Golden Retriever Cake

4.80 from 5 ratings

Golden Retriever Cake

This cute golden retriever cake is made with tender vanilla cake layers and decorated with delicious, homemade buttercream frosting.

Prep Time30

Cook Time34

Additional Time2

Total Time3 4

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16

Calories: 581kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake

2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 270g
2 cups granulated sugar 400g
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 150g
2/3 cup carton egg whites or 5 large egg whites, room temperature 155g
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 240g
1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 14g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
gel food coloring if desired

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 452g
7 cups powdered sugar 907g or a 2 lb. bag
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 4g
yellow gel food coloring

Recommend Equipment

Two 8-inch cake pans
Serrated Knife
Offset Spatula
3 Small Piping Bags
1 Large Piping Bag
1 Plastic Coupler
2 Small Round Piping Tips like a Wilton 10
1 Small Grass Piping Tips like a Wilton 233
2 Very Small Round Piping Tips like a Wilton 3
Small Acetate Sheet I cut these down into smaller squares with scissors
Gel Food Coloring - Yellow, Red, and Black
2 Large Chocolate Squares
Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer

Instructions

Vanilla Cake Layers:

Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line two 8-inch pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray.
Mix together 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.
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.
Pour in 2/3 cup or 5 large egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated and the batter looks wet.
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 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
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.
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.
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:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
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.
Once the frosting is fully mixed and smooth, add 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on the lowest speed for a couple of minutes to help make the frosting silky smooth.
If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add 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.
Wait to color the buttercream until the cake is filled and crumb-coated. Cover the frosting flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, then set aside.

Assembling This Cake:

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.
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.
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.

Coloring the Buttercream Frosting:

While the cake chills, color the remaining buttercream.
Scoop 1/3 cup of uncolored buttercream into a piping bag fit with a small, round piping tip (like a Wilton 3). Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
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.
Color 1/3 cup of buttercream black with gel food coloring. Place the frosting into a piping bag fit with a coupler and a small, round piping tip (like a Wilton 10), and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.
Color the remaining buttercream a golden tan color by mixing in 1 tsp of cocoa powder and a very small drop of yellow gel food coloring. Mix until combined and evenly colored. Place the frosting in a large 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 Golden Retriever Cake:

Use a toothpick or scribe to trace out where you want to pipe the golden retriever's face. This helps ensure that its face will be even and properly spaced out.
Pipe white buttercream on the muzzle/nose of the golden retriever to create a small mound and smooth using an offset spatula. This helps give the face a bit of depth.
Then use the black, red, and white buttercream to pipe on the golden retriever's eyes, mouth, and nose like in the pictures above. 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.
Cover in the rest of its face and the sides of the cake with tan buttercream fur using a small grass piping tip. Be mindful of what direction you pipe the fur in. I tried to pipe it in different directions to follow the natural flow of fur on a golden retriever's face and to give the cake a bit more dimension. This can take a bit of time, so be patient and give your hand breaks as you go. If you notice the heat from your hands is melting the frosting and changing its consistency, wrap the piping bag in a couple of layers of paper towel or a thin kitchen towel.
Press two, large chocolate squares (at least 1.5 x 1.5 inches) into the top edge of the cake at a slight angle (see picture above for positioning). Cover them with layers of tan buttercream to look like golden retriever ears. It takes quite a bit of buttercream to build up the ears and give them the right dimension, but it can get heavy if you add it all on at once! I recommend piping a layer of buttercream, chilling the cake to let the frosting firm up, then adding another layer of frosting. Repeat until the ears are built up enough to outline the golden retriever's face.
Once the ears are on, use some of the remaining buttercream to pipe a bit more buttercream fur above the eyes, underneath the mouth/on the chin, and around the nose to give the cake a little more dimension. Then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Tips for Making the Best Golden Retriever Cake

Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale.
Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
Wait to level the cake layers until they are completely cooled.
Make sure the buttercream is the right consistency. This will make the cake much easier to decorate.
Use gel food coloring to color the buttercream. It creates vibrant colors without throwing off the consistency of the buttercream.
If you notice the heat from your hands is melting the frosting and changing its consistency, wrap the piping bag in a couple of layers of paper towel or in a thin kitchen towel.
If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.

Making This Golden Retriever Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

Make these cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also make the 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 5 days, 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.

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