Get A Punch Of Summer Flavor With This Mermaid Layer Cake – Mermaid Layer Cake Recipe
We know too well about the fascination of the mythical mermaid, with our under 10s as well as our tween daughters being obsessed.
With mermaid cakes offering an array of rainbow colours throughout, mermaid cakes always make pretty birthday cakes which your kids will love. The idea of making a birthday cake may seem daunting but with so many easy birthday cake recipes on offer, we can help you to come up with some fab mermaid cake ideas. If you’re interested in learning how to make mermaid cakes or mermaid cake designs, this cake tutorial is for you.
This cake is everything I love – the moist vanilla cake with smooth buttercream and colorful frosting, sprinkles and candy melt mermaid tails give the perfect mermaid vibe. This adorable Mermaid Layer Cake is the ideal accent to any summer birthday party.
Enjoy the Mermaid Layer Cake for it’s vivid colors and fresh flavors!
INGREDIENTS
For the mermaid tails
mermaid tail mould and small shell moulds
2 tsp gold or metallic lustre
200g whíte chocolate
For the layer cake
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
300g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
5 large eggs
300g caster sugar
purple gel food colouring (or a mixture of purple, blue and red gel colouring)
For the icing
Blue or purple gel food colouring
350g butter, softened
700g icing sugar
Edible pearls and silver sprinkles, or extra optional decoration
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the mermaid tails
Place the whíte chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second to melt, stirring after each turn. Pour the melted chocolate into the tail moulds and small shells then place it in the freezer for 15-20 mins until set.
Remove the mermaid tails from the mold once they have hardened, mix the lustre with 14 tsp of water (by combining gold lustre with a little water and a drop of food coloring, you may create a variety of metallic colors) and paint it on. Return to the freezer on a plate or tray until needed.
To make the layer cake
Preheat your oven to 180C. Prepare 3 8-inch cake pans with parchment circles and baking spray. Set aside.
Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla until fully incorporated and light in color – approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the flour mixture while on low speed and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate fully.
Divide the mixture evenly among three bowls and add a few drops of food coloring to each and mix until fully blended, making each bowl a different shade of purple, getting lighter.
Pour each bowl into the three cake pans then put in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the icing
Cut butter into small slices and place into a bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Set half of the icing aside in a bowl. Color the remaining half of the icing in three bowls with different shades of blue, dark, medium, and light.
Assembly
When the cake has cooled, place your three cakes side by side, and using a knife, evenly cover them with whíte icing then stack the layer cakes. Next, you cover the outside of the cakes with a layer of the remaining whíte icing. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Using a spatula, start applying the dark blue coat on the side bottom of the cake. Using a scraper, scrape off excess frosting.
Now move on the center side coat with medium blue icing. Repeat applying coat & scraping, and continue to the top side and top flat coats using light blue icing. Work your way around the join in between each row with a little palette knife, gently pushing each line together. Smooth over the cake to create a smooth ombre icing with a large palette knife.
Add the pearls, sprinkles, shells and mermaid tails on the side and top of the cake.
Mix all the leftover icing together and put in a clean piping bag with a star nozzle and decorate as you desired. You can add a few dots around the top of the cake in the varying blue colours to look like waves.
Serve or refrigerate then bring to room temperature before serving.
