A Barbie Cake is a magical and show-stopping dessert that turns a regular cake into a doll dressed in an elegant edible gown. It’s a dream come true for birthdays and themed celebrations, combining baking and creativity in a stunning centerpiece.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for birthdays and special occasions
- Eye-catching and highly customizable
- Fun to decorate and easy to theme
- Can be made with store-bought or homemade cake and frosting
- Offers generous servings for a crowd
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
- Cake batter (homemade or boxed mix)
- Buttercream or cream cheese frosting
- Food coloring (for the frosting)
- A Barbie doll (or similar fashion doll)
- Plastic wrap (to cover the doll’s lower body)
- Optional: fondant, edible glitter, sprinkles, decorative piping tips
Directions
- Bake your cake using 2 to 3 round cake pans (typically 8-inch and 6-inch rounds) or use a dome-shaped bundt pan for the skirt.
- Let cakes cool completely, then level the tops if needed and stack them to form a skirt shape.
- Wrap the Barbie’s legs and lower torso in plastic wrap.
- Cut a hole in the center of the cake stack to insert the doll, trimming the cake as needed to achieve a dress-like shape.
- Apply a crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and chill for 30 minutes.
- Tint frosting with food coloring and use piping bags with decorative tips to create ruffles, rosettes, or smooth layers that resemble a gown.
- Decorate the top of the doll with frosting or fondant to complete the bodice.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Servings and timing
- Servings: 20–30 slices
- Prep time: 1 hour
- Decoration time: 2–3 hours
- Total time: 4–5 hours including chilling
Variations
- Use chocolate, vanilla, funfetti, or strawberry cake flavors
- Swap buttercream for whipped cream or fondant for a smooth finish
- Create themed gowns (princess, mermaid, holiday, etc.) with different colors and designs
- Add edible pearls, glitter, or fondant bows for extra flair
- Use mini Barbies and smaller cakes for individual servings
Storage/reheating
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or keep in a cake container
- Not ideal for freezing after decorating, but cake layers can be frozen before assembly
- Serve chilled or let come to room temperature before slicing
FAQs
Do I need a special pan for Barbie cake?
A bundt pan or a dome-shaped bowl helps create the skirt shape, but stacking round layers also works.
Can I use any doll?
Yes—just make sure it’s clean and wrap the lower half in plastic wrap before inserting into the cake.
How many layers do I need?
Typically 3 to 4 layers to create enough height to cover the doll’s lower half.
Can I use box cake mix?
Absolutely—it’s a great time-saver and works perfectly.
How do I color the frosting?
Use gel food coloring for vibrant shades without thinning the frosting.
What type of frosting works best?
Buttercream holds its shape well for piping. Cream cheese frosting can be used but is softer.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes—bake and frost the cake a day in advance and store it in the fridge.
How do I keep frosting from sliding?
Make sure cakes are completely cool before frosting and chill after the crumb coat.
Can I make a themed version?
Yes! Adjust colors and accessories to match any theme—princess, ballerina, winter fairy, etc.
How do I transport it?
Place it on a sturdy cake board and keep it chilled until delivery time.
Conclusion
Barbie Cake is the perfect blend of baking and fantasy, offering a delightful way to celebrate special moments with elegance and charm. With its dazzling design and delicious taste, it’s sure to be the centerpiece of any celebration. Customize the colors, frosting, and accessories to make it uniquely yours—and enjoy the smiles it brings!
PrintBarbie Cake
A whimsical, pink-themed cake inspired by Barbie—typically featuring layers of fluffy vanilla sponge, pink buttercream frosting, and optional Barbie doll topper, perfect for birthdays and celebrations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour (plus cooling & decorating)
- Yield: 12–16 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert / Party Cake
- Method: Baking & Decorating
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- Pink gel food coloring
- For frosting: 1½ cups butter, softened; 5 cups powdered sugar; 2–3 tbsp milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; pink gel food coloring
- Optional: Barbie doll or doll pick, sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then mix in vanilla.
- Alternately add flour mixture and milk in three parts, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined. Stir in a few drops of pink gel food coloring until light pink.
- Divide batter between prepared pans and bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- To make buttercream, beat butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Tint with pink gel to desired shade.
- Stack and frost the cooled cake layers, crumb-coat first then apply final coat. Smooth or texture as desired.
- Insert Barbie doll upright into center if using, and decorate with sprinkles or edible pearls.
- Chill cake for 30 minutes to set frosting before serving.
Notes
- Use boxed cake mix for quicker prep—just tint with pink food coloring.
- For extra flair, use fondant to create decorative bows or stars.
- Make individual cake stands using cupcake wrappers and toothpicks under mini dolls.
- Ensure frosting is firm before inserting doll to help it stay upright.
- Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 cake)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg