13 January 2026
Valentine’s Day 2026 Styles & Techniques
If you want your bakes to stand out this year, it’s all about moving beyond the basic heart. The 2026 season is defined by a blend of nostalgic maximalism and interactive "wow" moments. Incorporating these relevant styles into your baking repertoire will ensure your romantic treats are truly on-trend.
The Vintage Heart Cake is back and bigger than ever for 2026. Inspired by the Coquette aesthetic, these cakes feature over-the-top, intricate Lambeth piping and ruffled borders. To truly nail this look, don't forget the final touch: Coquette bows. Whether you use delicate satin ribbons or hand-moulded fondant bows, this hyper-feminine style is the "must-have" look of the season.
Sharing is sweet, but 2026 is the year of the Bento Cake. These individual-sized mini cakes, served in eco-friendly boxes, are perfect for Galentine's Day gifts or a romantic picnic for two. Pair these with Strawberry or Pistachio & Raspberry flavours to give your traditional Valentine’s menu a modern, sophisticated upgrade.
Moving away from glossy finishes, the Velvet-Effect finish is set to be the premier look for high-end Valentine’s cakes. Using cocoa butter spray creates a soft, matte texture that mimics luxury jewellery boxes. When applied to Heart Shaped Cakes and paired with Edible Gold Leaf, it creates a stunning, sophisticated finish.
For a more organic and romantic feel, the Pressed Petals trend involves pressing delicate flower decorations or dried, edible flowers directly into buttercream. This is often paired with Botanical Bas-Relief, where palette knife painting is used to create 3D, sculptural buttercream florals that look like they are growing out of the cake.
Using edible flower decorations, like these SugarSoft® Roses, ensures the decorations are food safe and are incredibly easy to use.
The Coquette aesthetic is all about "nostalgic maximalism"—think hyper-feminine, dainty, and vintage. To achieve this, use a heart-shaped tin and master the Lambeth piping technique with intricate ruffles and "over-piped" borders. The defining finishing touch for 2026 is adding Coquette bows, which can be made from edible fondant or real satin ribbon for a high-fashion look.
Bento Cakes (or lunchbox cakes) are trending because they offer a more personal, intimate gifting experience. They are the perfect size for a couple to share or for Galentine's Day gifts between friends. They also allow you to experiment with 2026’s trending flavour profiles, such as Strawberry or Pistachio & Raspberry, without committing to a full-sized celebration cake.
See the full range of cake and baking flavourings at Craft Company here; Food Flavourings.
That luxurious, "touchable" texture is achieved using a cocoa butter spray. For the best results, ensure your cake is chilled or even slightly frozen before spraying. The cold surface causes the cocoa butter to crystallise instantly upon contact, creating that soft, jewellery-box matte look. Pair this with Edible Gold Leaf for a truly high-end, sophisticated finish.
If you're looking for an easy to use, food safe, Edible Gold Leaf, Colour Splash Gold and Silver Leaf packs are a great option and easy to use.
No—safety is key! When following the Pressed Petals trend, you can only use certified edible flowers such as pansies, violas, or rose petals. Ensure they are pressed flat and dried before applying them to your buttercream. To elevate the look, use palette knife painting to add 3D "botanical bas-relief" details around the petals for a sculptural, organic feel.
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