Princess Barbie Cake

For this cake you will need a 5cm round straight edged cutter, 10” Pink round cake drum, 3 cake dowels and small flower cutter.

Preheat the oven to 160°c (fan 140°c, gas mark 3) and grease and line a 1 litre ovenproof glass pudding basin and 6” round deep cake tin.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste together in a bowl with electric beaters or a mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour if the mix looks like its going to curdle.

Sift the flour and gently fold in enough milk to give a mixture that falls slowly from the spoon. Spoon into the prepared bowl and cake tin. Place onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for approx. 1 hour 20 or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Allow to cool on a rack.

Level the top of both of the cakes. Split the 6” round cake horizontally in half and the bowl cake into 3. Use a straight edged 5cm round cutter top cut out a hole in the middle of each cake tier. Place the bottom tier of the 6” cake onto the cake drum and secure with a little buttercream, made from the butter and icing sugar beaten together.

Place a thin layer of buttercream onto the cake and top with the other tier. Repeat with the pudding basin cake until the skirt shape is formed. Cut the dowels to the height of the cake and gently push into the cake around the centre hole to help strengthen the structure. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of buttercream to create a smooth surface.

Knead together 50% white modelling/flower paste icing with 50% white sugar paste icing and roll out thinly. Cut strips approx. 4cm wide and starting at the bottom secure onto the cake in gentle pleats just wide enough to make the visible underskirt. Secure each piece with a little cooled boiled water and allow to firm up before securing the next piece.

Wrap the legs of the doll in clingfilm and place into the cake standing her on a small piece of icing to secure, if required. Use the 50% modelling/flower paste / 50% sugar paste icing to roll out a wide strip and wrap around the dolls top to make the bodice securing again with a little cooled boiled water.

Use the pink sugar paste to roll out into two oblong shapes for the skirt, wide enough to come just above the waist of the doll and curved at one end. Gently lift and place into position the skirt pieces using a little apricot glaze or water to moisten the buttercream on the cake if required. Create some folds in the skirt at the top and smooth well with your hands. The two skirt pieces should join at the back.  Use modelling paste to create a small bow for the skirt and some small roses.

Use some leftover pink sugar paste icing to create a small belt at the top of the skirt to smooth the join to the bodice. Small flower cutters with modelling paste and sugar pearls can be used to create the remaining decoration for the skirt and bodice as desired. Spray with edible lustre for a final shimmer finish.