Graduation season is here again and that means it’s time to celebrate! I’ve partnered up with Cakes.com to bring you inspiration for a cap-tossing graduation party plus a graduation cake tutorial. After years of homework, studying and tests, our graduates have earned a diploma and an incredible party!
It all starts with a modern black and white color scheme, bold stripes, rainbow sprinkles and some cheers for the graduate. YAY! Hip Hip Hooray! Today is your day! That’s what this party is all about. Literally!
This cake says it all! I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found it challenging to write on a cake. No matter how much time I spend trying to make it perfect, it never looks quite right. For this dessert table, I used Custom PhotoCake® Edible Cake Images to create a message with ease. In no time at all, I had perfect lettering in a trendy font – and it’s completely edible!
PhotoCake® Edible Cake Images are the same exact products used in professional bakeries. You’ve probably seen these printable icing sheets in action as a photo, logo or licensed character on a cake. They are easy-to-use, high quality products trusted by the pros — and they’re now available to everyone online. Choose from an assortment of graduation products or simply upload your own photo on Cakes.com. The printed product is shipped directly to you. It arrives at your door in a sealed package, ready for you to place on a cake, cupcake or even a cookie.
I wanted to use these edible icing sheets in a new way for this project — personalized with custom graphics that I created. While you can use any JPG, GIF or PNG file of your own, I’m also hooking you up with my files as a free download. These work interchangeably for the 7.5″ cake images and the 2″ cupcake images as well. Find the “Today is your Day” file HERE. The “YAY” file is HERE. And the “Hip Hip Hooray” file is HERE. Just save them to your computer and upload at Cakes.com when you order!
What I love about this cake is that it falls into the “beginner” category for skill level, yet it looks professional and polished. That is what I call a win for everyone! If you’re the proud mother of a graduate, you can totally pull off this cake at home. If you’re a bakery gearing up for graduation season, this is a great ready-to-go case cake that still feels custom made. And these cupcakes are super quick as well! Just swirl on your icing as usual, top with one of the PhotoCake® Edible Cake Images, sized for cupcakes, and then add sprinkles all around! YAY for quick and easy decorating!
While the PhotoCake® Edible Cake Images are stiff when you pull them off the packing sheet, they soften and meld to your cake after application. When it came time to cut the cake, my knife sliced right through the edible image and the icing. Giving me a clean cut, just as usual.
If you’ve never visited Cakes.com before, definitely check it out! You’ll find cake decorating tools and supplies just like the pros use, from brands like DecoPac, Kee-Seal, Ateco and more. Plus graduation ideas and step-by-step projects for every occasion. You know how we love a good tutorial! Speaking of tutorials, let’s get started with this cake project!
TODAY IS YOUR DAY CAKE
a DIY by Carrie Sellman
Supplies
8″ Round Layer Cake
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing
Jimmie Sprinkles in Assorted Colors
7.5″ Custom PhotoCake® Edible Cake Image
Free “Today Is Your Day” Template
PREP WORK : Download the free template and order your Custom PhotoCake® Edible Cake Image at least one week in advance for standard shipping.
Stack and fill a cake of your choosing. Coat exterior with a thin layer of frosting to lock in the crumbs. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until firm.
Add 1/2 cup of assorted jimmies to a batch of Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting. Fold jimmies into frosting until completely combined.
Frost the cake and smooth icing to your liking. The top does not have to be perfect, but try to make it flat.
Remove PhotoCake® Edible Cake Image from the backing and apply to the top of the cake. If icing has begun to dry, mist with a little water before adding the image.
Sprinkle additional jimmies around outside edge of frosting.
Stand back in amazement of how easy that was — your cake is complete! Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Slice, serve and give our best to the graduate!
Cakes.com is offering our readers Free Shipping on any order!
Use code: CAKEBLOG at checkout.
(Free Shipping valid on Standard Shipping only to the 48 contiguous United States. Offer not valid in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. Cannot be combined with any other offer.)
Cakes.com is your online resource for high quality cake decorating products trusted and preferred by cake decorating professionals and bakeries across the continent. Cakes.com offers over 1,500 products from cake and cupcake toppers to fondant, gum paste and decorating tools. Whatever you’re creating, Cakes.com has what you need to make it memorable.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Cakes.com. The opinions expressed are 100% mine. Tutorial, styling and photography by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com.
endee says
Hey, this cake design and decoration is very cool and awesome. i love to eat this cake forever
Krissy says
Oh I would love to make this for my niece-I know this is an old post but the links are not working. I have to go to Decopac.com and there is no where to order them that I can see. Any suggestions?
Carrie Sellman says
Oh, I’m sorry Krissy. It looks like they moved their products to Amazon for home bakers and I don’t see an option to order the custom edible images. Your best bet is to look for a local cake supply store that will print an edible image for you locally. If you find one, just download our file and take it with you to print. Hope that helps!
I will reach out to our contact to see if there are any other options as well.
Jessica Chen says
Do you use 10” cake board for 8”size cake? When frosting do you use the cake board as a guide to smooth the edge? Thank you
Kathy Jones says
Though the Internet is flooded with information, there are not many like the Cake Blog and Icinginks. Thank you Carrie Sellman, this is a great post!