Duck Cake Recipe From Bluey (Step-By-Step Photos)
So your kid loves Bluey and now you’ve been asked to make the Duck Cake. Maybe you know what you’re doing, maybe you don’t, but either way you’re here and ready to give it a crack. I’m here to make your life easier. I’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you make this iconic duck-shaped cake, first created by Agnes Lee for the Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book.
Hey team, Nick here! I grew up with this cake, and when it showed up on an episode of Bluey (my all-time favorite cartoon with or without watching it with our daughter in the room) I knew I had to re-create it. I’ve broken the whole thing down into step-by-step photos and a video so you can easily follow along from start to finish. Even if you’re not a cake person! The key is to plan ahead!
This recipe uses my soft and tender vanilla cake recipe. Although you can make it with store-bought cake mix if you want to simplify things. I covered it in my creamy Ermine Frosting recipe which I think is perfect for this cake. Trust me, people will actually love eating frosting for once.
REMEMBER! If your duck doesn’t look exactly like mine, don’t forget that half of Bandits cake fell on the floor. He ended up picking it up and finishing it (kind of) and Bingo still loved it!
Planning ahead to make this stress free
This cake isn’t difficult to bake and put together. Just plan ahead of time. Here’s how I fo it:
Day 1
- Bake the cake – Cool to room temp and then wrap in plastic before chilling in the fridge overnight. This’ll make carving much more manageable.
Day 2
- Make the frosting
- Trim the cakes
- Put the cake together
- Frost the cake
- Chill for an hour or overnight
- Finish by adding the final decorations.
Making the cake
This cake uses my updated moist vanilla cake recipe. It’s soft and tender but sturdy enough for a cake like this which needs to be able to hold it’s own weight. I’ve included the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post if you want to use my recipe. I’ve also got info on how to make this cake using store bought cake mix if you want to do that instead.
- Whip the eggs and sugar until pale, fluffy, and tripled in volume.
- Sift in dry ingredients and gently fold in to keep the batter airy.
- Heat the milk and butter just before adding, then pour it in slowly while mixing to emulsify.
- Bake until golden and springy – 600g of batter in the loaf tin, 930g (approx.) in the square tin.
Tip – Bake the cakes the night before you put the cake together. Let it cool at room temperature before wrapping in plastic and chilling in the fridge. It’ll firm up the sponges which will make trimming them much more manageable.
Trimming the Loaf Cake (Head and neck)
- Slice 1/3 of the loaf away using a serrated knife. In fact, you’ll be using a serrated knife for all of the trimming.
- Cut small v shapes about 2cm deep all around the top 1/3 of the cake.
- Trim the base of the cake on an angle. Start at the bottom of one end and cut upwards toward where the chest and head meet.
- Use the knife to shape the head into a rounder shape.
- Here’s what it will look like once you’re done!
Shaping the Ducks Body
Tip – You can trim the top of your cake if you want to make putting it together easier. I used a cake leveler to do this but a serrated knife will work too. Just get down on eye level with the cake to make sure it’s nice and even.
- Slice the square cake in half. Each half will make up one side of your ducks body and will be glued together with frosting once you’ve finished trimming it.
- Shape the front and back by slicing angles on both sides of the cake. The front of the duck side will have a shorter angle. The back of the duck will have long angled trim that will almost go to the middle of the ducks body.
- On the back of the duck, trim a curved wedge from about halfway up the top, down toward the center. Not all the way to the center. About 1/3 of the way should do it. Then trim a smaller curved wedge at the front of the duck.
- Trim curved wedges down the sides of the duck.
- Add the ducks head to the duck and hold it in place using skewers. About 3 should do it. It’ll help keep it in place for the next bit of the trimming.
- Begin trimming the front of the duck including any excess from the ducks’ neck so everything looks flush. Do it on the sides of the neck too.
Tip – Make sure your guests/cake slicer knows the skewers are in the cake so they can make sure no bits of skewers are served to your guests!
- To finish trimming, slice an inward curve at the top back of the duck. Now stand back. Your duck looks like a duck!
How to make the ermine frosting
I have a simple and basic American buttercream frosting that would work for this recipe, but my fluffy ermine frosting is smooth and tastes amazing. It’s my new favorite frosting.
- Cook the paste by whisking sugar and flour with milk until thick like pudding
- Let the paste cool completely to room temperature before using
- Whip the softened butter until it becomes pale and fluffy
- Add the cooled paste to the butter gradually with vanilla and salt and whip until smooth, pale and fluffy!
