Distressed Cake with Succulents

I admit it…I am NO cook and certainly not a food blogger. But, I can decorate a cake like no body’s business.

My mom is the real chef/baker and this cake tastes as good as it looks. (She made it for me!)

In this post I’m designing and styling a DISTRESSED CAKE, sometimes known as a NAKED CAKE. Naked cake, with zero to minimal frosting on the outside, exposes the cake layers and filling. This cake is both rustic and chic and has been all the rage for the past few years, popping up everywhere on the wedding, baby shower, bridal shower, party scenes and now my dining room table. ‘Cause you don’t need a reason to have cake.

Here’s how to create your own DISTRESSED CAKE:

STEP 1

Freeze your cake. Yup shove that bad boy in the freeze before you even attempt to frost it. Believe me, you’ll thank me. I don’t know why, but freezing makes it easier to icing the cake (less crums get stuck in the icing) and makes the cake extra moist when you ready to slice and eat. I wrap the layers in saran wrap and freeze over night.

STEP 2

Slap a decent amount of icing on the top of the first layer and smooth across

STEP 3

Place the second layer on top of the first (I chose to do 2 layers, but the skies the limit. add 3 or 4 layers if you like.) You can even alternate cake flavors.

STEP 4

Start at the top and work your way down. Giving the cake a thin layer of icing as you go.

STEP 5

Slide a thin layer of icing along the sides of the cake. Don’t worry about covering all the cake, that’s the beauty of this you WANT to miss a few spots. If you have a lazy susan this is where that would be very handy. Spin the lazy susan as you slide the icing around the sides.

STEP 6

Clean up the edges with a damp clean cloth. This will give the cake a professional finish.

STEP 7

EMBELLISH! Now you can add the fun stuff. I decided to add some faux succulents to my cake. Gather the succulents on one side for an A-symmetrical look. Then, trail the succulents down the side of the cake for a more organic feel. The marble and wood cake stand adds to the rustic, but chic look too!