Little Girls Princess Dream Cake

by Jaynell Rose D. Cabrera
(Quezon City, Philippines)

It was the cake I prepared for my niece 7th Birthday last March 14, 2010. I was really not planning to make one but since they had a problem with the cake that they bought from a certain bake shop, I was forced to make one immediately since the supposed birthday party was two days away.

Its a 3-tier cake with a yellow colored white ganache on a big crystal plate. The bottom cake (chocolate cake) was 12inch in diameter, middle (which was choco marble chiffon cake) was 9inch, and the top (mocha chiffon cake) was 6inch. Only the bottom cake has a ganache filling in the middle.

For decors, I used gum paste flowers/flowerettes/leaves(bought from a local store), mini colorful marshmallows, chocolate candy sprinkles, chocolate mini chips, green plastic ribbon, plastic Disney princess figurines(borrowed from my sister-in-law good neighbor), "7" candle, and a birthday tag that I personally made.

I bake all the cake first and have it cooled. Crumbed the cake and set it on its respective round cake board(putting a little ganache at the middle of the board before putting the cake so it wont slip the board). After filling the bottom cake, I start coating it with the ganache icing. Coating it thinly first and refrigerate it for a few minutes before putting another coat, until I get the desired icing thickness. I also did the same thing with the other cakes. In layering the cake, I used a 1/4 inch thick paper lollipop stick for support. I used 8 pcs of cut stick. The support stick was cut with a little allowance on the top so that the layered cakes are really not touching each other.

I decor first the bottom cake, and set it on the big crystal plate, then bordered the bottom sides with chocolate candy sprinkles. I put the stick supports in the middle of the bottom cake before placing the middle cake. I decor the middle cake and bordered the bottom side with mini choco chips. I put again another set of stick support before putting the top cake. Decor it again, put a 1/2 inch green ribbon around the bottom side the top cake, and put the biggest flower gumpaste that I bought as a center piece. I know I wont be able to put the layered cake in the ref if I put the top decors imediately, so I postpone the top decor until the party itself.

I was able finish the cake early morning of her birthday (around 4am, March 14, 2010). An hour before her party starts (around 2pm), I put my top decor and finish it with the tag that I personally made. I covered the tag with plastic because, my sister-in-law think its too plain and put glitters on her daugther's name and a yellow ribbon around it. To enhance the tag more, I prepare a two lollipop stick(same one I used for support), put flowers and leaves, and cover it with green paper tape. Then I securely taped the upper portion of the stick at the back of the tag, and put the tag at the back of the plastic Disney princess figurines.

It was really my first time to make a cake this big. I was a bit frustrated with how I frosted the cake because I was not able to smooth it out. Making this cake was quite exhausting but its all worth it. My niece loved it so much, her friends was amazed by it, and those who have seen it kept asking me if I can also make one for them too.