As we say a relieved goodbye to 2021 and we say hello to a hopeful new year in 2022, here is a run down of trends to watch out for in the cake world for the upcoming year. Which ones are you going to try?
Are you looking for some inspiration for things to make in 2022? Look no further! Here is a list we have compiled after looking at many, many cakes on the socials!
The last two years have meant that celebrations have gotten smaller, and with that comes smaller cakes too. Although they may be small, single tier cakes can pack a punch in the design department. Just take a look at these!
This stunning little number does not need any extra tiers, and is perfect for an outdoor Spring or Summer wedding.
Textured buttercream and simple flowers makes this an elegant, and worthy, option for any wedding.
Such an eye catching cake. An extra tier would be too much ;-)
Are those single tier cakes a bit too big? Well, why not go for mini cakes? Fancier than a cupcake, cuter than a slice of cake, and perfectly portioned for one, mini cakes may be the way to go for your next event.
You could even have different flavours to keep everyone happy.
If you still need a larger cake to cut for the all important photos, you can get one of those too. How cute are the matching mini cakes?
Yes, I know this is not a new trend, but it IS a trend that shows no sign of stopping! And nor should it. Drip cakes can be over the top with chocolate goodies and lollies piled on top, or elegant with just a section of the cake covered in a drip and painted gold. They're perfect for any occasion! If you haven't dipped your foot into the drip cake yet, make 2022 the year to do it.
How gloriously decadent does this cake look? Don't you just want to eat the screen?
Here's a sophisticated version, perfectly paired with fresh flowers and macarons.
Drip cakes are perfect for brightly coloured children's cake too.
This trend is going to explode in 2022, mark my words! You take a cake, cut a little of the bottom off to make it flat if it's a round cake, and then stand it up, so what was the top of your cake is now the front. This means you get the benefit of having a tall cake to decorate, but you don't have to make such a big cake. You also get a nice flat surface to decorate, which makes stencilling and painting SO much easier. There are many options of how to decorate with this method, and you don't just have to do a round cake. They look great in hexagons, squares and even arches too. Just take a look at these we found!
A beautiful, tasteful pentagon cake top forward.
Brightly coloured and gorgeously piped, this round cake top forward is rather stunning. The best part of a round cake top forward is that, as the decorator, you can eat the off cut from the bottom ;-)
An arch cake can sometimes look a little like a headstone, but not this festive, stripey number!
I'm not sure this is technically a "cake top forward" but it is a similar principle. I love it and think it deserves a special mention :-)
They say that all trends come back around again, and this is certainly the case with Lambeth piping. Fashion icon and glamour puss, Gwen Stefani, had one at her wedding recently, so I think it's safe to say this is a style that is going to go off in 2022. Traditionally, this style of overlapping piping was done with royal icing on intricate wedding cakes, but modern bakers are using this method with bright colours and buttercream. Make sure to warm up those wrist and hand muscles before attempting all that piping though!
Gwen's cake was made to echo her parents' wedding cake, and it's gorgeous.
Pink and yellow is a match made in heaven, and how cute is the little cat on top!
This is an OMG cake if ever there was one!
As we try to cheer ourselves up after the last two years, decorating with bright colours is an easy way to do that. It's very hard to be unhappy when looking at these cakes, don't you think?
Yes, I may have a problem - I really love yellow and pink together!
Just gorgeous.
OK, I guess not everybody shares my love for bright colours! Stylish and striking, monochrome cakes always make a statement. If you think it needs a little something extra, pair it with a pop of metallic and you'll have a stunning cake.
I am so in love with this christening cake. On paper, a grey cake for a baby shouldn't work, but in reality? Well, just look at it!
Classic white on white. Doesn't get much more monochrome than that.
The concrete effect. The dark wafer paper abstract flowers. The black paint splatter. It's a stunning, paired down cake that screams style.
Are hexagons out and squares in? I don't think so - hexagons are awesome - but I think we are going to see a lot more square and cube shaped cakes in our feeds. They look great as a single tier for those smaller gatherings, are easier to cut into even slices, and you get a few more serves out of one versus a round cake. Winner, winner, square cake dinner!
How nice is this striking moody cake? It's the cube that makes it. It wouldn't be nearly as eye catching as a round cake.
This cake uses each side for a different design, which is a fun way to incorporate more design elements into your cake.
Stencilling over other stencils, creating different kinds of textures with different tools, and layering different edible mediums all make for really interesting, modern looking cakes. Best of all, it doesn't have to be perfect and you don't have to worry about taking the time to get smooth finishes either ;-)
This is wafer paper over rice paper sails over stencilling over painting over buttercream.
This cake is texture, texture, texture, TEXTURE! So many elements to this cake, it should be too much. Somehow though, it isn't, and is almost ethereal in its design.
Got too many ideas for one cake? Why limit yourself? Make three! As long as you have a colour theme running though them, you can try all sorts of different techniques. Vary the shapes, sizes and heights of the cakes to make them so visually appealing, it'll be difficult to stop looking at them.
This trio is great as an abstract, masculine piece.
By contrast, how gloriously feminine is this trio? (Oops! It's pink and yellow again!)
Not only is this a trendy trio, it's also monochrome, textured and has two cake top forward cakes. It's three times as trendy!
I hope that has give you some inspiration for the upcoming year. Happy creating and happy new year!