How To Make A Monster High Cake That Kids Will Love

Image © Sharon McCutcheon, under a Creative Commons license.Monster High is a popular fashion doll franchise made by Mattel, the same company who manufactures the world-famous Barbie doll.The Monster High dolls are inspired by horror, sci-fi and monster movies and bear spooky names such as Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf and Draculaura. The colourful style of the characters provides excellent inspiration for making a monster high birthday cake that can be decorated with different patterns and a monster high cake topper.With so many Monster High cake ideas online, it is hard to know which one to choose but we have devised a tutorial on how to make a Monster High birthday cake that uses a Monster High doll as an eye-catching topper. You can get your children involved in making and decorating this birthday party cake by measuring out ingredients and mixing them. The finished Monster High cake can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike!So, let’s get started with making a Draculaura cake that will be the perfect addition to any Monster High party!EquipmentTwo 20cm sandwich tinsGreaseproof paperLarge mixing bowlWooden spoonSieveSharp knifeRolling pinPiping bag30cm round cake boardImage © Kasonya Wilcox, under a Creative Commons license.IngredientsTo create your Monster High cake, you will need:200g softened butter200g caster sugar4 beaten eggs,200g self-raising flour (sifted)1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp baking powder2 tbsp milkFor the filling :200g softened butter380g sifted icing sugar2 tsp vanilla extract175g good-quality strawberry jamTo decorate:500g black fondant100g pink fondant100g white fondant100g royal icing60cm blue ribbonOne Monster High doll (we are using Draculaura for our example)Monster High decorations (if wanted)Image © Karley Saagi, under a Creative Commons license.Method1) Pre-heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.2) Grease your sandwich tins and line the bottom of each with greaseproof paper.3) In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.4) Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well until the batter is smooth and light in colour.5) Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and smooth with the back of the wooden spoon.6) Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and springy to the touch. Turn out onto a rack and leave to cool completely before decorating.7) Make a buttercream filling by combining the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until it is smooth and creamy. Spread some of the buttercream evenly over the top of one of the cakes. Spread a layer of jam over the top of the other cake before flipping this and sandwiching them together.8) Cover the exterior of the cakes in buttercream, making as smooth of a surface as possible. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.9) In the meantime, take 250g of your black fondant and roll it out until it is large enough to cover the top of the cake board. Place the cake board on top of the fondant and carefully cut around it. Remove the cake board and then use the rolling pin to lift the fondant and place it onto the cake board.10) Remove the cake from the fridge. Roll out the rest of the black fondant and cover the cake with it, trimming off any excess at the bottom. Carefully lift the cake and place it onto the covered cake board.11) Roll out the pink fondant into a rectangle and cut along the edges so they are straight. Cut the pink fondant into strips approximately half a centimetre wide. Pipe thin lines of royal icing diagonally across the top and down the sides of the cake and stick the pink fondant strips to these.12) Repeat the last step but with the white fondant and this time, place the lines going the opposite way diagonally. Trim any excess from the strips so that the finish at the bottom edge of the cake.13) Use the blue ribbon to create a trim around the bottom edge of the cake, fixing it in place with a small blog of royal icing.14) Add the Draculaura doll onto the cake, with its legs hanging over the edge so it looks like it is sitting on the top.That’s your Monster High Draculaura cake finished! If your child has a different favourite, then you can use that character to sit atop your doll cake instead.Image © Ana Tavares, under a Creative Commons license.Top TipsIf your Monster High cake is for a birthday party, why not bake a batch of smaller Monster High cakes to go along with it? These can be decorated to match your larger Monster High Birthday Cake and you could even get some sugar paper toppers for them.If you have got a lot of guests coming to your Monster High party, then you could even bake one or two smaller cakes to make a tiered creation. All you’d need to do is make a little more buttercream and have a bit more fondant to cover and then you can be creative as you like with the design.StorageOnce finished, you can store your Monster High cake at room temperate for up to three days by covering in cling film or keeping it in a cake box. If your kitchen is hot or humid, the cake can be stored in the fridge for up to three days so long as it is wrapped in clingfilm, placed in a box or tin, and this is firmly sealed.If you want to store the cake for more than a few days, it can be frozen for up to a year. Put the entire Monster High cake in the fridge for thirty minutes first so the fondant becomes firm. Take it out of the fridge and cover it tightly with cling film. Then, cover the cling film with tin foil. Place the covered cake into a large freezer bag or an airtight storage container and then put the cake in the freezer.