Learn how to make an easy homemade mermaid cake with pastel buttercream frosting and simple ingredients. Apply the scallop, scale or petal technique, using the back of a spoon or spatula to decorate a tail. This is a popular theme for girls birthday parties.
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Over the last few years, I have seen so many pretty designs and ideas in social media and even bakeries but today's version is my favorite. It's a quick cake decorating tutorial that's perfect for beginners, just like my Butterfly Cake and Red Rose Cake. Be sure to also check out these Easy Cake Decorating Ideas (Beginners) and Birthday Cake Ideas for further inspiration.
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Key ingredients
- Cake- You will need to prepare both a rectangle and round cake.
- Frosting- I used my classic vanilla buttercream for this recipe.
- Sprinkles- You can use any kind you like, but the more colorful the better in my opinion.
- Gel food coloring- Many colors can be used to make a kaleidoscope of mermaid fun.
Variations
- Try other color combinations- While pink, purple, blue, and sea green seem to be the most popular choices, you can get creative and pick other colors that you like best. I think a rainbow pattern would be stunning. You can also pick colors of Ariel's tail from the The Little Mermaid movie.
- Decorate with fondant- You can create a similar appearance by using a small oval cookie cutter and different colors of fondant. My Homemade Marshmallow Fondant (MMF) recipe is the best and you can also check out this post with all my tips on How to Color Fondant.
- Use other piping tips- Typically, this buttercream petal technique (also known as the scale effect or scallop effect) is done with a round tip but you can also use a star tip or French tip.
- Use other sprinkle options- You can use different colors, shapes, and sizes. You can even make your own Homemade Sprinkles.
- Make it a naked cake- Go a head and do the fun frosting on the top but leave the sides unfrosted like I did for this Easy Naked Cake.
- Simplify- If you are short on time, just buy a cake mix and some pre-made frosting for a quicker option.
- Try other cake flavors- Such as Funfetti Cake/Confetti Cake, Red Velvet Cake, or Best Vanilla Cake Recipe (From Scratch).
- Dust edible glitter at the end- This will add a little sparkle and shine.
- Decorate your cake board with edible underwater elements- Like little seashells, starfish, coral reefs, sand. You can use melted chocolate and silicon molds to make these items or toppers.
- Add a cake filling- Such as Raspberry Pie Filling, Dulce de Leche, Funfetti Dip, or Homemade Vanilla Custard.
- Pair with a different flavor of frosting- Like this White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Easy Marshmallow Frosting (With Fluff), or Almond Buttercream Frosting.
- Make the number shape- With the cakes to reflect the age of the individual being celebrated and decorate it in the same way as me.
- Go a different direction- Bake two round cakes. Frost them and add a few fondant mermaid tails on top, seashells and other underwater details.
- Add fruit- Use as a filling or decorations. They can be fresh or dried fruit like these Candied Orange Slices and Peels or Candied Sugared Cranberries.
How to make easy mermaid cake (tail) with buttercream frosting?
1. Bake a round and rectangle cake- Cut the round cake in half. Cut the rectangle cake into a triangle shape with the pointed top removed. Arrange on serving dish in the shape of a tail.
2. Ice cake fully- In pink buttercream frosting. Use the edge of a spatula or toothpick to mark the fins.
3- Do the petal technique- Fill individual piping bags with different colors of frostings and attach the round tip, star tip or french tip. Hold bag at a 90 degree angle and pipe a round dot or dollop.
4. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula- to gently press and pull away to create a scale or petal shape. Continue doing this in multiple colors until the top is covered in scales.
5. Fill a piping bag- With pink buttercream and attach a round tip. Pipe ruffles in an up and down motion along the top of the cake.
6. Use the edge of a spatula- To create rough vertical lines on the two fins.
7. Fill a piping bag with pink buttercream- And attach a round tip. Pipe ruffles in an up and down motion along the top of the two fins.
8. Toss colorful sprinkles- On top with more concentrated on the ruffles.
Tips and techniques
- Don't decorate a warm cake- Because the icing will melt and you'll end up with a mess instead of a masterpiece.
- To lighten frosting- Mix in some white gel food coloring or mix in additional white frosting.
- Be sure frostings are in separate bowls- This helps to prevent color mixing. Be sure to use separate bags to pipe and clean any tools you are using before moving on to a new colors. Also note that you will have more of the pink color.
