How to Use Cake Stencils + Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake

Welcome back to the Dutch Apron® Bakery kitchen! For today’s post, we’re introducing you to a new cake decorating technique: cake stencils. Cake stencils are a game-changer for bakers of all skill levels, transforming simple cakes into stunning works of art with minimal effort. Whether you’re preparing for a milestone birthday, anniversary, or just looking to learn a new skill, adding a stencil design to your cakes can elevate any creation from ordinary to extraordinary.

We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about using cake stencils, from selecting the right materials to applying the stencil for a flawless finish. Then, to put these tips into practice, we’ll guide you through creating a brand-new, show-stopping recipe: the Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake.

There’s something undeniably delightful about the combination of chocolate and strawberries. For this recipe, we’re taking it to a whole new level with our Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake. This cake not only tastes amazing but looks like it came straight from a high-end bakery. With its Chocolate Crème Cake Roll base, beautiful strawberry buttercream, intricate stencil design, and elegant white chocolate ganache drips, the Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Explore More Cake Decorating Tips

How to Use Cake Stencils on Your Cake Rolls

Materials Needed

• Stencil of your choosing
• Straight pins or toothpicks
• Pallet knife
• Bench scraper

Instructions

Prepare the Cake Roll and Stencil

1. Before you begin adding the stencil to your cake roll, it is important that you chill your cake for at least 5-10 minutes. The frosting on your cake has to be very chilled before placing the stencil on top. Otherwise, when you remove the stencil, the whole thing can be runny and easily smudged.
2. Holding or attaching the stencil to your cake roll is typically the hardest part. There are a few different ways to do this; however, we prefer to use pins or toothpicks.
3. First, decide how you’d like to place your stencil on the cake roll. Once you have it placed the way you like, take a pin or toothpick and push it through the stencil and into your cake. Do this on all four corners of your stencil. If you are using a longer stencil, use additional pins to hold the sides of the stencil to your cake roll.
   • Tip: Make sure your stencil is pulled tight against your cake to ensure your design is crisp and neat.

Apply the Frosting

4. Use a large pallet knife to apply your frosting/icing over the stencil. Start at the bottom of the stencil pulling the pallet knife upward towards the top. Continue this action, working your way along the whole stencil. This is easier to do if you have a turntable handy.
5. Now, take a bench scraper and go from one side of the stencil all the way across to the other side, scraping off any excess frosting/icing. Repeat until you have done the whole length of the stencil.
6. Carefully, pull the pins/toothpicks out from one side of the cake. Now, going from one side to the other, peel back the stencil. Then, once you reach the other side, pull out the remaining pins and remove the stencil.
7. Let the frosting/icing set completely before continuing. This typically takes about 10 minutes.
8. If your stencil doesn’t go all the way around your cake, or if you are doing a repeating pattern with a smaller stencil, make sure to chill your cake in between each application of the stencil.
   • Tip: Be sure to wash your stencil in between each application to avoid any excess frosting making its way onto the cake.

Ready to Create Your Own Elegant Chocolate Stencil Drip Cake?

What You’ll Need

• To prepare your freeze-dried strawberries, we recommend having a food processor or blender and a fine-mesh sieve. This will allow you to blend the strawberries into a fine crumb which can be easily incorporated into your strawberry buttercream.
• A stand mixer fitted with either a paddle or whisk attachment is needed to make both of your buttercream frostings. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer.
• Grab a cake board to place your cake roll on while decorating.
• To get a smooth finish on your buttercream, a turntable is a great tool to have. It allows you to spin the cake around smoothly, so you get a consistent finish on the frosting.
• To apply the frosting to your cake roll, you’ll need a piping bag.
• A bench scraper will be used to even out the buttercream and give your cake a smooth, professional finish.
• Finally, you’ll need a stencil of your choosing plus all the materials mentioned in the previous section to help you apply the stencil to your cake roll.

Storage Information

A frosted cake can last up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. The frosting helps lock in the moisture of the cake, keeping it fresh while you wait to serve. If you cut the cake first and then want to store it, put the pieces in an airtight container or cover the cut sections with any leftover frosting you may have. The cake can be stored like this for a week in the refrigerator.

