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A whimsical fish-shaped cake decorated with frosting and sprinkles.

Classic Fish-Shaped Vanilla Cake

Create a whimsical fish-shaped vanilla cake, decorated with vibrant buttercream frosting and candies, perfect for any celebration.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 9-inch round cake pans (2) or 9x13 inch sheet pan (1)
  • Parchment paper
  • Medium bowl
  • Large bowl
  • Whisk
  • Electric mixer
  • Wooden skewer
  • Wire rack
  • Cake board or serving platter
  • Offset spatula
  • Piping bags (optional)
  • Small round piping tip (optional)

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
  • Gel food coloring (blue, yellow, orange, black)

Decoration

  • Candies (M&M's, Smarties) for eyes and scales
  • Sprinkles (optional)
  • black gel food coloring Small amount for pupils

Instructions
 

Baking the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 9-inch round cake pans or a 9x13 inch sheet pan by greasing and flouring them or lining with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl; in another, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with milk, mixing until just combined and then stirring in vanilla extract.
  • Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
  • Cool the cakes in their pans for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack, then invert to cool completely; chill completely cooled cakes for at least 30 minutes for easier cutting.

Assembling the Fish Shape

  • Place one round cake on a cake board, then cut a V-shape from one side of it to form the fish's mouth.
  • Cut an arc from the opposite side of the second round cake and use this arc and the V-shaped piece to create the tail and fins, securing them to the main body with frosting.

Frosting and Decorating

  • Prepare buttercream by beating softened butter until creamy, then gradually adding powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
  • Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire fish cake and chill for 15-20 minutes until firm.
  • Once the crumb coat is firm, apply a thicker, even layer of your chosen base color frosting, smoothing it with an offset spatula.
  • Tint portions of the remaining buttercream with gel food coloring for details like fins, scales, and eyes.
  • Use two large candies for eyes, adding a dab of black gel food coloring for pupils.
  • Create scales by piping small dots or half-circles, or by overlapping colorful round candies.
  • Pipe outlines and fill in the fins and tail with a contrasting color, and add any other desired details like gills or sprinkles.
  • Optionally, chill the decorated cake for 30 minutes to help everything set perfectly, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

For crisper cake edges, consider trimming them after chilling the cake. Get creative with your fish design! There are many ways to cut and arrange the cake pieces to form a fish shape. Practice your piping techniques for detailed decorations on parchment paper first.