Hat Cake Recipe

This hat cake recipe is great for a ladies tea or birthday party.

Ingredients

Simple White Cake (for 12 inch round cake pan)
Bake at 325F

2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
4 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk

Simple White Cake (for 2 - 8 inch round cake pans)
Bake at 350F

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Icing

4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cup shortening, at room temperature
10 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk (more or less)
Pink gel colour

Rolled Fondant

Serves 40

Directions

Before you embark, this cake from start to finish will likely take about 4 to 5 hours. Start with the 12 inch round cake recipe and get that baked first, as it uses a lower temperature and takes longer in the oven.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350F, when baking 8 inch round cakes. Preheat to 325F, when baking 12 inch round cake.

Grease and flour 2 - 8 inch round cake pan (or the 12 inch round)

In a medium bowl,using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

In a measuring cup, combine the flour and baking powder together.

Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pans.

For the 8 inch cakes, bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. (For 12 inch round bake for 40 to 45 minutes) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Set to cool, once cool enough to touch turn out of pan and let cool completely on a wire rack

Icing

Cut up butter and shortening and put them in a mixing bowl. Mix them on high speed until light and fluffy.

Add in confectioners' sugar, mix slowly until incorporated, them mix on high speed for at least 10 minutes or longer. (you can't over mix this, the longer the better).

Assembly

Start off with taking your 8 inch round cakes and cutting them in half, ice in between the layers, you should have 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of icing. Place this in the freezer (this makes it easier to work with).

Next you'll want to colour your icing to a light pink. Fill a piping bag full of icing with small round tip, set aside for later use.

Ice the 12 inch round cake with the pink icing with a nice even layer. Take your 8 inch round cakes out of freezer (this should be a bit frozen). Before you place on top of 12 inch cake, you'll want to round off the edges on the top part of cake with a knife.

Place 8 inch cake stack on the 12 inch cake making sure its centered. Finish icing all the sides and on top.

Now with your piping bag make a beaded trim on the bottom, and make squiggly lines every where else on cake. Set aside.

With a small amount of Rolled fondant, colour with pink gel till a deep pink colour. To do this you will need to knead this (with gloves unless you want pink hands). Use confectioners sugar on the table to make sure it doesn't stick. Roll out thinly and cut into a ribbon. Wrap around 8 inch round and press firmly onto cake. With another small piece of ribbon place on top of 12 inch round. Decorate with fresh flowers.