Go Back

Pretty Ribbon Bow Cake

Here is the recipe for the cake vanilla cake that I use. It can be easily coloured and also divided into thin quick cooking layers. For this cake I have made 2 x this recipe, dividing it into 4 layers. Two even layers per mix. I used a 26 cm / 10 inch tin. Once decorated with roll out icing it cannot be refrigerated.
5 from 3 votes
Cuisine Cake decorating
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

The White Layer Cake

  • 450 gm plain flour 3 cups, cake flour is ideal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 20 gm baking powder 1 tablespoon
  • 250 gm unsalted butter 2 sticks
  • 400 gm caster sugar / granulated 2 cups
  • 250 ml milk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 whole egg whites only 70 gm eggs

The White Chocolate buttercream

  • 500 gm butter unsalted, Room Temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or a vanilla bean scrapped
  • 40 ml lemon Juice 2 tablespoon
  • 480 gm icing /powdered sugar 4 cups
  • 440 gm white chocolate chopped
  • 1/2- 3/4 teaspoon salt

Icing

  • 1 1/2 kg white sugar icing ( roll out plastic icing)
  • 750 gm pink icing or another colour- or more white and colour yourself
  • 1 pot food colour gel /s in what ever colours you like
  • 1 pot brush on sparkle

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to: 165 C or 325 F. Have the tins greased and lined with paper
  • You'll need a cake board, a cake smoother, small knives, a ruler and a rolling pin. The cake is baked in a 23 cm (10 in) cake tin with 2 x the recipe
  • Sift the dry ingredients together
  • Using an electric mixer and the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar till light ( the mixture is quite sugary. Make sure you beat well, this will give you a light cake)
  • Mix the vanilla and milk. Add ¼ of the milk to the butter and continue beating. Add ½ the flour and ½ the remaining milk beating till just combined. Add the remaining flour and milk.
  • Pour into a large bowl and set aside.
  • Beat the whites in a very clean bowl of the electric mixer ( or by hand) with the whisk attachment, till light or they hold nice soft peaks then fold the egg white through the cake batter
  • If you want to colour the layers this is where it is done add a drop of colouring and mix gently. add more to get the colour you want. Always start with a small amount. Divide the mixture evenly into two cake pans and bake.
  • Bake for approx 20 minutes or until the cakes are firm in the centre when touched lightly. You may need to wash the cake tin between layers. Leave the cakes to cool completely on racks. Refrigerate - or even freeze briefly for best results. The cakes will need to be trimmed a little to make them uniform and even.

Buttercream

  • Melt the chocolate very gently in the microwave or over a double boiler and set aside to cool a little, as the hot chocolate will melt the butter making a sloppy buttercream
  • Beat the butter till white and very airy light and creamy. Add 2 cups of sifted sugar and beat for several minutes. Add juice, salt , and start adding the white chocolate alternately with the the rest of the sugar and vanilla and beat till light and creamy. Taste, if it is light and delicious good but if it is a little lacking in flavour add a bit more salt and a bit more lemon juice.
  • Set aside 1½-2 cups of icing for the outside. Evenly divide the same amount of icing between the 4 layers and sandwich together as you go. The buttercream doesn't need to be thick, just a small amount on each layer. Now, finish the cake with a thin layer of buttercream, smoothing all over evenly and without bumps, and refrigerate to set firm.

Decorating

  • Measure the cake with a tape measure or a piece of baking paper from one side to the other so that you know how big to roll out your icing. Knead the roll till smooth then roll out evenly using a bit of pure icing sugar to stop it sticking to the bench. Use a flat pallet knife to run under the icing to stop it sticking. ( if you want a coloured box then colour the icing now too.
  • Roll the icing over a rolling pin and onto the cake smoothing down with a cake smoother or a soft piece of muslin or a teatowl. This prevents lots of finger marks. Set aside.
  • Gather all of the left over bits of icing making sure there are no crumbs or bits of colour in it. Knead again and measure the top of the cake so that a lid for the box can be rolled out to the right size. Roll a lid in the same way. lightly paint the top of the cake with a tiny bit of water and then put the lid on and smooth down.
  • Now for the bow. Use pre- coloured icing or make your own colour up by adding a bit of colour at a time and kneading till you have the colour you want . ( you'll need about 500gm) Make two large loops ( see pictures). Next make two even sized bow ends and a nice flat piece to go over the top of the loops to form the bow ( see pictures). Now all you need a two thin long strips to form the ribbon that makes it look like it is tied around the box. Measure the cake sides for the length you want, roll the pieces out in two long strips using a rolling pin and then using a ruler cut two even sized lengths about the width of half a ruler
  • Stick the bow and the ribbon strips onto the cake.
  • Now you can decorate using the leftover icing. Add spots or strips or just leave it plain if you like