I’ve written a lot about my childhood birthday cakes but my barbie cake was really something special. My mom very lovingly made it for me and I can remember being absolutely in awe of her petal pink dress. For a girl very into Barbie, it was the best cake I could have asked for.
Even before the hype surrounding the new Barbie movie took over the internet, I had been thinking about trying my hand at my own Barbie cake. I based mine off of my memories of the cake my mom made me and an amazing Wilton cake published in their Pictorial Encyclopedia of Modern Cake Decorating. I also scoured the internet for more references of vintage Barbie and other “doll” cakes.
When constructing the “dress” of the cake you have two options. You can use a mold which is basically a big bowl of cake batter you put in the oven or you can stack regular round layers and carve it into a dress shape. I opted for a mold this time, since it meant less waste. The disadvantage is the mold takes a really long time to bake through and the cake itself came out very well done. Since this cake was just for show, it was no problem but I’d opt for stacking round cakes if the cake was going to be eaten.
Whether or not you use a mold or the stacking method, the really exciting part is decorating the dress. Just like a real Barbie doll, the fun is in dressing her up and deciding who she is going to be at any given moment. I had to go for a sweet, pale pink and hot magenta for her gown but the possibilities are truly endless. I had so much fun making this cake, I know there will be many more versions of her in the future. Stay tuned!
XOXO,
Hannah
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