Crafting A Barbie Doll Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

A Barbie doll wedding cake is a fun and easy cake to make for any Barbie lover's wedding. The cake is typically made with a literal doll in the middle of a dome-shaped cake decorated to look like a wedding dress. It has been a popular choice for many years and is loved by both kids and adults.

To make this cake, you will need a handful of ingredients and tools, including cake mixes, frosting or buttercream, food colouring, piping bags, and a Barbie doll. You can bake the cake layers in different-sized cake pans or use a dome-shaped pan or oven-proof bowl to create the skirt of the dress. After baking and cooling the cake, you will need to hollow out the middle to fit the Barbie doll.

The decoration of the cake can be as elaborate or simple as you like. You can pipe frosting or buttercream onto the cake to create a fancy dress look, using different piping tips and colours to add details and ruffles. You can also add finishing touches like sugar pearl sprinkles or edible pearls.

So, whether you're a beginner or an experienced baker, creating a Barbie doll wedding cake is a fun and rewarding experience that will surely impress the guests at any wedding.

Choosing a Barbie doll

Choosing the right Barbie doll is essential for making a stunning Barbie doll wedding cake. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect Barbie for your cake:

Go for a Full-Sized Barbie:

It is best to use a full-sized Barbie doll for your cake. While cake stores offer Barbie torsos, which require a smaller cake skirt, a full-sized Barbie provides more play value for the birthday girl after the cake is enjoyed. Ballerina Barbies are an excellent choice, as they typically come with a plastic bodysuit, eliminating the need to pipe a bodice with icing.

Consider the Hair and Outfit:

Look for a Barbie with hair that can be easily styled and won't interfere with the cake decorations. An updo or a hairstyle that can be tied back or clipped is ideal. Additionally, consider the outfit. Some Barbies come with a painted-on or plastic bodice, which means you won't need to decorate the top half of the doll.

Wrap the Barbie:

Before inserting the Barbie into the cake, wrap her hair and legs in plastic wrap. This will protect the doll from coming into contact with the cake and frosting, ensuring she stays clean.

Choose a Special Barbie:

If this cake is for a special occasion, like a wedding, consider choosing a Barbie that matches the theme. For example, you could select a Barbie with a white dress or one that resembles a bride. You could even add a veil or wedding-themed accessories to the Barbie to make it more festive.

Get Creative:

Don't be afraid to think outside the box. While a classic blonde Barbie is always a good choice, you can also use a Barbie with a different hair colour or ethnicity. The Barbie doll you choose can reflect the interests or personality of the person you're making the cake for, adding a unique and personalised touch to your creation.

Remember, the Barbie doll is the star of the cake, so take your time to choose the right one, and don't be afraid to get creative with your selection!

Baking the cake layers

To bake the cake layers for a Barbie doll wedding cake, you will need a lot of cake batter—at least 2.5 to 3 times a regular cake recipe. You can use a store-bought cake mix or make a cake from scratch. If using a mix, you will need about three boxes.

For a standard-size Barbie, you will need 2.5 boxes of cake mix to make four 8-inch rounds and one 6-inch round. If you only have two 8-inch cake pans, you can bake the layers in batches.

Grease your cake pans generously with butter or shortening, and dust with flour. You can also line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

Fill each 8-inch pan about 2/3 of the way full with batter, and the 6-inch pan about halfway full.

Bake at 350ºF until the cakes are golden at the edges and a toothpick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. The 8-inch cakes will take about 25-30 minutes, and the 6-inch cake will take about 10 minutes longer.

Let the cakes cool for 10-15 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you want to decorate the cake the same day, place the cooled cakes in the fridge for a few hours before decorating. Cold cakes are easier to frost.

Trimming and shaping the cake

Use a trimmer knife or a bread knife to start trimming the cake and create a "bell" or "dress" shape. Don't worry too much about making it perfect, especially if this is your first time. You can shape the cake however you like; for instance, you might want the back of the dress to have more of an angle, with the front of the dress falling straight down.

Once you've trimmed the cake to your liking, remove all the cake pieces and set them aside. You can use these pieces later for cake pops or cakesicles. Clean the bottom of the board with a slightly damp paper towel to get rid of any crumbs or residue.

Now, use clean hands (or wear gloves) to pat the sides of the cake and press any loose crumbs into it. This step also allows you to further shape the cake.

After shaping, it's time to frost the entire cake. You'll need a generous amount of frosting for this step. You can use whatever technique you prefer to apply the frosting. If you want to pipe the frosting, use a piping bag or a zip lock bag with a star tip or a regular tip. Once you're done, clean off the cake board as needed with a slightly damp paper towel.

Finally, set the Barbie doll in the middle of the cake. If your Barbie has long hair, consider tying it up or clipping it out of the way so it doesn't get in the frosting.

Now your Barbie doll wedding cake is ready for further decoration!

Decorating the Barbie's dress

Firstly, you will need to prepare the Barbie doll by wrapping her legs and torso in plastic wrap. This will prevent cake crumbs and frosting from sticking to the doll. If the Barbie has long hair, it is also a good idea to tie it up or style it in an up-do to keep it out of the way.

Next, you will need to decide on a design for the dress. A popular option is to pipe rosettes or stars all over the skirt using different colours of frosting. You can create an ombre effect by starting with dark pink rosettes at the bottom of the skirt and gradually adding more white frosting to create lighter shades of pink as you work your way up. Another idea is to pipe flowers onto the dress using a star tip. You can use different colours of frosting and pipe small stars in any gaps to fill out the design.

If you want to add some extra detail, you can pipe a pearl necklace onto the Barbie's neck or use tweezers to place sugar pearl sprinkles onto the dress.

Remember, you can simplify the process by using store-bought frosting and cake mixes, or you can make everything from scratch if you're feeling adventurous!

Finishing touches

Now that you have assembled your Barbie doll wedding cake, it's time for the finishing touches! Here are some ideas to make your cake look even more stunning:

• Sugar pearl sprinkles: Add a fun and elegant finishing touch to your cake by using tweezers to place sugar pearl sprinkles all over the cake or in specific areas like the waist or neckline.
• Necklace or tiara: If the Barbie's neck looks bare, you can pipe a pearl necklace onto her using frosting and a small piping tip. Alternatively, add a tiara or necklace accessory from another Barbie or doll.
• Hair and makeup: Style the Barbie's hair before inserting it into the cake. You may need to clip or tie it up during the decorating process to keep it out of the way. You can also add makeup details, such as blush or lipstick, to enhance her features.
• Corset or bodice: Pipe stars or rosettes around the top half of the Barbie's body to create a corset effect. Alternatively, cover her torso with fondant or icing to create a bodice.
• Base and presentation: Place the finished cake on a decorative cake stand or pedestal. You can also add fresh flowers, sprinkles, or other decorations around the base of the cake for a more elegant presentation.
• Final touches: Before serving, chill the cake for at least 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set. This will help prevent any frosting from getting on Barbie's hair when you let it down.

Frequently asked questions