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–+ servings
monster cake with different colored textures and big eyes on a marble turn table on a kitchen counter.

Dye Free Buttercream Monster Cake Tutorial

Mimi Council
This Dye Free Buttercream Monster Cake tutorial is perfect for Halloween! Learn how to decorate naturally with this easy step by step guide.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Decorating Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Makes 8 servings

Equipment

  • Digital Food Scale
  • Stand Mixer
  • Cake Turntable
  • Piping Bags
  • Parchment Paper
  • Ateco Tip #804
  • Ateco Tip #8
  • Ateco Tip #105
  • Ateco Tip #133
  • Ateco Tip #864
  • Ateco Tip #32
  • Ateco Tip #808
  • Coupler

Instructions
 

  • First, make sure your cake is baked and cooled.
  • To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, half the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
  • Mix on low until combined. Then, add in the remaining powdered sugar as this will help ensure it doesn’t fly out as there is a lot here. Mix on low until combined and then speed the mixer up to high and whip for 2 to 4 minutes or until it’s light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl part way through mixing to ensure you have a smooth and creamy frosting.
  • Crumb coat your cake if you have a layer cake. If you are using a sheet cake, you can skip this step and just frost directly onto the cake.
  • To make the eyes: Fit a piping bag with Ateco tip #804. Add a small amount of white frosting into the piping bag, this is for the eyes. Place a piece of parchment paper on a plate and pipe dollops onto the parchment paper. You can make the eyes as big or as small as you like or even do oblong shapes.
  • Place a second piece of parchment paper on top of and press it down to smooth it out. Flip it over and do the same thing. This is going to help make the eyes flat. Place the plate in the freezer to set.
  • Transfer the remaining frosting into small bowls. Use a different bowl for each color. Add in the matcha powder into one bowl, blue spirulina into another, blackberry powder in another, the orange dye in another and the activated charcoal in the last one. You can use more or less dye depending on the brightness that you prefer. Mix up the frosting to combine the dye, you may need to add a little bit of water for the powder dyes to get the right consistency.
  • Add the black frosting into a piping bag with a coupler. We need a coupler here so we can swap the tip. First add in Ateco tip #8 as this is for the eyes. Remove the eyes from the freezer and remove the parchment paper. Then, pipe small dollops of the black frosting on top of each eye, anywhere you like. You can do larger or smaller dollops, depending on where you want the eye to be. You can leave the eyes as is, or you can place of piece of parchment paper on top and smooth them out if you want the black portion to be flattened. Return the plate to the freezer.
  • Swap the decorating tip on the black frosting for Ateco tip #105. Add the orange frosting into a piping bag with Ateco tip #133. Add the green frosting into a piping bag with Ateco tip #864. Add the purple frosting into a piping bag with Ateco tip #32. And add the blue frosting into a piping bag with Ateco tip #808.
  • This cake is totally freeform, you can pipe dollops, swirls, waves, or squiggles with the different colors to create different monsters. For the orange, using Ateco tip #133, if you just pipe dollops onto the cake, it will look like monster hair. But, for the other colors, feel free to switch it up! Watching the video will help you see how I piped them.
  • Remove the monster eyes from the freezer and remove the parchment paper.
  • Add them onto the cake anywhere you like.

Video

Notes

Tips
  • You can use this technique on a 6-inch layer cake like I did here, or even on a sheet cake as well. If you are baking a 8-inch or 9-inch layer cake, you may need more frosting to cover the entire cake.
  • I use four different frosting colors in addition to black. I think this cake looks best with at least three colors.
  • Feel free to change the colors if you want! Check out my post The Best Natural Food Dyes & Sprinkles for other color options for natural dyes.
  • You can use different frosting tips for different textures, feel free to mix it up!
  • The eyes can be made any size you like, while I made mine big you can also make them smaller as well.
  • Vegan: If you want a vegan frosting for decorating, just use your favorite vegan butter or vegetable shortening. But, I do prefer vegan butter over shortening for piping as I think it pipes smoother.
Want more recipes?Follow along on @mimisorganiceats for more inspiration!