Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Barbie Birthday Cake

Do you remember your favorite toy? Is it a cuddly teddy bear or a nice barbie doll that you can play dress up with? When I was a child, I vaguely remember that some of my favorite toys were a simple set of wooden blocks, paper dolls, cheap plastic tea set and a plastic baby doll that closes her eye lids when you lay her down. Although all these toys are not really fantastic or branded, they left me such fond memories of my childhood. I remember how much I envy my friends having barbie dolls at that time. However, I knew my parents doesn't have that kind of money to buy one for me. Somehow I still manage to have loads of fun with those toys I own. ;) 

Nowadays, owning a barbie doll seems like such a norm. Even my girls, already owning up to 6 barbie dolls, princess version, ballerina version etc., which they collected through the years from birthday / xmas gifts. My girls love them to bits, and yet they ask for more every time they pass by the displays at the mall. So I took this opportunity on my daughter's birthday, killing two birds with one stone....baking her a barbie birthday cake! She gets a cake and a barbie for her birthday, haha!
Do you like it? Personally I love the design! I got this fabulous idea of the dress from a dear friend of mine, EP,  whom is a pro cake baker in KL. Her work is top notch and never fail to impress me. Funny that we started "playing" fondant together and I'm still stuck here while her work is in such demand! Lol!
I actually bought the most basic barbie I can find at the store. Because I didn't need all that fancy accessories, hairdo or dress on her. I was gonna recreate the dress with fondant alone. ;)) As for the cake, I decided to go with the all raved Mrs Ng SK's butter cake from Wendy's blog. I made some  changes to it since I didn't have self rising flour and salted butter. Plus I reduced the sugar since mine will be served with strawberry compote buttercream. Here is the version I baked:

Ingredients for Butter cake (Makes X1.5 recipe, which was needed for the barbie dress)
345g unsalted butter, room temperature
6 large eggs, separated
75g + 210g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
300g cake flour, sifted
1.5 tsp baking powder
90ml milk
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Preheat the oven to 170C. Prepare a 18cm, a 12cm tube pan and a 6 cm muffin tin (yes, chiffon cake tube pan), grease and set aside.
  • Separate the eggs, and place the whites into another large mixing bowl.
  • Cream the soft butter with 210g of sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and beat till mixed in. Then add in the egg yolks one at a time and mix to incorporate each one after addition.
  • Sift in half of the cake flour and baking powder to the yolk batter. Stir well and add in the milk all at once. Stir again till all mixed in and then sift in the rest of the cake flour and mix. Set aside.
  • Beat the egg white and salt till foamy, then gradually add in the 75gm sugar until stiff. 
  • Gently fold in 1/3 of the egg white mixture to the yolk batter. Then continue to fold in the rest in 2 separate portions till all is folded in.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan and place in the oven to bake for 14mins (muffin tin),  25 minutes (12 cm) and 45mins (18cm). I covered the top of the cake with aluminum foil when I notice the cake was turning a little dark.
  •  
  • Remove from oven when baked and cool completely in the pan before removing. In the meantime, prepare the strawberry compote buttercream. Click link for recipe.
  • Remove the cloths of the barbie and wrap her lower body with plastic wrap. 
  • Slice the 2 tube cakes side ways to obtain 2 discs each. Placing the largest disc at bottom, spread a layer of strawberry buttercream, then stack the next largest disc over it. Spread more butter cream and layer with cake until all is stacked.
  • Insert the doll into the cavity of the cake and shave off the extra cake to shape the dress out. Then spread a thin layer of strawberry buttercream all around the cake.
  •   
  • Decorate your cake as you desired. :)) Just remember to have loads of fun!!
Although I made several changes to the butter cake recipe, it still turned out really nice. Everyone whom tasted it all raved about it. ;)) Soft fine crumbs, light & buttery! Definitely a keeper, thanks Wendy! I was really glad it paired off nicely with the strawberry buttercream...my daughter polish off a big slice within minutes!
 
I was really happy I managed to complete this cake in a day. In fact this cake was so much simpler to handle compared to her last year birthday cake! And after my young one saw this barbie cake, she immediately booked the same cake for her birthday this Oct....OK my dear. Hmmm....not sure is it the cake she wants or that new barbie? Go figure! :))

Hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I have made this cake. ;) 
Take care all and have a great day!

 

23 comments:

Janine said...

This is so so beautiful HBS! I wouldn't mind getting it for my birthday ;p Loved the gradient you have for the dress! Did you have to cover the buttercream with a layer of fondant before doing the pink swirly design on it?

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Hahathanks Janine. :)) no, I place the fondant straight on the buttercream. Thanks for dropping by!

Zoe said...

This is so pretty! What a great idea to make the dress with fondant. At first glance, I thought there is no way that you can pipe buttercream to create such a beautiful design...now I know it's fondant. HBS, you are a cake genius!

My Little Space said...

Whoaaaaa.....your barbie cake looks stunning especially the skirt. Kudos Bee! You're getting expert. :o)
Have a lovely day.
Kristy

Sem said...

hi,I couldnt imagined the time and efforts that you have to put to make such a beautiful barbie doll dress.I knew as it took me nearly one hour to make the top with fondant ,and it keeps dropping off or tearing away,wonder why? finally I use agar agar to replace for the skirt and the top only using fondant.

Unknown said...

Your barbie doll cake looks so beautiful! Love the dress and the shades of pink.

Hody Loh said...

so so so beautiful......how you make the fondant dress??

elaine chan said...

Wow... and you did it in one day.... unbelievable! Thanks for the tip-using chiffon tube pan..

鲸鱼蓝蓝蓝 said...

哇,好美呢
这个蛋糕很高贵:)

lena said...

Incredible! i love that barbie dress, very nice frills but dont think i'm going to do that, i'm hopeless even making a simple fondant design! Barbie must be so thrilled wearing this dress!!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

You daughter is so lucky, mom made such a beautiful cake for her. Too bad, my daughter already turned teenage otherwise I could made for her, hehehe .. Well done BB, this cake look so gorgeous and beautiful .

ReeseKitchen said...

A beautiful cake that is too pretty to be eaten!! You have such good patience and good hands!
Bravo!!

Sharon @ Feats of Feasts said...

Wow, Ive seen some barbie cakes in my lifetime, but yours is really the most BEAUTIFUL! It's nicely done the ombre colours and that is some wicked texture on the skirt.

Bakericious said...

Hi bee bee the barbie cake is gorgeous, I will b screaming if I receive this birthday cake :D

Anonymous said...

Hi the barbie dress is lovely, may I know if u used buttercream or fondant to make the swirl. If its the former, can it b done just thru piping? Pardon my ignorance as I m new to baking.

Thanks, jeannie

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Hi Jeanine. It's alright, no need to apologies. It's made with fondant.

Jaques said...

Can u share w us how u do the fondant dress? ;D it's gorgeous !!!

Playmobil said...

It was such a wonderful cake for our little angel. I'm sure she will like it, especially it was characterized by Barbie.

kitchen flavours said...

Wow! Beautiful cake! And you did a swell job with the piping designs, simply lovely!
Happy Birthday to your little girl. She must be the happiest birthday girl!

Kay Williams said...

That is awesome. I can already imagine the look on your daughter's face once she sees that. That's very sweet of you as a Mom. I wish my Mother had done that to me when I was young.

jogos da barbie said...

Great looking cake. very honey and spicy looking cake with barbie standing on the top.

PeiNing said...

Hi, Did you attend any courses on this? Its so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely beautiful !!!! how do u get t fondant to swirl tat way ah ???