Retro Vintage Piped Cake

A cake decorated in the older piping styles, with shell borders, swags, drop strings and rosettes layered across the surface. It is sometimes called Lambeth piping, and the appeal is that it looks handmade rather than smoothed flat.

Modern cakes tend towards clean surfaces and one focal detail. A retro cake goes the other way and fills the surface with piped work, which gives it more texture and a warmer, more nostalgic look in photographs.

Two tone combinations hold the detail best, so a pale base with a deeper piping colour, or the reverse. Pastels are most requested but we have done the same design in maroon and cream and in forest green.

Vanilla, chocolate and red velvet are the classic choices. The piping is buttercream, so any of these work well with the vintage style.