Update:  Thank you to Notes on the Road for the nice write-up.

Here’s another mannequin cake, this time in pink.  I used a yellow cake recipe with vanilla buttercream frosting.  For some surface texture, I used a star tip and just piped the frosting all around the cake.  I didn’t even take the time to crumb coat the layers.  Whatever spots I missed, I just piped a little more frosting over them and that solved the problem lickety split.  A turntable is a tremendous help in icing a cake and a great investment.  There are some good ones that cost no more than $30.

 

This was slightly taller than the Chocolate Mannequin Cake because I used a tiny extra layer of cake.  Almost always, I use Americolor gel color for tinting the frosting, but this time, I used an all natural vegetable-based color I bought from Whole Foods.  It cost a little bit more, but I like using all natural if I can help it.

 

 

And going back to my love for anything old and vintage, my inspiration for this cake was a vintage gown from the 50′s I found in an antique shop that was amazingly in great condition.  The gown has a built-in petticoat and a skirt with yards and yards of fabric.  The fit was perfect except for the chest area that could have been smaller, but I didn’t want to tamper with it, the dress I mean.

 

 

 

 

The vintage gown on which the cake was based.  It may not look exactly like the gown, but I was nonetheless satisfied since I had no interest in knocking myself out striving for perfection.  The idea was to create a cake that was quick and easy to decorate.

 

 

 

 

 

As always, I tend to change something midway. I think the difference is pretty obvious.

 

 

 

The cake was moist, soft and really delicious.  You can’t fail with this recipe.  You can even bake the layers ahead of time, freeze it and just frost when you have the time or when you feel like it, which is what I always do.

 

 

 

And guess what!  On the November 1936 edition of Life Magazine it was… not!

 

 

 

 

Vanilla Cake

adapted from Sky High by Alicia Huntsman

Ingredients:

8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature

3 cups cake flour

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 whole eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Butter or spray the bottom and sides of four fluted pans of graduating sizes.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Cream the butter until smooth,  then gradually add the sugar until light and fluffy, then add the vanilla.
• Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition
• Add 1/3 of the sifted dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the buttermilk. Repeat alternating with the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, ending with the dry ingredients.
• Fill the four pans to 2/3 full.  Use extra batter for cupcakes.
• Bake the cake layers for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cake layers cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
• Turn out cakes onto a wire rack and remove the paper from the bottoms.
• Cool completely before filling and frosting or freeze for later use.

 

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) butter at room temperature

14 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons powdered egg whites (optional)

One 2 pound bag powdered sugar

Directions:

• With a flat blade, cream the butter until smooth and creamy
• On low speed, add the milk a teaspoon at a time followed by the vanilla. Beat well until fully incorporated
• Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients gradually and mix well
• Beat on medium speed for 1 -2 minutes
• If the icing is too stiff add a teaspoon of milk, if it is too soft add some more powdered sugar
• Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days and in the refrigerator for up to a week

 

 Pink Mannequin Cake Recipe