How to Make an Angelina Ballerina Cake

Angelina Ballerina cakes can make any birthday celebration special.

Angelina Ballerina is a fictional mouse who loves to dance and hopes to become a famous ballerina. Angelina Ballerina is a popular character in books and on TV, and Angelina Ballerina themed parties and celebrations have become increasingly popular with little girls. An Angelina Ballerina cake can make your celebration special and authentic. With a bit of sugar and flour, you can create an Angelina Ballerina cake fit for your little ballerina.

Things You'll Need

• Hand mixer
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 3/4 c. sugars
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/3 c. buttermilk
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 lb. confectioner's sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 package .25 oz of unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• ½ cup of clear glucose (corn syrup)
• 1 tablespoon glycerin
• 2 tablespoons of shortening
• 1 teaspoon any flavoring
• 8 cups (2lbs.) sifted powered sugar
• Food coloring
• Pink tulle

Instructions

Prepare the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two round 8-inch cake pans and set them aside.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer at medium speed for 30 seconds.

4. Add the sugar and vanilla to the butter. Beat well.

5. Slowly add the egg whites one at a time, beating after each addition.

6. Add the flour and buttermilk alternately into the batter. Beat on low speed after each until just combined. Overbeating may cause your cake to be tough and dense. Pour the cake batter equally into the two cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean.

7. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cakes from the pans and set on wire racks until completely cooled.

Make the Icing

1. Mix the butter for two minutes on high speed with a hand mixer. The butter should be softened.

2. Slowly add half of the confectioner's sugar and mix on low speed for two minutes. Add the cream or milk and mix for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the remaining confectioner's sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix on high speed for four minutes. Begin icing the cake right away or refrigerate for up to seven days. You may want to color the icing pink to match the Angelina Ballerina theme. Add a few drops of red food coloring when you are whipping the icing on high speed.

Decorate the Cake

1. Make the fondant. Mix the water and gelatin and let it stand for five minutes. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds. Add the shortening and stirred until melted. Add this into the glycerin and glucose. Add the flavoring. Mix into the powdered sugar and fold until blended. Knead until smooth on a powdered sugar surface.

2. Cut off a piece of fondant with a knife. Roll the fondant into a 2-inch oval. This will be Angelina's body. For the head, take another piece and roll it into a smaller ball (approximately ½ inch). Lightly pinch one end of the head into a small snout. Place the head onto the bigger, body piece. Roll two pieces of fondant (smaller than the head) and attach them on top of the head to make the ears.

3. For the arms, use two pieces of fondant of equal size. Roll into balls and then, with your palms, roll them until they are thin and straw-like. Stick them onto the upper body. For the legs, use two slightly larger pieces of fondant and roll them in the same way you made the arms. Stick them underneath Angelina's body so they are in the splits position.

4. Pipe the facial features with the zipper bag and black icing, or you can use a safety pin to etch them on. Cut a 1-inch by 1-inch piece of tulle and attach it around Angelina's waist in the shape of a tutu.

5. Place Angelina on the cake so it looks like she is doing the splits on top of the cake.

References

• Piece-of-Cake: How to Make Fondant