Soft and fluffy vanilla sponge cake filled with light whipped cream and fresh tangy strawberries, this Jellycat birthday cake is too cute to eat!
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What is a Jellycat birthday cake?
This Jellycat Birthday Cake is a whimsical and charming cake designed to resemble the beloved Birthday Cake Jellycat plush toy, one of the most iconic and adored creations from the Jellycat brand.
This delightful cake features a light and fluffy sponge base, layered with creamy, sweet whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Decorated with fondant shaped into playful legs and a meticulously piped face using black-dyed whipped cream, the cake captures the endearing and playful essence of the plush toy.
Perfect for celebrations, this cake combines the joy of a delicious dessert with the nostalgia and cuteness of a favorite stuffed animal, making it a unique centerpiece for any birthday party.
Ingredients
Light Sponge Cake
- Egg Yolks: Provide richness, color, and structure to the cake. They also help emulsify the ingredients, creating a smooth batter.
- Hot Water: Helps dissolve the sugar and increases the temperature of the batter slightly, ensuring a more tender cake.
- Vanilla Essence: Adds flavor and aroma to the cake, enhancing its overall taste.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture and keeps the cake tender and soft.
- Granulated Sugar (I): Sweetens the batter and helps create a light, airy texture by incorporating into the egg yolk mixture.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure and body of the cake. When combined with the wet ingredients, it forms the cake’s crumb.
- Cornstarch: Lightens the texture of the cake by reducing the overall gluten content, making it softer and more tender.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise and become fluffy.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Egg Whites: When beaten to stiff peaks, they incorporate air into the batter, contributing to the light and fluffy texture of the sponge.
- Granulated Sugar (II): Stabilizes the egg whites, allowing them to maintain their structure and volume when folded into the batter.
Whipped Cream
- Thickened Cream: The base for the whipped cream, providing richness and a smooth, creamy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the whipped cream and helps it hold its shape by adding a bit of structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor to the whipped cream, complementing the sweetness and richness.
Assembly
- Brown Fondant, Shaped into Legs: Decorative element that mimics the legs of the Birthday Cake Jellycat plush, adding a playful touch to the cake.
- Black Food Coloring: Used to dye some of the whipped cream for piping the face details, enhancing the visual resemblance to the plush toy.
- Large Strawberries: Adds a fresh, fruity flavor and bright color to the cake. They are also used decoratively to enhance the cake’s appearance.
How to make the Jellycat Birthday Cake
Light Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F); line two 6-inch cake tins.
- Mix hot water and 65g sugar; whisk in egg yolks and vanilla until fluffy.
- Fold in sifted flour, baking powder, and cornstarch.
- Beat egg whites until foamy; gradually add 65g sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold egg whites into yolk mixture.
- Divide batter into tins; bake for 25 minutes.
- Cool cakes upside down, then refrigerate.
- Unmold cakes and rub off caramelized layer.
Assembly
- Whisk cream, 100g sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer to piping bag with large round tip.
- Place one cake layer; pipe whipped cream blobs around edge.
- Add sliced strawberries; top with second cake layer.
- Pipe whipped cream blobs; arrange halved strawberries on top.
- Dye leftover cream black; pipe face and add fondant legs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different-sized cake tin?
Adjust baking time for different tin sizes. Larger tins need less time, smaller tins need more.
Can I substitute the vegetable oil with another type of oil?
Use other neutral oils like canola or sunflower oil.
How do I know when the egg whites have reached stiff peaks?
Egg whites should stand straight up without collapsing when the beaters are lifted.
Can I make the cake layers ahead of time?
Bake layers a day in advance and store in the fridge. The also freeze well, so you can make them days in advance, freeze, and then defrost in the fridge overnight before you use them.
Can I use store-bought whipped cream?
Homemade is recommended, but store-bought can be used if needed.
How do I prevent the whipped cream from becoming too soft?
Whisk until stiff peaks form and keep chilled until assembly.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Fresh is best, but thawed and well-drained frozen strawberries can be used.
How do I store the assembled cake?
Store in the refrigerator, covered, and consume within 2-3 days.
Can I use other fruits instead of strawberries?
Substitute strawberries with raspberries, blueberries, or sliced peaches.
What if I don't have a piping bag?
Use a plastic zip-top bag with a corner snipped off if you don't have a piping bag.
Let's Get Cooking
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Print📖 Recipe
Jellycat Birthday Cake
Soft and fluffy vanilla sponge cake filled with light whipped cream and fresh tangy strawberries, this Jellycat-inspired cake is too cute to eat!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 x 6 inch cake 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Intermediate
- Cuisine: Western
Ingredients
Light sponge cake
- 4 Large egg yolks
- 1 ½ tbsp hot water
- 2 tsp Vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 65g Granulated sugar (I) (⅓ cup)
- 40g All purpose flour (⅓ cup)
- 60g Cornstarch (½ cup)
- ¼ tsp Baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 4 Egg whites
- 65g Granulated sugar (II) (⅓ cup)
Whipped cream
- 360ml Thickened cream
- 100g Granulated sugar (½ cup)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Assembly
- Brown fondant, shaped into legs
- Black food coloring
- 7 Large strawberries
Instructions
Light Sponge Cake
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and line the bottoms of two 6-inch cake tins.
- In a large bowl, combine the hot water and 65g of granulated sugar.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla essence to the mixture, whisking until it doubles in size and becomes light and fluffy.
- Mix in the oil
- Sift in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. Gently fold until just combined.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 65g of granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Carefully fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until well combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake tins and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cakes are level and spring back when pressed in the center.
- Turn the cakes upside down and cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, place them in the fridge to chill completely.
- Once chilled, unmold the cakes and gently rub the outer crust to remove the caramelized layer. Set aside until assembly.
Whipped Cream
- In a large bowl, combine the thickened cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
Assembly
- Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Pipe blobs of whipped cream around the circumference of the cake to create a layer of cream.
- Add a layer of sliced strawberries on top of the cream.
- Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the process of piping whipped cream blobs around the edge.
- Cut the remaining strawberries in half and arrange them in a ring on top of the cake.
- Using any leftover whipped cream, dye it black with the black food coloring. Transfer the black cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
- Pipe a face onto your cake, and place the fondant legs on either side of the face.
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