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Red Velvet Panda Cake

October 16, 2013 by Tania 20 Comments

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Panda Cake

Panda / Ukulele Cake

Red Velvet Panda Cake

2 weeks ago a bride sent me an email asking if I would make her a wedding cake. She was having a small wedding and had only just decided to have a cake. Well maybe she was talked into having a cake. Regardless of how it came about she asked me if I would sculpt her a Panda playing a Ukulele. Of course I said no.

Panda cake

Panda cake

Her husband to be is a wonderful musician who plays drums and Ukulele and she just loves Pandas. I am not experienced enough to be sculpting Pandas playing Ukulele’s for a wedding and I didn’t want to see her cakeless, I just love an unusual notion, so I got cracking on an alternative.  I was busy on another project during the week so I asked her to send me a picture she liked and I had it made into a sugar image at Cake decorating Solutions in Roseberry.

This is a 6 layered red velvet cake because the colours of the flowers and the table decorations were a berry shade. We didn’t want it to be too sweet so I made quite an unusual recipe for a red velvet cake. The layers are separated with raspberry buttercream and then covered in a vanilla cream cheese icing, I wish I could show you the inside.

Panda cake

Red Velvet Panda cake

This cake was made in a 30cm x 30cm x 30cm cake tin in 3 layers cut in half. The cake is perfect for times when you need a firm cake recipe that is moist and doesn't need to be refrigerated. I sat this cake out of the fridge for hours before it was cut. Buttercream stays stable unrefrigerated as long as it isn't too hot
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine Western
Servings 50

Ingredients
  

  • 400 gram caster sugar 2 cups
  • 310 ml vegetable oil 1 1/4 cups
  • 4 whole eggs x large
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons ginger powder
  • 2 teaspoons of nutmeg
  • 600 gram plain flour 4 cups
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 800 cups gm pie apples pureed or 3of unsweetened apple puree, 1 tin apple slices pureed
  • 2 tablespoons red colouring (use a paste Queen brand is Not a liquid)
  • 1 teaspoon blue colouring

Raspberry buttercream filling

  • 500 gram butter
  • 500 gram pure icing sugar 3 cups
  • vanilla
  • 85 gram raspberry jelly 1 packet
  • 200 gram raspberries, frozen thawed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream cheese icing

  • 250 gram cream cheese
  • 200 gram unsalted butter
  • 1 vanilla bean scrapped
  • 260 gram pure icing sugar (2 cups 2 cups sifted
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • This cake was made in a 30x30x30 cake tin in 3 layers cut in half. I made this recipe 3 x times for this cake. Oven preheated to 185 degrees / 350 F
  • Beat the eggs and sugar till light and aerated. Add the oil and beat more until light in colour.
  • Add the apple puree, vanilla, spices and sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Add the red colouring a spoon at a time until you get the colour you would like. It will be an orangey colour that will be corrected to brighter red with a little addition of blue.
  • Pour into a greased and lined tin and bake for approximately 40-60 minutes.

Raspberry Buttercream

  • Beat the softened butter till light and fluffy. Add the jelly crystals, vanilla, thawed raspberries and beat in 1 cup of sugar at a time.Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt at a time till you have a fluffy buttercream that isn't too sweet .
  • Once the cake is baked and cooled slice and layer with the raspberry buttercream filling.
  • Chill for 1 hour. While making the cream cheese icing.
  • Beat the softened butter till light and aerated then add the cream cheese and vanilla bean and continue beating till well combined. Add the lemon zest and continue beating and adding icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt till you have nice white icing. Yes beating is the secret ...
  • Spread this onto the out side of the cake smoothing with a palette knife. Chill for several hours or over night before decorating any way you like.

Red Velvet cake

www.mykitchenstories.com.au

 

You might also like this Gluten Free Chocolate Orange Ballerina Cake

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Filed Under: Cakes and Decorating, RECIPES Tagged With: baking, easy red velvet cake, easy stir together cake, Making a wedding cake, panda cake, Red Velvet cake, red velvet made with apples, Sugar images

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Comments

  1. Emmy

    November 9, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    Hi there down under,
    great looking cake! Thanx for posting this.
    One question only: in the ingredients baking powder is mentioned twice. Shouldn’t one of the two be baking soda?

    Reply
    • MyKitchenStories

      November 10, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Hi Emmy, yes you are right and I have changed it

      Reply
  2. GourmetGetaways

    October 20, 2013 at 7:16 am

    WOW!
    This is a special cake! I would love to see the inside, you have done and amazing job!