- To create deep vibrant shades of icing- Mix in more gel food coloring. You can also heat in the microwave for a few seconds, which really maximizes the vibrancy.
- Please use gel food coloring- To tint your buttercream rather than liquid food coloring because the liquid makes the frosting more runny and not the consistency you want for piping.
- After frosting the cake in full pink- Be sure to mark where the fins will go using a toothpick or the edge of the spatula so that you can pipe them accurately.
- When doing the buttercream petal technique- Wipe spatula or spoon (whichever you are using) between each swipe with paper towels. This will ensure neat and tidy petals/scales.
- Make sure to use a sharp knife to trim cakes- Because this prevents crumbles and helps make a nice clean edge for the tail shape.
- Toss on sprinkles when frosting is still wet- Otherwise the frosting will get a slight hardness to it that will repel the sprinkles.
- Pipe overlapping scales- From the bottom upward for the correct look and easier piping.
Recipe FAQs
This is also known as the scallop or scale effect in which you hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle and pipe a round dot. Then, using the back of a spoon, gently press and pull away to create a petal shape.
The buttercream underneath may be too soft. Chill the cake until the base coat is firm before piping the scales.
Chill the cake briefly between stages so the buttercream firms up before adding another layer of texture.
Storage
- Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- Frosting and cake can be stored in separate sealed containers for up to 1 month. When you are ready to make this cake, thaw to room temperature and assemble, as per my instructions.
- Room temperature- This can stay out for 3-5 hours away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture.
- Make ahead- You can easily make this 1 day in advance.
More DIY homemade birthday cake ideas
- Easy Birthday M&M Cake (Gravity Defying)
- Easy Construction Cake (Excavator Cake)
- Easy Dinosaur Cake (Dino Cake)
- Peacock Cake
- Easy Snowman Cake
Recipe
Easy Mermaid Cake (Tail)
Video
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Ingredients
- 1 Chocolate sheet cake Rectangle, Dimensions: 9x13
- 1 Chocolate cake Round, Dimensions: 6x2. My recipe yields two 9 inch cakes but today, you will use smaller pans to make two 6 inch cakes and a couple of cupcakes. You only need to use one 6 inch cake for our project today. Freeze the rest to enjoy later.
- 6 cups Buttercream frosting Pink, green, purple and orange
- 3 tablespoon Colorful sprinkles
Instructions
- Bake cakes and allow them to cool completely.
- While the cakes are baking and cooling, prepare the buttercream frosting. Divide the icing into smaller bowls and use gel food coloring to tint them pink, green, purple and orange. Please note that pink will be the largest quantity.
- Cut the rectangular cake into somewhat of a triangle shape with the pointy top cut off. Cut the round cake in half.
- Place them on a large cake board and arrange them properly to look like a tail with two fins. Trim with a sharp knife, as necessary, until you are happy with the shape. Note: You can sketch out the shape on paper and then use that as a template for cutting these cakes.
- Frost the entire cake in pink buttercream frosting.
- Use a toothpick or the edge of a spatula to mark the two fins.
- Fill individual pipings bags with different colors of frostings and attach small round tips (Wilton tip 12) or star tips (Wilton tip 21 or 32) or french tips (Wilton tip 4B).
- Do the buttercream petal technique to create the illusion of scales on the mermaid tail. Hold bag at a 90 degree angle and pipe a round dot. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to gently press and pull away to create a scale or petal shape. Continue doing this in multiple colors until the top portion of the cake is covered in scales.
- Fill a piping bag with pink buttercream and attach a round tip (Wilton tip 12). Pipe ruffles in an "up and down" motion along the top of the cake.
- Spread more pink icing on the fins. Use the edge of a spatula to create rough vertical lines and texture.
- Pipe additional ruffles in an "up and down" motion along the top of the two fins, using a round tip.
- Toss colorful sprinkles all over the cake, heavily concentrating on the ruffle portions. Enjoy.
Notes
- Please use gel food coloring to tint your icing because it's thicker than liquid food coloring and doesn't alter the icing consistency.
- To achieve perfect pastel shades of frosting, use less food coloring in general. You can also lighten the shades by mixing in some white gel food coloring.
- Allow the cakes to cool fully before you start decorating.
- Use a very sharp knife to trim the cakes into a proper shape to prevent a crumbly mess.
- Try different cake and frosting flavors.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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