Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      Kick-start your day by making habits out of these mood-boosting tips. Read More
    • Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      It's one of your favorite fruits, but does it belong on the counter or in the refrigerator? Read More
    • This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      A few easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to create a powerful formula that squashes weeds. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    Show your love of country by displaying these varieties on America's birthday.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    Make gathering with loved ones a priority.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We asked the experts to weigh in on this popular home design concept.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    Confused about when to do what to your favorite flowering shrubs? We have you covered.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Pillows

    How to Wash Pillows

    They're an essential element of a comfortable bed, so keep yours fresh and in their best shape ever with these expert-approved tips.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Get the traditional rules for who pays for the wedding details.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    Our easy melt-and-pour method saves the last bit of this home essential.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    This buzzy ingredient is a star player in many new-age hair care products.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Weddings
  3. Wedding Ceremony & Reception
  4. Wedding Reception Ideas
  5. Wedding Cakes & Toppers
  6. Dazzling and Delicious: How to Add Sparkle to Your Cake
Martha Stewart Weddings

Dazzling and Delicious: How to Add Sparkle to Your Cake

Skip gallery slides
Pin
glittercake-289-sparklers-290-comp-mwd110528.jpg

Want to add some DIY sparkle to your cake? Pastry chef Jason Schreiber dishes his expert dos and don'ts for adding glitter and glitz to your wedding cake, or any special dessert.

Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Go with the Glow

glittercake-289-sparklers-290-comp-mwd110528.jpg

Want to add some DIY sparkle to a special confection? We collaborated with pastry chef Jason Schreiber to create five dazzling desserts for the winter 2014 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. Here are his expert dos and don'ts for adding glitter and glitz to your wedding cake, or any special dessert.

—Elizabeth Regalia, Associate Digital Editor

To give this strawberry cake an out-of-this-world effect, we sprinkled silver sanding sugar and teensy wilton stars over its swiss meringue–buttercream frosting.

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Find Your Shine

wheatcake-120-143-comp-mwd110603.jpg
Credit: José Picayo

Anything that is marketed as edible should be safe to apply to a cake in a reasonable amount. "As a general rule, you should never put non-edible materials on a cake," says Schreiber. "Luckily there are tons of options for edible glitters and luster dusts on the market, available at craft and specialty stores like N.Y. Cake."

Schreiber stenciled each stalk of amber on this cake with a luster-dust-and-vodka mix, then topped the cake with some luster-dust-painted wheat sheaves tied with a satin ribbon. Underneath, almond cake meets its ideal match: chocolate ganache.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Remember: Cake is for Eating!

mwd105823_fall10_klimt2.jpg

Sure, you want to wow 'em, but first and foremost you want to make sure your dessert is delicious. A good tip: Be smart about where you spread your sparkle. "I try not to put large amounts of glitter in parts of the cake that I know are going to be eaten whole—not because I think it will hurt anyone, just because I find it unappetizing," says Schreiber. "In terms of glitter, a little can go a long way!"

This gilded confection was made by pressing rectangles of edible gold leaf onto fondant.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mix Your Own Magic

sparkle-flower-cake-174-183-comp-mwd110603.jpg
Credit: José Picayo

If your wedding palette doesn't include silver or gold, you can mix a shimmer that's more your shade. It's harder to mix glitter because the larger particles don't easily fully combine. So go instead with luster dusts which can be mixed like any paint, either in their powdered form or after they've been combined with a liquid. "Once you mix a color that you like, make sure you have enough of it, as it can be hard to mix a second batch that looks identical!" says Schreiber.

To give these gum-paste petals a pearly sheen, Schreiber painted each one with custom-mixed shades of dry metallic luster dust and sparkle dust.

4 of 10

5 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Add Alcohol (Really!)

sputnik-gold-cake-166-169-147-comp-mwd110603.jpg
Credit: José Picayo

Mixing luster dusts with a liquid creates a different look than applying it in powder form; it creates a more opaque shine. It's also easier to control where the pigment goes, since it becomes the consistency of a watercolor paint instead of a powder that can drift everywhere.