    Reply
  3. nancy@jamjnr

    October 19, 2013 at 12:57 pm

    I did a double take reading that how totally random! So impressed you came up with a solution for the bride-to-be. Weren’t you just a little tempted to cut into it and then buttercream it all back together?
    nancy@jamjnr recently posted..The Watermelon ManMy Profile

    Reply
  4. ChgoJohn

    October 18, 2013 at 8:55 am

    5 stars
    You are one talented cake decorator, Tania. This is a beautiful cake and what a surprise to cut into it and find 7 layers! And you made it in 2 weeks? Well done!
    ChgoJohn recently posted..This Recipe has Legs: Strangozzi Pasta with OctopusMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Lisa the Gourmet Wog

    October 17, 2013 at 10:48 pm

    Oh I love a good unconventional wedding cake and this one certainly takes the cake!! You did so well Tania! Love it xx
    Lisa the Gourmet Wog recently posted..Pallet Vegetable Gardens by the handy husband…My Profile

    Reply
  6. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    October 17, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    5 stars
    I’d faint dead away if someone asked me to make a cake with a ukelele playing panda. Your cake is wonderful and I wish we could have peeked inside too!
    Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted..Quick and Easy Cake DessertMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Kari @ bite-sized thoughts

    October 17, 2013 at 9:13 pm

    What a terrifying request to get 2 weeks out from the wedding! You did an amazing job on what you did create and I am sure they loved it.
    Kari @ bite-sized thoughts recently posted..Chocolate and books – Chocolove Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate; Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Goji Berry, Pecans & Maca, and with Cherries; and more historical fictionMy Profile

    Reply
  8. thelittleloaf

    October 17, 2013 at 8:01 pm

    Oh yum, love the sound of that raspberry buttercream! And such a cute cake!
    thelittleloaf recently posted..Apple Syrup Sweetened Pumpkin Spice GranolaMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Suzanne Perazzini

    October 17, 2013 at 7:36 pm

    That is the cutest thing but so unusual for a wedding cake. I wish I could see inside it but I guess that would ruin it.
    Suzanne Perazzini recently posted..Carrot Cake – Gluten-Free & Low FODMAPMy Profile

    Reply
  10. InTolerant Chef

    October 17, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    An unusual cake indeed Tania! I really like the sound of the apple puree in the mix too-yummo! It would certainly be moist. The bamboo looks great, and of course pandas are soooo cute 🙂 xox

    Reply
  11. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    October 17, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    Haha and here I was on the other side of Sydney also making a most unusual red velvet cake! You’ll see it on Saturday night 😉
    Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Red Rice SushiMy Profile

    Reply
  12. Angie@Angie's Recipes

    October 17, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    wow a masterpiece, Tania. The licorice bamboos are so vivid.
    Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin Wedges with Apple VinaigretteMy Profile

    Reply
  13. Mel

    October 17, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    The cake looks amazing, Tania. I wish you had a photo of the inside to see the 6 layers. Hopefully the bride was kind enough to get a photo for you!

    Reply
  14. Hotly Spiced

    October 17, 2013 at 12:56 pm

    You got asked to sculpt a panda playing a ukelele? I sometimes get asked to sculpt the most unusual things that are all way beyond my abilities but your request? That’s out of the ball park. Unbelievable. I think you came up with a terrific solution. This also solves the cutting and plating issues that come with sculpted cakes as well. It’s decorated beautifully xx
    Hotly Spiced recently posted..Barrenjoey House, Palm BeachMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy

    October 17, 2013 at 12:56 pm

    I love the solution you came up with! What a fun project and I am sure the bride and groom were over the moon by this!

    Reply
  16. tasha

    October 17, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    That cake is so damn cute, it’s got character and charisma. Don’t think I’ve ever said that about a cake before.

    Reply
  17. yummychunklet

    October 17, 2013 at 10:58 am

    Unusual but pretty!
    yummychunklet recently posted..Vanishing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip CookiesMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Claire @ Claire K Creations

    October 17, 2013 at 10:41 am

    I wish I could see inside too! I would have loved to have seen you attempt a panda playing a ukelele. That’s Cake Boss kind of stuff!
    Claire @ Claire K Creations recently posted..Pulled pork sliders in the slow cookerMy Profile

    Reply
  19. celia

    October 17, 2013 at 7:54 am

    Tania, you really are so good at this! What a gorgeous and unusual cake! I’m sure she was thrilled! xx
    celia recently posted..Chocolate #101: A Signature BlendMy Profile

    Reply

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Tania Cusack Hi, I'm Tania and this is My Kitchen Stories. I share all kinds of recipes here. Most recipes are quick and easy, just perfect for families. BUT, you could also find vegan, cakes and desserts too. Come and have a look around Read More
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