Rosettes, Ruffles and Lace are a big trend coming into 2013 for cakes. Just Google them or search those keywords on Pintrest and you will find a wide number of cakes with those attributes. One the left is a rosette cake I made this weekend for my mom's birthday (It was a red velvet cream cheese cake). I love the rosette look, so naturally I adorned the sides of my mom's cake with them. I loved the way this turned out (and Mom and my sisters definitely agreed with me) and think it such a great look from wedding cakes, to celebration cakes and dessert cakes for a party.
Ruffles and lace have been make a big appearance on cakes in the past year and is looking to continue into 2013. They provide a vintage look to cakes. Belle the Magazine posted an article on Ruffled Cakes (http://www.bellethemagazine.com/2012/08/wedding-trends-ruffled-cakes.html) and some fabulous examples of ruffled cakes. Cakes with lace designs or adorned with "pearls" are are popular among wedding cakes and other occasion cakes. Just google vintage cakes, lace cakes, ruffles cakes and you will be amazed by all that comes up. Most designs are very simple, but yet beautiful and elegant. Below is only a small glimpse of cakes showing ruffles and lace.
http://www.bellethemagazine.com/2012/08/wedding-trends-ruffled-cakes.html
http://www.thoughtfullysimple.com/simple-cake-decorating-ideas/
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2012/09/19/sonoma-wedding-from-tinywater-photography-a-savvy-event/