How To Do Bakery Swirled Icing

I have been wanting to share this fun icing decoration with you all for a while. In case you don’t know, I am a culinary graduate, and for one of my internships I worked in a bakery, well I worked in a couple bakeries. Anyway, we ALWAYS frosted all the sheet cakes and brownies the same way with this swirled icing pattern. It is so simple, yet fancy. Everyone always asks how to do it, so I put together this tutorial for you all.  

Whatever frosting you are using needs to be zig-zagged across the sheet cake/brownies from one corner to the opposing corner, dragging the spatula the full width of the sheet cake/brownie. Once you start zig-zagging, don’t lift your spatula up until you have reached the opposite corner.

Next you can use the tip of your spatula or a butter knife and drag it back and forth through the zig-zag that you made. You need to switch directions every time you drag it through. Example: one line would go from top to bottom, then the next line would go from bottom to top. Space lines as close or wide as you like; I typically do at least 1-inch apart. I hope that makes sense and you can get a sense of how to do it from the pictures. Continue dragging the knife through, switching directions until you come all the way across the sheet cake/brownies. This creates a rippled/marbled effect.

If your icing is wet, warm or really drippy, wait until it hardens to slice your dessert. Enjoy!

You can use this design for any smooth frosting, icing, spread or dip that you want to make look fancy like these:

Peanut Butter Fingers

Coconut Cream Fruit Dip

Eclair Icebox Cake