Tips for Making a Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake

• Don’t take your cake roll out of the freezer until you are ready to start adding the buttercream stripes. A cold cake is easier to decorate as it is less delicate. A room temperature cake is tender and fragile which means it is more likely to fall apart.
• If you want to add color to your white buttercream, we recommend using gel food coloring as it works best with this buttercream recipe. A standard food coloring would make the frosting too loose, and it wouldn’t hold its shape.
• When it comes to doing the drip decoration on the cake, work slowly as you learn what techniques work best for you. We recommend making your drips approximately 1” apart and varying the amount you use, so the drips are all different lengths.

Servings: This recipe will serve approx. 8 people at your next gathering or special event.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Chocolate Crème Cake Roll
• 1 container of white chocolate ganache
• Fresh strawberries

Strawberry Buttercream:

• 1 c. freeze-dried strawberries
• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temp.
• 4 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 c. heavy cream or whole milk, room temp.
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Salt, to taste

White Buttercream:

• 1 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
• 3 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• Optional: gel food coloring

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Buttercream

1. Using a food processor or blender, blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should end up with around 1/2 cup. If it’s not grinding down fine enough, sift it with a fine-mesh sieve to remove larger seeds/pieces. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
3. Next add the confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, heavy cream/whole milk, and vanilla to the bowl. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Then, switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Taste and add salt if the buttercream is too sweet.
4. If needed, add 1-2 tbsp. of heavy cream/milk to thin out the buttercream.

Make the White Buttercream

5. If you’re going to use the same bowl you used to make your strawberry buttercream, wash it out before moving on.
6. In your stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and light in color, about 2 minutes.
7. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add your powdered sugar. Once it has been completely incorporated, add in the cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
8. Once combined, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix an additional 1-2 minutes.
9. If you would like to color your buttercream, add the gel food coloring in now. Mix until you achieve your desired color.

Prepare the Cake Roll

10. Take the Chocolate Crème Cake Roll out of the packaging and let it sit on the counter to thaw for about 15 minutes. It should still be chilled but starting to soften slightly.
11. Cut 1-2” off each end to make a nice, flat surface. Set those excess pieces aside. You can save them for later or use them to make cake pops!
12. Place a small amount of white buttercream on your cake board and place the cake roll on it vertically, so it is standing up on one end.
13. Now, carefully move the cake and cake board onto your turntable.

Add Strawberry Buttercream Stripes

14. Starting from the bottom of your cake roll, pipe a ring of strawberry buttercream all around the base of the cake roll, slowly turning the turntable as you go.
15. Pipe a ring right above the previous ring all the way around the cake.
16. Repeat step 15 until you reach the top of your cake roll. Fill the top with buttercream.
17. Take your bench scraper and slowly start smoothing the buttercream on the sides of your cake while rotating your turntable. Scrape about half the cake then wipe off the excess frosting from the bench scraper.
18. Continue until the frosting is smooth. If there are any holes or uneven spots, add more frosting and scrape again.
19. Once the frosting is smoothed to your liking, place the cake in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Add Your Decorations

20. Now, it’s time to add the stencil. Follow the instructions from the previous section to apply the stencil design to your cake roll.
21. For the drip effect, warm the store-bought white chocolate ganache slightly in the microwave. You just need to warm it enough to make it pourable.
22. Spoon the chocolate ganache onto the top of your cake roll near the edge. You want it close enough for the ganache to spill over but not so close that it goes all the way down the side of the cake. Use the edge of the spoon to gently push a tiny bit over the sides until it starts to run down.
23. Keep working around the top of the cake, adding drips approx. 1” apart. Try to vary the amount of ganache you use, so the drips aren’t all the same length.
24. Fill in the rest of the top of your cake roll with the remaining ganache. Use enough ganache to cover the top but not so much that it pushes more ganache over the side.
25. Decorate the top with fresh strawberries. Then, let the ganache finish setting before putting your Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake into the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to serve.

Whether you’re preparing a dessert for a special occasion or just want to add another skill to your cake decorating repertoire, stenciling opens up a world of creative possibilities. It adds a touch of elegance and sophistication to any cake, turning it into a beautiful masterpiece just like the Chocolate Strawberry Stencil Drip Cake. Mastering a recipe like this is a sweet accomplishment that takes practice, but, with a little patience, you’ll soon be making your own stunning cakes that are guaranteed to be as delicious as they are beautiful.

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