Duck Cake Recipe From Bluey (Step-By-Step Photos)

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!

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!