But there's an option that's better than water: alcohol. "It's best to use since it evaporates much faster and therefore has less of a chance of melting the sugar in the fondant or gum paste," says Schreiber. Any clear alcohol will do, but the higher the proof, the higher the shine. "You might not want to drink it, but it's great as a medium!" The high-shine finish shown here comes from brushing on a mix of luster dust and vodka.

5 of 10

6 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Prep Your Surface

cake-4-0811mwd107413.jpg
Credit: Sang An

Any wedding cake frosting will hold glitter as long as you treat it properly. Sticky frostings like buttercream don't need any treatment, but you will need to combine the glitter with alcohol or another liquid in order to apply it to smooth surfaces like fondant or marzipan. Dry luster dust is a fine enough powder that it will stick to fondant or marzipan on its own, but it will not create an opaque shine unless you mix it with a liquid, says Schreiber.

To create this dazzling design with a glittering trim, Wendy Kromer sprinkled scalloped edges with gold-colored sanding sugar and 10-karat-gold twinkle dust.

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Make it Stick

mw105260_0110_dessertbuffet.jpg

It's usually best to add the sparkle as a final touch because you don't want to knock the glitter off the cake as your working on other details, but it doesn't have to be added at the last minute before displaying the cake. Properly applied glitter should stick to the cake and store well in the refrigerator along with any other decorations. "Some glitter will fall off during transportation, but not enough to worry about," says Schreiber. "You don't need to worry about spraying the glitter to keep it in place. It's very clingy!"

Standing tall over this dessert bar is a golden cake covered in fondant and brushed with luster dust.

7 of 10

8 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bring on the Baubles

gemcake-211-comp-mwd110528.jpg

Why should your diamond ring be the only gem in attendance to your wedding? Edible sugar jewels secured to fondant with clear piping gel up the wow factor of any cake. Expert tip: gems can get foggy if stored in a humid spot, but a little vegetable oil will shine them right up. The tasty baubles here came from Global Sugar Art.

8 of 10

9 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sparkle from the Inside

mw105245_0110_apples.jpg

Like the idea of guests cutting into something shiney? Us, too! But there's a right and wrong way to do it. "We once tried to bake sanding sugar into the cake batter and it was a total bust," says Schreiber. "All the sugar dissolved in the oven!" You may have better luck baking edible glitter directly into the cake batter by mixing it in with the dry ingredients, but whether or not you want to alter your cake flavor with added shimmer would be up to you.

Golden lady apples painted with edible gold luster bring out the natural golden hue of the caramel layers in this tower by Nine Cakes.

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

There's More!

cover-weddings-winter-2014.jpg

Find more original ideas for customizing your day and expert advice to lead you to the aisle in our annual Ultimate Planner by downloading our app and buying the digital issue for only $.99.

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    `
    Martha Stewart Weddings
    View All
    • 10 Items You Need to Pack in Your Wedding Dress Emergency Kit
    • Kate Middleton and Prince William's Wedding Day Was an Emotional Highlight for Queen Elizabeth—Here's Why
    • Arcade Games, Tarot Cards, and Cotton Candy Put a Festive Spin on This Couple's Wedding in Austin, Texas
    • A Guide to the Most Popular Wedding Veil Lengths, Fabrics, and Colors
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 10 Go with the Glow
    2 of 10 Find Your Shine
    3 of 10 Remember: Cake is for Eating!
    4 of 10 Mix Your Own Magic
    5 of 10 Add Alcohol (Really!)
    6 of 10 Prep Your Surface
    7 of 10 Make it Stick
    8 of 10 Bring on the Baubles
    9 of 10 Sparkle from the Inside
    10 of 10 There's More!

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Dazzling and Delicious: How to Add Sparkle to Your Cake
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.