I'm celebrating four(!) years of blogging with this no-special-skills-required decorating technique, perfect for birthdays and other special occasions. You could use this technique to decorate cakes for a bat mitzvah, bar mitzvah, brit milah, upsherin, birthday, chanukah party, etc. It's easier than fondant or buttercream, and always a crowd-pleaser.


What's more fun and festive than sprinkles? You can use multicolor, one color, or personalize the colors to fit in with a theme. They're versatile, pretty much universally loved, and appropriate for most parties.


I've covered the cake with ganache and then covered the ganache with sprinkles. Ganache is the easiest way to cover a cake, in my opinion. It tastes delicious, it's quick to make, easy to use, and is especially great if you dislike eating or working with buttercream.


There's not much more to say, except that be prepared for the mess sprinkles can make. To help with that, I like to place a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet. Place the cake on the rack and start to cover. This way, the sprinkles will fall down into the pan, where you can easily scoop them back up and re-use.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 lb. dark chocolate, chopped
  • salt (optional)
  • 2 cups sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Make your favorite cake recipe, or even use a cake mix. Bake 2-3 layers, and let them cool completely. Level the cakes so the tops are not rounded.
  2. Place the chopped dark chocolate into a bowl. Heat the cream until just simmering.
  3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and do not mix. Let it sit for two minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy.
  4. Let the ganache cool for a while so that it starts to thicken but is not fully set. Spread ganache between the cake layers and stack.
  5. Pour the rest of the ganach over the top so it covers the cake and begins to drip down the sides. Use an offset spatula (or knife) to spread the ganach over the sides.
  6. Pour sprinkles over the top of the cake until it's covered. To cover the sides, pour sprinkles into your hand and gently press into the ganache so they stick. Repeat until entire cake is covered. Gently move the cake to a cake plate and serve.

TIP: Place a wire cooling rack into a baking dish. Place the cake on the rack. This way, when the extra sprinkles will fall into the pan and can be scooped up again and used.