How to Make a Gift Box Cake for a Bridal Shower

Gift box cakes are versatile for different bridal shower themes

Gift box cakes are great for special occasions such as bridal showers. Different variations of the gift box cake can be created using alternate frosting colors and decorative pieces. But the main body and ribbon top wrapping of the gift box can be made using a basic cake recipe and fondant.

Things You'll Need

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 egg whites
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 4 containers (16 oz.) ready-to-spread frosting
• 1 can fondant
• 3 cake pans, 8 inch square
• 1 rolling pin

Instructions

The Box-Shaped Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter and shortening together until they form a creamy texture. Gradually stir in the sugar while beating.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine the water and milk as a separate mixture. Alternate adding the two mixtures to the sugar and butter batter, starting and ending with the flour mix. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

3. Beat the egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold this into the batter. Grease and flour your cake pans. Distribute the batter evenly among the three pans.

4. Bake the cakes for about 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and cool the cakes for 10 minutes before removing them to be cooled on wire racks.

5. Spread the frosting of your choice over each cake and stack them on top of each other. Spread the remaining frosting generously over the entire three-layer cake.

6. Chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator while you prepare the ribbon wrap decoration.

The Ribbon Wrap

1. Choose a fondant color that goes well with your cake frosting. Roll the fondant out to 1/8 inch thickness with the rolling pin. Cut out small, rectangular-shaped strips. Also cut out four larger strips long enough to run from the center of the cake down the middle of its side.

2. Hang each of the smaller strips on an empty pipe, such as an aluminum foil tube, with a smaller circumference than the length of the strip. Wet one end of the strip with a dab of water and pinch it to its other end to form a loop.

3. Let the strips hang dry to hold their shape. Then remove them from the tube and dry them for 24 hours laid out on their sides.

4. Arrange the loops in a circle around the center of the cake top to form the base of the ribbon bow. Keep layering the remaining loops here in circles.

   Put a dollop of icing at the center of the ribbon. Place a loop on top of this icing to complete the ribbon top.

5. Add any bridal shower themed trinkets such as engagement rings, flowers or wedding bells to the top of the cake. These decorations can usually be found at local crafts stores.

6. Take the longer fondant strips and carefully press one down the center of each side of the cake starting from the center of the ribbon top.

Tips & Warnings

• The cake can also be made using any standard, ready-made cake mix. Be sure to follow the instructions that come with the packaging.

• The ribbon wrap can be made replacing the fondant with fruit roll-ups instead for a quicker finish.

References

• My Recipes: Gift Box Cake
• Make Fabulous Cakes: Fondant Loop Bow Tutorial
• Make Fabulous Cakes: Easy Gift Box Cake Tutorial

Resources

• Enjoy How To Cook: A Few Great Bridal Shower Cake Ideas
• Pink Cake Box: Bridal Shower Cakes