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USE CODE: PICK UP TO REMOVE SHIPPING CHARGES ON CLICK AND COLLECT ORDERS
USE CODE: PICK UP TO REMOVE SHIPPING CHARGES ON CLICK AND COLLECT ORDERS
Originating in Europe in the late 19th century, The Lambeth cake decorating style takes its name from Joseph Lambeth, a master cake decorator who moved to England from the United States. Lambeth started a pastry school in England called the Lambeth Decorating School, where his innovative techniques revolutionised the world of cakes.
Drawing inspiration from the ornate designs of Victorian architecture and the delicate craftsmanship of lacework, Lambeth's distinctive style soon became synonymous with elegance and sophistication. Lambeth cake decorating is often referred to as a vintage or retro style, and is characterised by its intricate piping techniques and elaborate designs.
Often featuring cascading garlands, intricate borders, and delicate patterns, this cake decorating style relies on overpiping,a technique where additional layers of piped decorations are added on top of existing piped elements. Overpiping can involve adding finer details or embellishments on top of larger piped elements, such as borders, garlands, or floral decorations.
While the style may appear daunting to beginners, its beauty lies in its structured approach, allowing all cake decorators to build upon a foundation of simple shapes and motifs to create stunning works of edible art.
Before you can embark on your vintage cake decorating journey, you will need to prepare your cakes and your buttercream, and get your tools ready.
To ensure success, it is best to start with a solid foundation. You will need a simple cake recipe you know and love. These pre-made cake mixes will be perfect. For a classic touch, consider using heart-shaped or round tins to achieve that retro vibe.
Once your cakes are baked and cooled, it's time to level and fill them with silky buttercream. Check out our beginner-friendly guide on how to frost a cake for tips on achieving a smooth and professional crumb coat and base layer.
Now comes the fun part - choosing your buttercream colours! Whether you prefer pastel hues or vibrant shades, the possibilities are endless. You can either purchase pre-coloured buttercream or opt for white buttercream and customise your colours using gel food colouring. Don't forget to stock up on piping bags and tips to bring your designs to life. Typically, a Lambeth cake will use 2-3 different colours or shades of the same colour. Once you have mixed your buttercream colours, separate them into your piping bags.
Once your cake has been chilled and is firm to the touch, it's time to start decorating your cake in true retro fashion! Pink is a classic colour used for many Lambeth cakes. You may like to play around with a light pink buttercream colour scheme, with darker pink or purple accents. Your cake can be as simple as using one colour, or incorporating as many colours as you choose! An all-white cake will stun at an engagement party, and for a wedding, you may want to incorporate baby blue buttercream as your ‘something blue’. A classic red heart shaped vintage cake is perfect for a Valentines or a Galentine's day celebration to share with your loved ones.
Start by marking equal spaces along the top edge, on the side of the cake using a round cutter as a guide for piping the ruffles and garlands. If you need some tips on piping, check out our article on How to Use a Piping bag.
To elevate your design pick out a complementing coloured cake board, and practise your piping techniques on the board or a sheet of baking paper before taking the plunge on your masterpiece.
Pipe a shell border around the top and base of your cake using a 1M open star piping tip.
Starting at the bottom edge of the cake, pipe a shell border. To do this, hold the bag at a 45 degree angle and squeeze the piping bag until the buttercream fans out. Gradually relax pressure as you lower the tip and pull the bag toward you to create a tail.
Pipe the next shell directly onto the tail of the first. Continue to pipe the shells all the way around the bottom edge of the cake and repeat on the top of the cake. If you would like, you can add a second layer of shells on top of the first, using an accent colour. You may like to choose a smaller piping tip for your accent layer.
If you are looking to create a basic Lambeth cake, You can leave it there for a simple and beginner friendly option.
For a classic Lambeth cake, consider adding a ruffle style of piping along the side of the cake using a flat or teardrop shaped piping tip. These ruffles will follow the markings made in the planning stage creating a cascading effect.
To create a ruffle, hold the piping bag at a 45 degree angle to the edge of the cake. Squeeze the bag as you move your hand slightly up and down to create the ruffle texture as you pipe. Release pressure on the bag once you’ve ended the ruffle where you desire. Pipe these ruffles along the semi circle marking all the way around the cake.
To truly capture the essence of a vintage masterpiece, don't forget to add the signature detailed garland decor. Using a small round piping tip, pipe smaller garlands inside of the ruffle garlands. This can be done with buttercream or with royal icing.
Don’t be afraid to have fun with it and play around with different piping techniques, with this retro style cake overpiping is part of the fun!
For added depth, keep creating additional piping layers within the garlands and embellish with pearls or decorative elements. You may like to add a shimmer with some lustre dusts or some gold or silver leaf for a touch of glamour. Top your cake off with a gorgeous bow.