How to make an EASY but AWESOME Peppa Pig Cake

 DISCLAIMER: I am a terrible baker and not creatively inclined, I can’t even make ANZAC biscuits properly and I only bake cakes that come out of a packet. I am telling you this so that you know what skill level was used to create this birthday cake …

These photos show the other birthday cakes I have made … you can see I usually opt for VERY SIMPLE

YOU WILL NEED

Ingredients:

• 2 packet cakes – choose good quality ones, they really do taste better
• If packets cakes don’t come with icing then you will need ingredients to make double quantity of butter icing  (packet cake icing needs to be white not chocolate though!)
• Pink food colouring
• 1 x mint pattie biscuit
• Musk Sticks
• Smarties
• White Marshmallow
• Choc Drops

Tools:

• Icing Pipe (I just bought a disposable one from supermarket)
• A large rectangle cake tin
• A cake board or other tray you can use to put cake on
• Electric mixer
• A flat wide butter knife (or similar) for spreading icing smoothly
• pins of some sort to pin down your template on the cake – I had drawing pins

I used this post and this post as my inspiration but then kind of mashed the ideas together. I recommend having a read of these posts too.

Step 1: Make your cake template. I used the picture linked to in the Yibba Yamma Muma post. Then I enlarged it on my printer/copier before using baking paper to make a tracing which I then cut out. I wanted the template to take up most of my rectangle cake tin. The picture makes a great colouring activity at the party too!

Step 2: Bake the cake. Follow instructions on your packet cakes (remember you are cooking a double quantity) to prepare mix. Line your baking tin with baking paper and bake according to packet instruction.

Step 3: Freeze. Once baked, allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from tray. Cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. Then wrap tightly in cling wrap and place in the freezer – I made mine the day before I needed to decorate it. Why freeze the cake? It makes it MUCH easier to cut out your shape and help prevent crumbs coming through into your icing.

 Rectangle cake before freezing

Step 4: Prepare your icing. I suggest preparing your icing before removing cake from the freezer to ensure you are icing a nice cold cake, it makes it much easier. Make your icing (double quantity) according to packet instructions or make a butter icing from scratch (which is actually very easy). Once you have made the icing, separate it into two bowls. Using your pink food colouring, slowly add drops and mix to create a light pink batch and a dark pink batch.

Step 5: Prepare the cake shape. Remove your cake from the freezer, unwrap and place on a large cutting board. Pin your template gently on top. Then cut around your template with a sharp serrated knife. You want to work as quickly as possible now as icing and decorating much easier while cake is cold.

Pin the template then cut around it

Step 6: Prepare for decorating. Move you cut out cake to the tray or board you will use to present the cake. Mine is just a biscuit baking tray from IKEA that I have then covered in aluminium foil. You will see I have also gently scored the cake with a knife to mark where I want the head shape to go to help me with icing.

Ready to be decorated

Step 7: Start Icing. Using light pink icing for the head and dark pink for the dress start icing. It doesn’t have to be perfect and butter icing will never be really smooth (which is why I love it). Be gentle around the cut edges of the cake as cake crumbs can easily get into your icing, especially if your cake is defrosting.  You can see how roughly the icing has been applied – doesn’t matter at all!

I started with light pink icing. I have no idea if it makes any difference to the outcome!

Step 8: Piping.  Mix together any remaining light and dark pink icing in a bowl. Then add some more pink colouring to create an even darker red/pink colour. Fill your icing piper and use it as per the picture below to create outline of the dress, head, nose and ears.

Piping does not have to be perfect as you can see!

Step 9: Add the finishing touches. This is where it really comes to life. I have used Musk Sticks for legs and hands. Mint Pattie cut in half for the feet. Smarties for the number and nostrils. The cheek is a large pink marshmallow. They eyes are the tips of white marshmallow cut off, with a choc drop pushed in on top. Smile is just icing piped on.

Oink Oink

Step 10: Have a glass of champagne or a cuppa … you deserve it now! You have made an awesome Peppa Pig cake and I guarantee the kids will love it!

I hope I haven’t missed out on any important information but as I said at the start … I am NOT a baker, so my instructions are also equally as rough. I hope that by seeing how I was able to create this awesome looking Peppa Pig cake you will feel inspired to have a go too.

PS – feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the things on your list? The birthday cake is just the start right!!   Download my ebook … I know exactly what you are feeling …