it.

Plus, they’re so versatile. “Rice paper decoration tutorials are easily found online and can be made into many things from mimicking delicate florals to even making natural glitter,” Trung Vu says. They’re affordable, too. Try an Oasis Supply 25 Piece O-Grade Wafer Paper Pack for starters. To complement your airy-fairy rice paper designs and add a little visual structure, you might consider cutting a mini sheet cake up (the ones from Trader Joe’s work well) and turning it into petit fours to place on the cake, too.

“For a quick and easy way to elevate your cakes, try adding food-safe flowers,” Trina DeKett says. “This gives extra dimension to your baked goods.” Jessie-Sierra Ross heartily agrees: “Fresh edible flowers are hands-down my favorite way to decorate a sheet cake. Varieties like pansies, roses, violets, and marigolds are beautiful as cake toppers.” Herbs work, too. They “add a nice ‘I just found this in the garden’ vibe,” Katie Miller says. “Bonus points if the herbs are flowering.”

However, Ross cautions, you need to make sure that your flowers truly are edible, and you should buy them from a grower that avoids harmful chemicals. That means you can’t just buy them from a florist or grocery store garden center; they must be food-safe. Preserved options, such as Edible Flower Sprinkles or Eat Well Dried Lavender Flowers, are the best option for the budget-conscious. If you really want to spend out, though, there are all kinds of fresh edible mixes on Etsy, like from the shop, Gourmet Sweet Botanicals.

No guide to the best sheet cake decorating techniques could possibly be complete without edible gold foil. It’s lovely, sophisticated, and not that expensive, because a little bit goes a long way. “You don’t need much,” Odette D’Aniello confirms, “Just a few flakes on top of piped flowers or scattered over dark chocolate frosting and it instantly looks expensive.” Goodbye, office party vibes!

You can take gold foil to the next level by arranging your sheet cakes differently, D’Aniello adds. “A trend in weddings today is having a sheet cake that stretches the entire length of a table.” To do this, you bring the sheet cakes to the site, then put them together there and cover over the cracks with decorations. If you want, Katie Miller adds, you can cut them in half lengthwise to make them super long and skinny, which is a lovely artistic approach.

If you, like this writer, regularly watch “The Great British Bake Off,” then you know contestants typically wet themselves when they see sugar work in the brief. For that reason, though, it’s one of the best ways to show off your decorating chops, and it doesn’t have to be that hard.

“Caramel shards are a great place to start if you want to add more complicated techniques to a simple cake,” Odette D’Aniello says. “You can pour melted sugar onto a lined baking sheet and break it into dramatic pieces once cool. We’ve even made sugar ‘sails’ using isomalt for a modern, sculptural look.” But, she says, less is more. You don’t want to weigh down your cake.

Sound too complicated? Well, you can always add some extra sugar in the form of cotton candy, which you can purchase yourself, or sprinkles. If you choose to go the sprinkle route, D’Aniello adds, try a stencil: “Stenciling is such an easy way to add clean patterns — stars, initials, or lace using sanding sugar or nonpareils.” Alternatively, you can coat the sides of the cake in sprinkles to tie them into the overall design on the top. To get them to stick, “Press them in gently with a piece of parchment for even coverage.”