Adorable Stitch Cake
Create a show-stopping Stitch cake that brings everyone's favorite mischievous blue alien to life! This comprehensive tutorial breaks down exactly how to create an adorable masterpiece perfect for Disney fans and birthday celebrations. Suitable for both baking beginners and experienced decorators.
Equipment
- 2 8-inch round cake pans Or chosen size
- 1 Cake turntable Highly recommended
- 1 Offset Spatula Both large and small recommended
- 1 Bench Scraper For smooth sides
- 3-5 Piping bags
- 1 set Piping tips Small round (#2 or #3), medium round (#10 or #12), star tip (#18 or #21)
- 1 Cake leveler or serrated knife
- 1 Stitch template Printed outline of Stitch's face/pose
- 1 Digital Kitchen Scale For accurate measurements
- 1 Cake board 2 inches larger than cake diameter
Ingredients
Cake Base
- 1 Your favorite cake recipe OR 1 box cake mix Chocolate, vanilla, or funfetti recommended
- Ingredients as called for by your recipe/mix Eggs, oil/butter, water/milk
Buttercream Frosting
- 4-6 cups Buttercream frosting For filling, crumb coat, and decorations
Food Coloring (Gel Preferred)
- Bright Blue / Royal Blue food coloring For Stitch's main color
- Sky Blue / Light Blue food coloring For muzzle/belly/inner ears
- Pink food coloring For inner ears
- Black food coloring For eyes, nose, mouth, details
- White food coloring (optional) For eye highlights
Optional Fondant Decoration
- 1 lb White fondant Can be colored OR use pre-colored fondant packs
- Shortening or cornstarch For rolling fondant
Optional Finishing Touches
- Edible glitter Blue or silver
- Themed sprinkles Tropical, blue
- Piping gel For shiny eyes/nose
Instructions
Baking the Foundation
- Prepare cake pans (grease & flour, or line with parchment).1 Your favorite cake recipe OR 1 box cake mix
- Prepare cake batter according to your chosen recipe/mix.1 Your favorite cake recipe OR 1 box cake mix, Ingredients as called for by your recipe/mix
- Divide batter evenly between pans and bake until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10-15 mins, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, level the tops of the cakes for flat surfaces.
Creating Colorful Frosting
- Prepare your chosen buttercream recipe. Ensure it's a good consistency (not too soft, not too stiff).4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- Set aside about 1/3 for filling and crumb coat (can be white/plain).4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- Divide the remaining frosting into bowls based on the colors needed: Large portion for the main cake color (often light blue or white), medium portion for Stitch's main blue, smaller portions for light blue, pink, and black.4-6 cups Buttercream frosting, Bright Blue / Royal Blue food coloring, Sky Blue / Light Blue food coloring, Pink food coloring, Black food coloring
- Carefully tint each portion using gel food coloring. Remember: colors deepen over time. Aim for slightly lighter than your target (Achieving deep black and blue takes patience and lots of color!).Bright Blue / Royal Blue food coloring, Sky Blue / Light Blue food coloring, Pink food coloring, Black food coloring, White food coloring (optional)
Building Your Cake Structure
- Place one cake layer on your turntable or cake board.
- Pipe a dam of frosting around the edge (optional, prevents filling bulge).4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- Fill the layer with buttercream.4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- Top with the second cake layer (upside down for a flatter top).
- Apply a thin, even layer of buttercream over the entire cake (top and sides) to trap crumbs – this is the crumb coat. Don't worry about perfection here.4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes until the crumb coat is firm.
Creating a Smooth Canvas
- If Using Buttercream: Apply a thicker, final coat of your chosen base color buttercream. Use an offset spatula and bench scraper for smooth sides and top.4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- If Using Fondant: Lightly moisten the crumb-coated cake (thin layer of buttercream or spritz of water). Roll out your main fondant color large enough to cover the cake. Drape over the cake, smooth down the top and sides, trimming excess at the bottom.1 lb White fondant, Shortening or cornstarch
- Chill the cake briefly while you prepare decorations.
Bringing Stitch to Life
- Using your Stitch template and a toothpick/scribe, gently trace the main outlines of Stitch's face/body onto the frosted/fondant-covered cake.
- For Buttercream Piping: Fit piping bags with appropriate tips (small round for outlines, star/round for fills). Carefully pipe the black outlines. Fill in the areas with the correct colored buttercream (Stitch blue, light blue muzzle, pink ears). Use a star tip for texture or a round tip and smooth gently with a small offset spatula. Pipe eyes, nose, and mouth details. Add white highlights to eyes.4-6 cups Buttercream frosting, Bright Blue / Royal Blue food coloring, Sky Blue / Light Blue food coloring, Pink food coloring, Black food coloring, White food coloring (optional)
- For Fondant Cut-Outs: Roll out your tinted fondant colors thinly on a surface dusted with cornstarch/shortening. Using your template and a sharp knife/craft knife, carefully cut out Stitch's main face/body shape (blue). Cut out the features: light blue muzzle, pink inner ears, black eye shapes, nose, mouth lines. Assemble the features onto the main blue fondant shape, using a tiny dab of water or edible glue to adhere them. Carefully lift the completed fondant Stitch and place it onto your cake. Gently press to adhere. Add tiny white fondant dots for eye highlights.1 lb White fondant, Shortening or cornstarch
Final Decorations
- Pipe a decorative border around the base or top edge of your cake (optional).4-6 cups Buttercream frosting
- Add any themed sprinkles or edible glitter for extra sparkle.Edible glitter, Themed sprinkles
- Use piping gel for a shiny effect on eyes/nose if desired.Piping gel
- Consider adding small tropical decorations like edible hibiscus flowers or palm leaves for a Hawaiian themed touch that references Stitch's home.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped well, and frozen for weeks before decorating.
- Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in the fridge (bring to room temp and re-whip before use).
- Chill the cake between steps for cleaner results.
- Use a template for accurate Stitch proportions.
- Achieving deep blues and black takes time and a good amount of gel color.
- Keep unused fondant tightly wrapped to prevent drying.
- Stitch Tropical Hawaiian Cake: Add fondant hibiscus flowers, palm leaves, and beach elements.
- Stitch and Angel Combination: Create both Stitch and his pink counterpart.
- Cupcake Tower Alternative: Create a tower of blue cupcakes with individual Stitch decorations.
- Baby Shower Stitch Cake: Soften the blue colors and add baby elements.
- If fondant tears: Patch with a small piece of fondant and smooth edges with a small amount of water.
- If buttercream is too soft: Chill briefly then continue working.
- If colors are bleeding: Make sure each layer is set before adding adjacent colors.