Husky Cake

Instructions

Vanilla Cake Layers:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line two 8 inch pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray.
2. Mix 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer to mix on a low speed until combined.
3. Mix in 2/3 cup (1 & 1/3 stick) unsalted butter slowly into the dry mix, on a medium-low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
4. Pour in 2/3 cup or 5 large egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated and the batter looks wet.
5. Mix in 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
6. If desired, add in gel food coloring and stir by hand with a rubber spatula until the batter is evenly colored.
7. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees the layers will bake up to be the same height.
8. Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
9. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers. Use a serrated knife to level the top of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
2. Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
3. Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
4. Once the frosting is fully mixed and smooth, add in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on the lowest speed for a couple minutes to help make the frosting silky smooth.
5. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time). If you're unsure how thick your frosting should be, you can learn what consistency you're looking for in my frosting consistency post.
6. Wait to color the buttercream until the cake is filled and crumb coated. Cover the frosting flush with plastic wrap to prevent it from crusting, then set aside.

Assembling This Cake:

1. Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
2. Spread an even layer of buttercream between the cake layers with a large offset spatula. Place the top cake layer upside down to make it easier to get sharp corners.
3. Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Color the Buttercream Frosting:

1. While the cake chills, color the remaining buttercream.
2. Color 1/4 cup of buttercream light blue with gel food coloring. Place the frosting into a piping bag fit with a small, round piping tip (like a Wilton 10). Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
3. Color 2 Tbsp of buttercream red with gel food coloring. Place the frosting into a piping bag fit with a small, round piping tip (like a small, round piping tip (like a Wilton 10). Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
4. Color 1 cup of buttercream grey with black gel food coloring. Place the frosting into a piping bag fit with a small grass piping tip (like a Wilton 233). Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
5. Color 1/4 cup of buttercream black with gel food coloring. Place the frosting into a piping bag fit with a plastic coupler. Twist a very small, round piping tip (like a Wilton 3) into place and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
6. Scoop the remaining uncolored buttercream into a large piping bag fit with a plastic coupler. Place the frosting into a piping bag fit with a small grass piping tip (like a Wilton 233). Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.

Decorating This Husky Cake:

1. Use a toothpick or scribe to trace out where you want to pipe the husky's face. This helps ensure that the husky's face will be even and properly spaced out.
2. Pipe white buttercream on the muzzle/nose of the husky and smooth using an offset spatula. This helps give the face a bit of depth.
3. Then use buttercream to pipe the husky's eyes, mouth, and nose like in the pictures above. Swap out the piping tip on the black buttercream to do this. Use a small, round tip (Wilton 10) to pipe on the pupils and nose, and a very small, round tip (Wilton 3) to pipe on the smile lines.
4. Fill in the rest of its face and the sides of the cake with fur using small grass piping tips and the white and grey buttercream. This can take a bit of time, so be patient and give your hand breaks as you go.
5. Press two, large chocolate squares (at least 1.5 x 1.5 inches) into the sides of the cake and cover them with grey and white buttercream to look like husky ears.