- Color your frosting yellow using yellow food gel.
Tip – If the frosting isn’t yellow enough, add more yellow gel and a tiny drop of pink to deepen the color.
To frost your cake
- Spread some frosting on one side of your ducks body. Carefully take the skewers out and the head off. Then sandwich back together.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting around your cake using a spatula
- Then add the head back on with the skewers to hold it in place.
- Transfer to your final serving plate.
- Add the final layer of frosting.
The Decorations
I like to decorate the duck one to two hours before serving.
- Cut liquorice into 6cm strips and pinch the ends together to form rings. Make two of those and then stick them on the head where the eyes go.
- Press an orange smartie into the center of each ring to finish the eyes.
- Add three red smarties down the front of the body for buttons.
- Press two ruffled chips into the face where the beak would go. If the ducks beak doesn’t look right it’s likely they need to be turned around. And pick the best-looking chips! Preferably the same size too.
- Tie a red ribbon under the head to make a bow tie. I used a regular ribbon from a craft shop.
- Place a small handful of cheese-flavored popcorn on top for hair. Or the yellowest looking popcorn you can find!
Tip – Remove the popcorn before serving unless someone wants to eat it. It’s cheese flavored so… each to their own!
Can I make it using store bought cake mix?
Short answer: yes! I haven’t personally tested it but based on my recipes batter volume, you’ll need 2-3 boxes of standard vanilla or chocolate cake mix to get a similar result.
How many boxes you need exactly depends on the brand and how much cake batter it makes.
My recipe makes 1500g of batter. 600g of it goes in the loaf tin and 930g (approx.) of it goes in the square cake tin. If you’re using cake mix, I’d recommend using scales to distribute the correct amounts in the tins. Just note, using cake mix will results in a different flavor and texture to my recipe which is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Who designed this cake?
All credit for this iconic duck cake goes to Agnes Lee who originally created this for The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book.
A Quick Baking Guide
If you’re new to baking or just want to brush up on the basics, these guides are a great place to start!
Loved the recipe? Let me know!
If you enjoyed this recipe, leave a star rating and comment below. It helps others find the recipe and keeps the baking community growing. Tag me on Instagram so I can see your version too!
Duck Cake Recipe From Bluey (Step-By-Step Photos)
My duck cake is made with soft vanilla sponge and creamy buttercream. It’s a fun showstopper that’s perfect for Bluey fans and birthday parties.
Serves 20
Ingredients
Soft Vanilla Cake
- 412 g all-purpose flour, plain flour
- 3 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 large eggs, 55g each, room temperature
- 390 g caster sugar / superfine sugar, see notes
- 305 g milk, full fat
- 112 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 60 g vegetable oil, can use canola oil
- 14 g vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 500 g unsalted butter, softened (see notes)
- 1 tsp salt
- 14 g vanilla extract
- 20 g heavy cream, cold (see notes)
- 400 g powdered sugar
- 5 drops yellow food gel
- 2 drops pink food gel
Decorations
- Licorice strips, eyes
- 2 orange smarties, eyes
- 3 red smarties, buttons
- Red ribbon, bow tie
- Cheese flavored popcorn, hair
- 2 ruffled plain chips, mouth
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
Soft Vanilla Cake
- Preparing your oven – Preheat your oven to 170C / 340F (fan off), 150C / 300F (fan on). Or an even rise, bake with no fan. Position your rack in the middle of the oven. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before making the batter.
- Preparing your cake tins – Spray a loaf tin 25 x 10cm / 10 x 4-inch and a square baking tin 20 x 20cm / 8 x 8-inch with oil spray and line the bottom and sides with baking paper. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients – Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl until combined. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs and sugar – Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl (glass or metal) and use an electric mixer to beat until frothy, about 1 minute. A stand mixer with a whisk attachment also works. With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the sugar a spoonful at a time, taking about 1 minute to add it all. Once all the sugar is added, keep beating on medium-high speed for 6 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and tripled in size.
- Add dry ingredients to egg mixture – Add half the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Repeat with the rest. The batter will be thick. Avoid overmixing the batter, small lumps are fine, they’ll disappear in the next step.
- Heat milk and butter – Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches 60°C/140°F or small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil.
- Add hot milk – Add half the hot milk mixture, along with the oil and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the rest of the milk mixture and mix again until smooth. The batter will be thin and pour in a steady ribbon.
