Novelty cakes are a delightful addition to any celebration, offering a whimsical and personalized touch to birthdays, weddings, and other special occasions. These cakes often feature unique shapes, intricate designs, and creative decorations that can range from realistic to fantastical. Choosing the right cake and frosting is crucial when creating a novelty cake. The cake itself should be dense and sturdy enough to support any decorations or sculpted elements. A cake that is too light or fluffy may not hold its shape well, especially if it needs to be carved or stacked. Similarly, the frosting plays a crucial role in both the flavor and stability of the cake. A frosting that is too soft or runny may not adhere well to the cake or could cause it to collapse. On the other hand, a frosting that is too stiff could be difficult to work with, making it challenging to achieve the desired decorations. It’s also important to consider the flavor of the cake and frosting. While the visual appeal is essential for a novelty cake, it should also taste delicious. Choosing complementary flavors that work well together can enhance the overall experience for the person enjoying the cake. In conclusion, being careful with the choice of cake and frosting is essential when creating a novelty cake. By selecting the right combination of flavors and textures, you can ensure that your cake not only looks incredible but also tastes amazing.
Why is this the best recipe?
Rich and Moist Texture: The combination of butter, brown sugar, and buttermilk ensures a moist and rich texture that is perfect for carving and decorating. Deep Chocolate Flavor: The use of cocoa powder provides a deep, rich chocolate flavor that is both satisfying and indulgent. Sturdy Structure: The inclusion of baking powder and baking soda helps the cake hold its shape, making it ideal for carving into intricate designs. Versatile: This cake can be used for various occasions, from birthdays to weddings, and can be decorated in countless ways to suit any theme or taste. Easy to Make: Despite its impressive results, this recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, making it accessible to both novice and experienced bakers. Crowd Pleaser: With its rich chocolate flavor and moist texture, this cake is sure to be a hit with anyone who tries it, making it a go-to recipe for celebrations and gatherings.
Ingredients and substitutes
Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of salt in my recipe. And yet, if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe. Brown sugar – contributes to a nice soft tender crumb and gives a nice color. The molasses in the brown sugar adds a caramel-like flavor too. Eggs – Always use large size eggs when baking unless specified. The size of the eggs varies these days significantly. So as a guide one large egg weighs between 50 to 60 grams. Vanilla – A good quality vanilla will make a huge difference in anything you make. Premium vanilla can be expensive, which is why I make my homemade vanilla extract, bean paste or sugar. All-purpose flour – Yes, regular plain flour (maida) is all you need for this cake. And, since self-raising flours contain leavening they must be used with caution. Cocoa Powder – I use regular Dutch-processed cocoa powder for my cake baking.
Step-by-step: Chocolate cake for carving
Preheat your oven to 325°F/165°C/ Gas Mark 3 Grease and line the baking pan you plan to use for your novelty cake.Pro tip – Makes a 1-inch height 9 x 13-inch sheet pan or 2 x 7-inch round cakes Sift dry ingredients – flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream soft room temperature butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy. Then add the vanilla extract.Pro tip – for this method to work the butter must be soft at room temperature otherwise the batter will be very lumpy. Alternatively, you can cream the butter and sugar first then add the eggs one at a time. Next, add the flour mixture followed by the buttermilk and coffee in three batches.
Pour into your baking pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.Pro tip – if using two pans the baking time will be reduced to about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the baking pan for 5 minutes. Invert and cool on a wire rack completely before you decoratePro tip – it is very important that the cakes are completely cooled before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt on the warm cakes. Once cooled wrap in two plastic wraps, followed by aluminum foil. Place in the freezer for at least one hour before you carve into it.Pro tip – freezing the cake for an hour will make it easier to carve with fewer cake crumbs. But, freezing it hard will make it difficult to carve with more crumbs.
How much cake do I need?
One of the most common questions I get is how much cake do I need? When it comes to novelty cake it’s difficult for me to say. For example, I can’t say, you need two of these for a car cake. Why? because it depends on the size of your car template. However, I can say that this cake serves 15 to 20 people. But, it can be double and more, successfully. So, if you choose to make a cake for 60 then you’d multiply the recipe times 3 and follow the same method as below. This cake serving chart guide will help you decide how much cake you need.
Tips for Success
Plan Ahead: Sketch out your design and create a timeline for baking, decorating, and assembling the cake to avoid last-minute stress. Use the Right Tools: Invest in quality cake pans, sculpting tools, and decorating supplies to achieve the desired look for your cake. Choose the Right Cake: Opt for a dense and sturdy cake recipe that can hold up to carving and stacking, such as a pound cake or a firm sponge cake. Allow Enough Time for Cooling: Ensure that your cakes are completely cooled before attempting to decorate or stack them to prevent crumbling or collapsing. Level Your Cakes: Use a cake leveler or a serrated knife to trim the tops of your cakes to create an even surface for stacking and decorating. Use a Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of frosting, known as a crumb coat, to seal in any loose crumbs before applying the final layer of frosting. Experiment with Different Frostings: Consider using a firm frosting, such as buttercream or fondant, for decorating as they hold their shape well and provide a smooth surface for decorations. Be Patient and Detail-Oriented: Take your time when decorating and pay attention to detail to achieve a professional-looking finish. Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect. Like any skill, cake decorating takes practice, so keep experimenting and learning from each cake you make. Have Fun: Most importantly, enjoy the process! Novelty cakes are meant to be fun and creative, so don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild.
Creative variations
Chocolate Orange Cake: Add orange zest to the batter and use orange-flavored buttercream frosting for a refreshing twist. Mocha Chocolate Cake: Replace some of the buttermilk with strong brewed coffee and add a teaspoon of instant coffee powder to the batter for a rich mocha flavor. Chocolate Raspberry Cake: Layer the cake with raspberry jam or fresh raspberries and use raspberry-flavored buttercream between the layers. Chocolate Mint Cake: Add peppermint extract to the batter and use a mint-flavored buttercream frosting. Garnish with chocolate mint candies. Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake: Add cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the batter for a spicy kick. Serve with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream. Black Forest Cake: Layer the cake with cherry pie filling and whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings and maraschino cherries. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake: Swirl peanut butter into the batter before baking and use a peanut butter frosting. Top with chocolate ganache and chopped peanuts. Chocolate Coconut Cake: Add shredded coconut to the batter and use coconut-flavored buttercream frosting. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top for extra texture.
What can I make with this cake?
With this chocolate cake recipe, you can carve various shapes and designs for novelty cakes. These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are endless! With a sturdy cake like this, you can let your imagination run wild and create almost any shape or design you can imagine.
Sculpted Animals: Carve the cake into shapes of animals like dogs, cats, or even more intricate animals like elephants or lions. 3D Objects: Create 3D objects like cars, trucks, airplanes, or even buildings. Character Cakes: Make character cakes from cartoons, movies, or books. For example, you could carve the cake to look like a minion from “Despicable Me” or a character from “Frozen.” Shapes and Letters: Carve the cake into letters, numbers, or other shapes for themed birthday or anniversary cakes. Stacked Shapes: Stack carved cake layers to create a layered effect, such as a stack of books or presents. Sports Cakes: Carve the cake into shapes related to sports, like a soccer ball, basketball, or football helmet. Fantasy Cakes: Create fantasy-themed cakes, like castles, dragons, or unicorns.
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Frequently asked questions
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