How to Make a Neapolitan Doll Cake

How to Make a Neapolitan Doll Cake What You'll Need:

• vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate cake mixes and listed ingredients on the boxes
• 9", 8"cake pans, and a Pyrex/oven safe (Pampered Chef) glass mixing bowl
• 1-2 batches of Frosting (I prefer my recipe located on the side bar of this web page)
• large spatula
• decorating bags and tips (I used tips 4, 104, 3 and 2)

***Variation 1: use a freezer safe Ziploc bag (regular Ziploc bags will burst and break) and snip a small piece off the corner and use as a 4 tip and stick candy as decoration***

***Variation 2: use 4",6" and 8" cake pans and either fill cake steps with frosting or cut sides at an angle to make the dress***

Step 1: In separate containers mix cake mixes as instructed on box. I spray and coat the inside of my pans with a generic store brand of Pam non-stick cooking spray. I used strawberry for the top (in the Pyrex bowl), Vanilla for the middle section (8" cake pan), and Chocolate for the base (9" cake pan).

Step 2: Cook as directed on the box. For the Pyrex bowl you may need a longer time so the center cooks evenly. To help with even cooking I lower my oven temperature from the box recommended 350 to 325 degrees. After baking, let cool 5-10 minutes and remove from pan onto a cooling rack. When cooled cut and level off the tops with a large flat knife as shown.

This cut side will be placed on the bottom. It makes it easier and less crumby to frost.Voila! The nice smooth cake bottom is now the top.
Repeat leveling on all cakes.

Step 3: Smooth a light layer of frosting in between each layer. You can also choose a filling if desired. If making a cake for a child's party it's my experience that they prefer frosting to fillings. If you desire instructions for frosting and filling a cake click on the list to the right of this web page under cake decorating techniques where I have explained it in more detail :).Step 4: Lightly frost the constructed cake and place in fridge for about 15 minutes or until frosting is set and stiff. This light frosting coat provides a crumb coat that once applied and cooled in the fridge make a smoother crumb free frosting experience :) It also helps the frosting to bond to the cake better (when I omit this step the frosting can peel away from the cake during travel. Not a pretty site!). I also added a bit more frosting at the top so when I placed the doll inside the cake, the dress would not abruptly jut out at her waist. This makes it look more like a bell shaped ball gown.Step 5: Make a final frosting coat slightly thicker to hide all exposed cake.To help with a smooth cake, (after you place a generous amount of frosting around cake) always keep a clean spatula every time you touch the cake. Every time I smooth the frosting and lift the extra frosting off the cake, I wipe the excess back into the frosting container and then with a moist towel I make it clean again. Yes every time and yes it makes it look 100x smoother. By putting a frosting filled spatula back on the cake that you intend to smooth is like putting sand on it. It will never get smooth unless the spatula is clean.Step 6: Insert the doll into the cake with arms and hair up and with legs pointing down. As you push her into the cake make sure to gently keep the legs together. I prefer to use dolls that have a top painted on. But you can always decorate a top on her after she is placed in the cake. I also prefer real Barbie dolls rather than $1 store ones or half doll cake decorating toppers. These dolls look very ugly and cheap and do not enhance your time, effort or talent. This doll was a generic Barbie princess doll for $6 at Wal-Mart and well worth the extra couple of bucks.Step 7: Decorate doll as desired with sprinkles, decorator tips and/or candy. I used silver heart candies, sprinkles and decorator tips #104 (for the ruffles), #24 (for the sleeves, swirly white rosettes in the center and bottom ruffle of the dress),#3 (for the small light pink details around the dress) and #2 tip (for the earrings,pearl necklace,bracelet and ring) Kids and adults really like the jewelry details and it has never gone unnoticed.I always like to make these dolls modest so I add sleeves with a shell tip or #24 tip :) I also added some pre-made royal icing drop flowers for added detail. These flowers are VERY easy to make. I have taught classes for kids as young as 6 to make these easy drop flowers that keep for a long time (if I can keep them away from my kids! They LOVE them). Instructions are on the side bar of this web page.

Enjoy!

Have Fun

Be Creative

Look Fantastic!

It's Your Time to Shine!