- Divide the batter – Add 600g of batter into the loaf tin and the rest of the batter (about 930g) into the square baking tin. Tap each tin on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
- Bake – Bake both on the middle rack of your oven. The square cake will take about 30 minutes to bake. The loaf cake will take an extra 5-10 minutes to finish baking. You’ll know they’re baked when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cakes should be deep golden and spring back when lightly touched. If they sink and don’t spring back, bake for a couple more minutes until ready.
- Cool the cakes – Let them cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen. Transfer to a cooling rack, placing them baking paper side down, and let them cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (make while cake is cooling)
- Cream butter – Add your softened butter, salt and vanilla extract to a large bowl. If using a stand mixer fit it with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. You will want to scrape down the bowl halfway through with a spatula to ensure everything beats together evenly!
- Add sugar – Scrape the bowl down using a spatula and add all of the sifted powdered sugar. Begin beating on low speed at first. When no dry ingredients are showing, turn the speed up to medium high speed again and beat for 5 minutes.
- Add cream and gel color – finish by adding the heavy cream, pink food gel and yellow food gel Beat in on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
Loaf Tin – How To Trim the Duck Head & Chest
- Slice the loaf – Take the loaf cake out of the tin and discard the paper. Lay it on its side and slice off one third from one end using a serrated knife. You won’t need the smaller piece. Think of the remaining piece as the head and chest. The head is the top one third of the cake and the chest is the remaining bottom
- Shape the head – To shape the head, cut small V shapes about 2 cm deep around the top third of the cake. These cuts should go all the way around the cake, about one third of the way down from the top. This creates a dip where the neck would be. After that, use your knife to gently round the head shape by trimming the corners and top of the head. This just helps smooth out the head shape. It doesn’t need to be perfectly round.
- Creating the bottom of the chest – The lower part of the cake will become the chest and will sit on the duck’s body. To help it lean back slightly when assembled, trim the base on an angle. Start at the bottom of one end and cut upwards toward where the chest and head meet.
Square Tin – How To Trim The Ducks Body
- Flatten out the top – Use a serrated knife to gently trim and level the top of the cake. You just want to remove any dome so the surface is flat.
- Trim in half and join together – Cut the cake in half straight down the middle so you have two equal rectangles. Place the pieces side by side with the trimmed tops facing out. These pieces will form the left and right sides of the duck’s body. The two long inner sides will be joined together with frosting later.
- Shaping the front and back – Think of a boat shape when viewed from above. The front curves more than the back. Trim one short end of the cake with a deeper angle. This is the front of the duck. Trim the opposite end with a softer angle. This is the back of the duck. These angled cuts help define the overall duck shape.
- Shape the bottom front and back – Trim a wedge from both ends to help the body sit naturally. At the front, cut a short wedge starting about a quarter of the way up the side and angle it down toward the middle of the base. Cut in only a quarter of the way toward the middle. At the back, start about three quarters of the way up and trim a longer wedge, cutting a little deeper than one third of the way in. This creates a gentle curve from front to back.
- Shape the top back of the duck – Move to the back of the cake. Trim a slight curve off the top back edge. This creates a soft, tail-like curve at the back of the duck.
- Cut and angle at the front – At the top front edge of the cake, cut a chunk out on an angle. This will make space for the chest and head piece to sit. Place the chest piece on top to test the fit. It should sit at a slight backward angle. If needed, trim a little more from the body so the chest leans comfortably without wobbling.
Putting it together and decorating!
- Join the body pieces – Use an offset spatula to spread a layer of frosting on the long inner sides of the two cake rectangles. These are the sides that will touch. Gently press them together so they form the full body. This frosting acts as glue to hold them in place.
- Attach the head and chest – Add a bit of frosting to the top of the body where the chest piece will sit. Carefully place the chest and head piece on top. Once it’s in position, insert two long skewers to help keep it steady. Cut the sharp ends off the skewers before using them and push them straight down through the chest into the body. Use scissors or a knife to trim any part of the skewers that stick out. IMPORTANT! Make sure to remove both skewers before slicing and serving the cake!
- Crumb coat the cake – Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the duck to trap crumbs and hold everything together. This is called a crumb coat. It ensures the crumbs are trapped in the first layer of frosting, so they don’t show on the final layer of frosting. Place the cake in the fridge for one hour so the frosting can firm up.
