Cool Homemade Colorful Caterpillar Cake

My sister and I made this caterpillar cake for my daughter’s first birthday. Lacey just loves bright colours and different textures, so I thought a caterpillar would be a great design to incorporate those ideas.

I made a vanilla cake from the following recipe:

*Note*

I doubled this recipe as I wanted a large amount of mixture, enough to fill 8 small bowls – 1 for each caterpillar segment. I did them in 2 batches as I only had 4 bowls.

Preparation Time:

20 minutes

Cooking Time:

40 minutes

Ingredients: (serves 15)

Melted butter, to grease

450g (3 cups) self-raising flour

150g (1 cup) plain flour

440g (2 cups) caster sugar

300g butter, cubed, at room temperature

310ml (1 1/4 cups) milk

6 eggs, at room temperature

3 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Preheat oven to 140°C. Position a rack on the second lowest shelf of the oven. Brush a round 25cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

Place the self-raising flour, plain flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and all the butter is incorporated. Spoon the mixture into 4 small bowls and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Bake in preheated oven for approx 40mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. The time will depend on how big your bowls are. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack for 2 hours or until completely cool.

*Notes*

Have the butter at room temperature, soft enough to beat, but not melted. The undecorated cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I then repeated this recipe as I made 8 small round cakes for my daughter’s birthday. Each batch will fill about 4 bowls.

Icing:

1/3 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon milk

In a large mixing bowl; cream butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all the sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until you’re ready to decorate. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. (cover with plastic wrap)

*Notes*

Once again, I doubled this mixture for enough to cover 8 small cakes. I put in 4 bowls with drops of different food colouring in each.

I then iced each cake completely, and decorated with lollies. You can use any lollies, but I used licorice, musk sticks, smarties, sprinkles and chocolate buttons.

I drew a face in chocolate writing and I gave the caterpillar legs and antennas with pipe cleaners. I also had ‘letter’ candles to spell out Lacey’s name.

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