How to Make a Beautiful Spring Cake with Buttercream Flowers

If you’ve ever wanted to decorate a stunning cake that looks professionally made—but is surprisingly easy—this spring cake with buttercream flowers is the one to try! I was inspired by Leslie from My 100 Year Old Home and her absolutely gorgeous spring cake. With just a box cake mix and a few simple add-ins, this cake turns out perfectly moist and flavorful. A classic buttercream frosting gives you the perfect canvas to get creative with spatula-painted flowers that look like a watercolor dream.

This would be such a lovely cake for Mother’s Day, birthdays, a spring bridal shower, or really any occasion that calls for a little sweetness and beauty.

Easy Moist Yellow Cake Recipe (Box Mix Hack)

This is my favorite yellow cake recipe using a box mix—and trust me, it tastes like you made it from scratch. The added sour cream and pudding make it incredibly moist and rich.

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix (I use Pillsbury)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 small box white chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 6-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and dust lightly with flour.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, pudding mix, water, and oil until smooth.
3. Divide batter evenly into the three pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
4. Let cool in pans for 15 to 20 minutes, then carefully remove cakes and allow to cool completely.

Tip: Once the layers of cake are stacked using plastic straws pushed down in the layers to hold them in place.

Classic Buttercream Frosting Recipe for Decorating

This simple buttercream recipe is easy to work with and perfect for creating pretty petals and leaves using a skinny metal spatula.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• Gel food coloring: pink, green, yellow

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy and smooth.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
3. Add vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and enough cream to achieve your desired consistency. Beat until light and fluffy.
4. Leave most of the frosting white. In separate small bowls, tint small amounts of frosting using the gel food coloring to create a dark pink, light pink, soft green, and golden yellow.

How to Decorate Buttercream Flowers with a Spatula Knife

This is where you get to have fun! No piping skills required. Just a small metal spatula (or even an art spatula) and a little creativity.

1. Frost the Cake Base: Start with a smooth layer of white frosting. We originally tried a pink base but decided on white because it would make the flowers pop.
2. Create Petals: Dip your spatula into the pink buttercream. Press it gently against the cake, push, and lift to create a petal shape. Repeat to form layered petals in a circle.
3. Add Details: Use light and dark pink shades to give the flowers more depth.
4. Make the Leaves and Centers: Add soft green leaves around your flowers the same way. Then dab the centers with a mix of yellow and green frosting for a pretty contrast.
5. Final Touches: Don’t worry about perfection—this is meant to look artistic and hand-painted. It only took me 10–15 minutes to create the entire floral design, and I loved how it turned out.

This technique gives the cake a soft, watercolor look that’s incredibly elegant.

Looking for More Beautiful Cake Ideas?

Check out this charming cake I made for for my daughters bridal shower. It’s another easy recipe that turns out so sweet and nostalgic.

Save This Recipe and Share Your Creations

If you give this buttercream flower cake a try, I’d love to see it! Share your version on Instagram and tag me using #karinskottagecake so I can feature your beautiful creations.

Printable Recipe for spring cake with buttercream flowers