- Frost the cake – Once chilled, cover the duck in a thicker layer of frosting. It does not need to be smooth. A rougher texture gives the duck a soft, feathered look.
- Decorate the duck (right before serving) – Add decorations one to two hours before serving so they hold their shape. For the eyes, cut liquorice strips about six centimeters long and pinch the ends together to make rings. Stick two onto the duck’s head and press an orange Smartie into the center of each. Add three red Smarties down the front for buttons. Press two ruffled chips into the face for the beak. Finish with a red bow tie at the front and a handful of cheese-flavored popcorn on top for hair. The popcorn is just for decoration and should be removed before serving, unless someone wants to eat it.
Notes
Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar is ideal for this cake as it dissolves into the eggs quickly which will prevent overmixing. Alternatively, you can use granulated sugar or even pulse granulated sugar in a food processor until it’s finer.
Mixing the batter – it’s important to follow the speeds given in the recipe when it comes to mixing. Especially after the flour is added as it prevents overmixing which can cause your cake to be tough. Make sure you scrape down the bowl after each mix to ensure any ingredients that are hiding at the bottom are properly mixed in. It’ll ensure a nice uniform batter that rises in the oven properly.
Mixers You Can Use – Using an electric mixer to make the cake batter is going to make it an easier process and also gives you the best results, especially when whipping the eggs and sugar. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held electric mixer.
How to soften your butter for the frosting
Make sure your butter is softened for this recipe. It’ll help with the structural integrity of the frosting. I have a full guide on how to properly soften butter on the blog, but for reference, softened butter is 18C / 65F on a thermometer. Cut it into cubes and let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until it reaches this temperature to until it’s soft enough that when you press on it with your finger, it leaves an indent with some resistance.
Heavy cream – I originally used milk for this recipe, but I’ve made the switch to cold cream instead. I find that milk makes your frosting too soft, and cold cream keeps it’s structure, and using cold cream helps stiffen your frosting while making it smoother. It’s a win win! For this recipe I’d recommend using heavy whipping cream which has about 36% butterfat in it. Check how much fat it has per 100g on the back and that number will give you a percentage.
Storage – This cake can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to three days. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per slice. This cake serves 20 little bluey fans.
A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition
Calories : 484kcal
Carbonhydrates: 56g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 27g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat : 7g
Trans Fat : 1g
Cholesterol: 115mg
Sodium: 339mg
Potassium : 73mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar : 40g
Vitamin A: 869IU
Vitamin C: 0.03mg
Calcium: 81mg
Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!
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61 comments
I’m making this cake this weekend for my child’s 5th bday after she saw it in a WW anniversary recipe book then on bluey. I’ve been following you for years and bless you for creating this post and video!!!
My question is, with the recipe for the vanilla sponge above, is that only a single batch or already? (3 1/2 cups of flour?)
Or do in need to double that? As in 7 cups flour etc??
Hi Tina! Apologies for the late reply. You’ll need to double it. so 7 cups all up. I would suggest making it in two batches as it can be a lot of batter to try to make in most home kitchen bowls.
Salt is missing from the recipe. Fyi
Just added it, thanks for letting me know! N x
Salt amount isn’t listed for the cake
1 tsp
I was wondering how much salt you use in the cake recipe? Otherwise I’m so excited to make this recipe for my 4 year old. He requested it because he saw it on bluey. And you give a very good tutorial 👍
1 tsp 🙂
1 tsp. Just updated the recipe N x
I tried to make the cake & it didn’t taste good or turn brown. I did use unbleached flour so I was wondering if that’s why? I do love the frosting though. it turned out perfect. very light
Hi Erika! Sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe. I’ve had people write and let me know they loved it. I can only speak to how the recipe will come out if you use the ingredients and follow the steps outlined in the recipe I have written. I would encourage you to try again using the ingredients listed or find a cake recipe designed to be used with unbleached flour and then decorated it the way I’ve shown. Glad to hear you loved the frosting though! N x
Hello!
Thank you for the recipe!
Quick question if I assemble and crumb and then decorate on a different day, where do i store the cake? I live in queensland so its a bit warm at the moment.
Hi Jessie! In the fridge would be best if you can fit it! N x
Hi! This was so helpful! How do we get the chips to go into the cake though? Finding it really hard and even with a lot of icing it doesn’t seem to hold well? Do you just load up on icing?
