Chicken Cake
This cute little chicken cake is made with fluffy coconut cake layers, coconut buttercream and shredded coconut feathers. It's an adorable yet achievable cake design that anyone can make!!
Servings: 24
Calories: 576kcal
Ingredients
Fluffy Coconut Cake Recipe
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
- 3 cups granulated sugar 600g
- 1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature 235g
- 3 cups cake flour 360g
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature 382g
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 56g
- 2 tsp coconut extract 8g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 454g
- 2 tsp coconut extract 8g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 7 cups powdered sugar 875g
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
Additional Decorations
- 3 cups flaked coconut
- 1 Tbsp black fondant
- 1 tsp white fondant
- 1/4 cup orange fondant
- 1/3 cup red fondant
- toothpicks
Instructions
Fluffy Coconut Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line and grease 4, 7-inch pans or 3, 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds.
- Add the unsalted butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a high speed with a whisk attachment for a few minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula. The mixture should become lighter in color as air is whipped into it.
- Add the egg whites and mix at a medium speed until they're incorporated.
- Sift the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, and salt) into a separate bowl.
- Add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix on a low speed until just incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, oil, almond and vanilla extract. Mix on a low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the remaining dry ingredients on a low speed.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height.
- Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through to help them bake evenly.
- Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
- Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
- Use a serrated knife to level the tops of each cake layer, and trim one cake layer to have curved sides. This will make it easier to get a rounded look for the top of the chicken's head.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting:
- While the cake layers bake and cool, make the coconut buttercream frosting.
- Beat the butter on a low speed for 30 seconds with a paddle or whisk attachment, until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt. Beat on low until incorporated.
- Slowly mix in the powdered sugar on a low speed. Add the heavy cream halfway through to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Continue to mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
- Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to make the frosting extra smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Assembling This Chicken Birthday Cake:
- Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
- Add an even layer of coconut buttercream on top of the first cake layer. Sprinkle with toasted coconut if desired, then repeat with remaining cake layers. Place the cake layer with curved sides at the top of the cake to give the chicken a round head.
- Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers.
- Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (5-10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
- Place 2/3 of a cup of buttercream in a small piping bag and seal the top with a rubber band. Set aside.
- Use the remaining frosting to add a second, thicker layer of coconut frosting to the cake. Smooth using a bench scraper.
- Place the cake in a large, rimmed baking sheet, and gently press flaked coconut into the frosting to fully cover the cake.
- Once the cake is fully covered, use fondant to make the chicken's beak, feet, eyes, and comb (I free handed this). Press them into place using a bit of buttercream. I used toothpicks to help the comb and beak stay in place.
- Cut a 1-inch opening in your small piping bag, and pipe a little wing on each side of the cake. Then cut in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Making This Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
- Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
- Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
- A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
- If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 287mg | Sugar: 60g