Merken Bring a touch of classic cartoon glamour to your kitchen with this stunning Betty Boop Cake. Velvety red layers deliver a tender crumb that contrasts beautifully against smooth, tangy cream cheese buttercream. The iconic design features shiny black fondant hair and bright white eyes, giving this dessert a playful pop of charm that is perfect for themed celebrations.
Merken This American-style dessert is a vegetarian-friendly masterpiece that yields 12 servings. Although it requires an advanced level of skill, the two-hour process—including prep, baking, and resting—is a rewarding journey into character-themed cake artistry.
Ingredients
- For the Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring (adjust for deep color)
- For the Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- For Decoration
- 8 ounces (225 g) black fondant
- 4 ounces (115 g) white fondant
- 2 ounces (55 g) red fondant
- 1 teaspoon edible pearl dust or luster dust (optional)
- Cornstarch (for rolling fondant)
- Other
- Cake board
- 2 x 8-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Step 1
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Step 2
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Step 3
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Step 4
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Step 5
- Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately add flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Step 6
- Mix in red gel food coloring until the batter is uniformly deep red.
- Step 7
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
- Step 8
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
- Step 9
- Let cakes rest in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Step 10
- While cakes cool, prepare cream cheese buttercream: beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Step 11
- Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Step 12
- Trim cake domes level with a serrated knife. Place one layer on the cake board and spread a layer of buttercream on top. Carefully place the second layer on top.
- Step 13
- Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream around the entire cake. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.
- Step 14
- Apply a final coat of buttercream and smooth sides and top with a cake scraper or offset spatula.
- Step 15
- Dust a clean work surface with cornstarch and roll black fondant to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out Betty Boops hair silhouette using a template or freehand. Transfer onto parchment.
- Step 16
- Roll white fondant and cut out two large circles for eyes and small hearts for highlights. Roll red fondant and cut out lips. Dust with edible pearl dust if desired.
- Step 17
- Once the cake is chilled and frosting is firm, gently drape black fondant hair silhouette over the front of the cake, trimming excess at the base. Attach white fondant eyes and red lips with a small dab of buttercream.
- Step 18
- Use extra black fondant to pipe or cut out eyelashes and eyebrows. Position them around the eyes.
- Step 19
- Optionally, roll a thin coil of red fondant into Betty Boops decorative headband and place across the top edge of the hair silhouette.
- Step 20
- Add any final touches such as a small sugar flower or edible sparkles around the base.
- Step 21
- Allow the decorated cake to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Zusatztipps für die Zubereitung
For extra stability when assembling the layers, you can insert wooden dowels through both cake layers before applying the final layer of frosting. To streamline the process, prepare the fondant eyes, hair, and lips a day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Varianten und Anpassungen
To achieve a classic red velvet flavor profile, substitute 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar in the batter. If you prefer a lighter and silkier finish for the frosting, swap the cream cheese buttercream for a Swiss meringue buttercream.
Serviervorschläge
Present this cake with a side of fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream to complement the rich red layers. Its striking appearance makes it an ideal centerpiece for cartoon-themed parties or vintage-inspired celebrations.
Merken Each slice of this delightful cake provides approximately 690 calories, with 28 g of fat and 5 g of protein. It is a decadent and visually stunning dessert that brings a legendary character to life through the art of baking.
Häufige Fragen zum Rezept
- → Wie lange hält sich der Betty Boop Kuchen?
Der vollständig fertiggestellte Kuchen hält sich im Kühlschrank bis zu 3 Tage. Fondantdekorationen sollten dabei nicht luftdicht verpackt werden, da sie sonst klebrig werden können. Die ungekühlten Schichten können auch eingefroren werden.
- → Kann ich den Rotvelvet-Teig auch ohne Farbstoff zubereiten?
Ja, alternativ können Sie 1 Teelöffel Kakaopulver und 1 Teelöffel weißen Essig verwenden. Die Farbe wird dann eher hellbraun statt leuchtend rot, aber der Geschmack bleibt authentisch.
- → Welche Buttercreme eignet sich am besten für diese Torte?
Frischkäsebuttercreme liefert den klassischen amerikanischen Geschmack und stabilisiert die Struktur. Für eine leichtere, seidigere Variante können Sie Schweizer Eischneebuttercreme verwenden – beide eignen sich hervorragend als Untergrund für Fondant.
- → Wie schwierig ist die Fondant-Dekoration für Anfänger?
Die Grundform aus schwarzer Vorlage ist gut machbar. Weiße Augen und rote Lippen können mit Ausstechern einfach geformt werden. Besonders bei den filigranen Wimpern und Augenbrauen benötigen Anfänger etwas Geduld und ruhige Hände.
- → Kann ich den Kuchen auch ohne Fondant dekorieren?
Absichtlich – Sie können die charakteristische Form auch mit Buttercreme nachbilden oder mit essbaren Bildern arbeiten. Die Silhouette lässt sich mit Stechhilfe aus Pergament übertragen und als Vorlage für Creme-Verzierungen nutzen.
- → Welche Zutaten kann ich vorbereiten?
Fondant-Dekorationen halten sich bis zu einer Woche in einem luftdichten Behälter bei Zimmertemperatur. Die Teigrohlinge können bis zu drei Monate eingefroren werden – einfach auftauen und wie im Rezept beschrieben weiterverarbeiten.