Hi Birthday mum! Love the username! So the frosting should hold up the cake and the chips go into the frosting. It’s a fairly thick layer of frosting. Hope that helps! N x
This blog was a genuine lifesaver now that Bluey has brought the cursed duck cake back to life. Adding the pink to the yellow food dye was a revelation. Highly recommend people trying the recipe give themselves three days to make the cake, plus watch the YouTube tutorial.
Awww thanks so much Bronte! N x
Can I use a 10×10 square pan instead?
Should be ok! N x
My batter came out thicker? My yogurt, milk, and eggs were still cold though do you think that’s why? I’m pretty sure I measured everything right?
Hi Miranda. That would definitely be why! N x
Is there an egg substitute you’d recommend due to having an egg allergy? I’ve used yogurt before, but since that’s already called for in another part of the recipe, I’m not sure it would work with this specific recipe. Thank you!
Hi Kristen! I haven’t personally used egg alternatives in this recipe but I’ve heard flaxseed is an option. You’d have to google the ratios etc to try it out. Hope that helps! N x
Am I reading the cooking temp correctly (for us Americans) – it’s 320 degrees F? I don’t understand the “from 275 F to 320F”… help!
Hi Jan! That’s correct. For a convection oven (no fan) it’s 320F. For a fan forced oven it’s 275F.
Hello! I’m interested in making this adorable cake for my little one’s birthday, but I usually bake gluten free. Do you know if switching the flour in your recipe with gluten free flour would leave the cake sturdy enough for all the carving?
Hey FoxPirate! That’s awesome you want to make the cake for your little one’s birthday! I haven’t tried this with gluten-free flour myself, but from what I know, gluten-free cakes tend to be a bit more fragile and might crumble when you try to carve them. I’d suggest using a good gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum or adding a stabilizer like that to help hold everything together. You might also want to chill the cake a little longer before shaping to make it firmer. Let me know how it goes! N x
Hello. My son wants a chocolate cake instead of vanilla. Do you think this recipe would work if I took out some flour and added cocoa? TIA 😊
Hi Rae! I’d recommend using my chocolate cake recipe instead 🙂 N x
Hi Nick, which of your chocolate cake recipes would I use? The easy chocolate cake or the sheet cake? (Thanks so much for the video BTW!)
Hey Carmen! So glad you enjoyed the video! For this cake, I’d recommend going with the easy chocolate cake recipe. It’s sturdy enough for carving and decorating, which is exactly what you need here. Let me know how it goes! N x
My son turns four today and has been begging for this Duck cake now for months after seeing it on Bluey! I’ve never carved a cake before but it looks pretty decent. I added lemon zest to the cake and zest and juice to the frosting to make it a lemon cake (we love lemon!).
I love all the photo instructions as well as the video! Thanks for the recipe! Everyone loved it!
Hey Alex! I’m so happy to hear the cake was a hit, and that your son got his Bluey duck cake! Love that you added lemon zest and juice to make it a lemon cake, sounds delicious. Huge congrats on carving a cake for the first time too, sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing how it went! N x
Good recipe and tutorial. But the weight of my duck head ended up tearing the duck’s body in half like the Titanic. So…I guess, be careful of that? We had a good laugh about it.
Hahaha, sorry about the duck head but I’m glad you guys enjoyed it! N x
Can I use a hand mixer to make the frosting?
Absolutely! N x
Do you have to use a tin rectangular pan or can it be glass?
Is that parchment paper you used to line dishes?
Hi Emily! The reason i use a rectangle tin is because it helps me get the shapes I want when i trim the cake up. I haven’t tested the recipe in any other way. And yes! I used parchment paper to ensure the cake doesn’t stick to the tins 🙂 Hope that helps! N x
While watching your video I clicked on link to butter cream recipe and followed it. However, when I looked back to the butter cream recipe on here, it is totally different. The one I made said to add salt and only half the amount of the powered sugar and it was way too salty…..
I mixed the food gel colors and mine came out orange sherbet color instead of yellow, like i was hoping for….
