Classic Barbie Cake
Create a stunning Barbie cake with this comprehensive tutorial. This showstopping birthday cake features a doll with a beautiful frosted dress perfect for special celebrations.
Equipment
- 1 Barbie doll (or similar fashion doll) Clean and wrapped in plastic wrap
- 1 Bundt pan or graduated round cake pans 8", 6", and 4" pans if using round pans
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer With paddle attachment
- 1 Piping bags With various tips, especially star tip
- 1 Offset Spatula For smoothing frosting
- 1 Serrated knife For leveling and carving cake
- 1 Cake turntable Optional but recommended
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake
- 4 cups cake flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 8 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 4-6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- pink gel food coloring or color of choice
Instructions
Prepare the Doll
- Remove any clothing from the barbie doll below the waist.
- Thoroughly clean the doll, especially the legs and torso.
- Wrap the doll's legs and lower torso tightly and securely with plastic wrap.
- Set the prepared doll aside while you work on the cake layers.
Prepare and Bake the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Thoroughly grease and flour your chosen baking pan(s). If using round pans, line bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.4 cups cake flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.8 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined – do not overmix.1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Pour batter into your prepared pan(s). If using stacked round pans, distribute batter accordingly (more in larger, bottom pans).
- Bake for 45-60 minutes for doll/bundt pans (possibly less for smaller rounds). Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center – it should come out clean.
- Let the cake(s) cool in the pan(s) on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, then carefully invert onto wire cooling racks.
- Allow to cool completely – at least 2-3 hours or overnight. For best results, wrap each cooled cake layer with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours.
Make the Buttercream Frosting
- In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy (2-3 minutes).2 cups unsalted butter
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk/cream. Start and end with sugar, beating on low speed until combined.8 cups powdered sugar, 4-6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and salt.2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- Reserve some white frosting if desired for accents before coloring the rest with pink gel food coloring, adding color gradually until desired shade is reached.pink gel food coloring
Assemble and Decorate the Cake
- If using round pans, level the top of each cake layer using a serrated knife and stack them with a thin layer of frosting between layers, starting with the largest on the bottom.
- Carefully carve the stacked cakes into a gradual cone/dome shape resembling a skirt.
- Cut a hole from the top center down through the cake layers, just wide enough to fit the wrapped doll's legs.
- Apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake skirt (crumb coat) and chill for 15-20 minutes to set.
- Gently insert the plastic-wrapped doll into the hole in the center of the cake, ensuring she stands straight and is inserted deep enough so the top of the cake meets her waist.
- Apply a smooth base layer of your colored frosting over the crumb coat using an offset spatula.
- Fit a piping bag with your chosen tip (a star tip works wonderfully) and pipe decorative elements onto the dress, starting at the bottom edge of the cake skirt.
- Use a smaller tip to carefully pipe details onto the doll's bodice, creating a seamless connection between the frosted skirt and the bodice.
- Add any desired accents such as rosettes, ruffles, or small piped bows to complete the dress design.
- Store the finished cake loosely covered in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for better texture.
Notes
- For best results, bake the cake a day ahead and refrigerate overnight before decorating. This helps with carving and reduces crumbs.
- If using a real Barbie doll, you may want to save it as a keepsake after the celebration rather than washing and reusing.
- For dietary restrictions, you can substitute gluten-free flour, dairy-free butter alternatives, or egg replacers as needed.
- If you don't have a specialty Barbie cake pan, stacked round cake pans or a bundt pan work well as alternatives.