Darth Vader Cake
A few years back, we were gifted a Barbie cake pan from my hairstylist/family friend in Florida months before she launched her own cake business. My kids weren’t into Barbie at all at the time, but they were totally in love with princesses (evolution of this cake pan in our house). It hasn’t been hard to adapt the Wilton Barbie Beautiful Day retired pan (buy*) to Disney princesses over the years, but this year we decided to needed a challenge for my brother in law’s birthday. (We joke every year that he needs to pick a princess for HIS cake.) Every year he passes the decision onto my daughter since he and my daughter share a birthday. Well I already made her cake and we celebrated, so those in attendance decided we should make a Darth Vader cake. The pan had the general shape, and you don’t see Darth’s face anyways, so it should work!
We decided that the cake should definitely be chocolate with chocolate frosting. I was not sure how the Black Magic Cake recipe would hold up, but it came out of the pan perfectly with a little bit of help with baking spray (spray oil with some flour mixed in.) We would also be enjoying this cake with my sister in law who’s avoiding dairy, so the frosting would have to be no dairy friendly. Again, no problem and I used this Rich Chocolate Vegan Frosting from The View from Great Island. I have successfully used this recipe before by using canned coconut milk.
Decorating
Melted Chocolate: The helmet and chocolate outlines are simply melted chocolate chips and coconut oil (or use shortening). I created two helmets on a piece of parchment of paper and let them chill in the fridge for a bit. When I went to move them, they were still a bit soft, but your results may vary depending on how long you let the decorations sit – I didn’t have much time.
Crushed Oreo: I was looking to get depth and texture for the cape, so I used crushed Oreo. I put three Oreos into a mini-food processor and ground until they were fine crumbs. I used a small food and spread the crumbs over the cake. I used the spoon and the palm of my hand to gently press some crumbs into the sides of the cake. I had a fork handy to move any unruly crumbs back.
White Chocolate Accents: I pinched off a few bits from white chocolate chips for the silver accents on Darth. I know they’re white, but they worked out well!
Red Accents: Red sprinkles. The sprinkles melted into the cake, and the other red candies I had I thought were too big to break apart.
I am really kicking myself that the only photos of the Star Wars Darth Vader cake are with my phone. Completely forgot until we were getting ready to cut!
Darth Cake
Princess Cakes
Darth Vader cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
- -----*To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.
- 1 cup strong black coffee OR one of the following options:
- -----*2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water
- -----*1 tablespoon instant espresso plus 1 cup boiling water
- 1/4 c vegetable oil + 1/4 unsweetened applesauce OR 1/2 c vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Baking Spray oil spray with flour in it
- Parchment Paper for lining cake pans, not suggested for character pans
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and begin boiling just over a cup of water (to make coffee). While the oven is pre-heating prep 2-round cake pans (8" or 9")
- Sift or mix together, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, buttermilk (or soured milk), coffee, oil (or oil/applesauce mixture) and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined. Batter will be VERY thin.
- Pour batter evenly between the two pans.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.
https://www.thesugarpixie.net/2015/12/27/darth-vader-cake/https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151223_183410.jpg?fit=525%2C700&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151223_183410.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1Recipesbirthday,black magic,cake,chocolate cake,princess,star warsA few years back, we were gifted a Barbie cake pan from my hairstylist/family friend in Florida months before she launched her own cake business. My kids weren't into Barbie at all at the time, but they were totally in love with princesses (evolution of this cake pan in...KrissyKrissy kguttendorf@yahoo.comAdministratorThe Sugar Pixie