Hey Emily! Thanks for letting me know, and I totally get the confusion. I’m always updating my recipes, so sometimes the video version and the recipe card here might not match. For the best results, I’d recommend following the frosting recipe in the recipe card for this one, as it’s the most up-to-date version. For the color, start with just the yellow and add a tiny bit of pink at a time to avoid that orange sherbet shade. Hope that helps! N x
Hey Nick thanks for the recipe! I’m making this for my daughter’s third birthday party after seeing it on Bluey. My only question is about the baking time. I baked them for the amount of time it told us to but they’re nowhere near done. When I poured the batter in, there was just so much batter, maybe I shouldn’t have put it all in? Maybe my pans aren’t as deep or something? I’ve had them both in for 65 minutes and they’re not really close to being done yet. I followed the directions word for word. So I’m puzzled. I am using the convection oven at 275. I hope they turn out 🤞🏼
Hey! I hope your daughter’s birthday went great and that the cake turned out beautifully! It sounds like the pans might not have been deep enough, or the batter could have been filled a bit too high, which can extend the baking time. Convection ovens can sometimes bake a bit unevenly too, so it’s good to check the cake with a toothpick at regular intervals. If you had to bake it longer than expected, you totally did the right thing by giving it more time. I’d love to hear how it all went! N x
Awesome tutorial, just what I needed to make my grandsons birthday cake. What size tins do you use?
Thanks so much! Tin sizes are in the first portion of instructions in the recipe card which is located at the bottom of the post! N x
Do I leave them in the tins when I chill in fridge overnight? Also, do all ingredients need to be room temperature?
Hi Sarah! Let them cool in the tins for 10 minutes than transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. And yep, all ingredients at room temperature.
Excited to try the recipe, I don’t think there’s enough advertisements on here though cause I can almost follow the step by step. 🙃 It’s pretty ridiculous
Cool, I like earning a living so…
The advertisements made it impossible to follow the recipe. The recipe itself tastes like chalk, and I followed the instructions to a T. It made me vomit, my kid spit it out, and I wasted my time and money making it.
Cool. So it’s a pretty standard sponge cake recipe and it’s quite delicious, I’ve been making it for about 8 years now. I’m wondering Tyler, did you use chalk in your version of the recipe? That would explain the flavor.
I’m going to regret asking this question, but as I’m a masochist, because clearly I have all the time in the world to get everything ready and an outfit sewn up by Saturday (it’s Thursday), but here it goes… Do you have any cake pop recipes that you recommend, or any other suggestions to use up the discarded bits that you cut off the cake to shape it?
P.S. The snark on some of your replies has me rolling!
Haha! I’m glad you find my snarky replies hilarious! I’ve had to tone it down a bit to focus on making my replies a little more helpful—though there’s always room for some fun with certain comments. As for cake pops, I don’t have any recipes for them right now, but if you’ve got any suggestions, let me know! Personally, I’d just snack on the cake scraps (best part, right?), but if you’re looking for cake pop recipes, I’d say head over to Bakerella’s site. She’s the one who invented them! Good luck with everything, sounds like you’ve got your hands full! N x
When doubling the batches of batter making them in two batches, do you put a full batch of the batter in each cake pan?
Hey Susan! Good question! When doubling the recipe, the larger cake tin will need a little more batter than the smaller one. Just aim to fill each pan about three-quarters full to give the cakes room to rise without spilling over. Hope that helps, and let me know how it turns out! N x
Hi Nick,
Thanks for this recipe. I am braving it for my son’s 4th birthday! Wanted to ask your thoughts on reducing the sugar in the sponge recipe – will it dramatically impact the texture of the cake?
Wish me luck!
Thanks,
Samira
Hey Samira! So glad you’re giving this a go for your son’s birthday! Reducing the sugar isn’t the best idea, as it can result in a cake that’s not as soft and won’t have the right texture. Wishing you lots of luck, and I’m sure it’ll turn out amazing! N x
I’ve been meaning to reply to say how great the cake turned out ( and I did reduce the sugar which made it a bit less fluffy but still very tasy)! I used blue buttercream on one side and pink on the other side (my son’s favourite colours). He loved it! Shame there isn’t an option for me to post a picture of the cake. Send me your email address and I can send you some pics if you’d like to see.
Thanks a lot for posting the recipe.
Hey Samira! I’m so glad to hear the cake turned out great, and I love that you used your son’s favourite colours—such a lovely touch. Reducing the sugar will make it a bit less fluffy, but I’m happy it was still delicious! I’d love to see your pics, feel free to send them to me on Instagram. I’m @thescranline. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing how it went! N x
I was reading instructions on how to shape the cake and could not figure it out but your video made it super clear, thanks!
Hey Sara! So glad the video helped make things clearer for you—that’s exactly why I made it! Hope the cake turned out amazing, and thanks for letting me know! N x