Continuing our series of kids cake ideas, mum-of-two Katherine created the ultimate princess doll cake for her daughter’s birthday. If you’re looking for cake inspiration for little ones who love all things princess, this one is guaranteed to go down a treat — and it’s simpler to make than it looks.
Make Your Own Princess Doll Cake
This cake uses two simple sponges stacked to form a dress shape, finished with a whipped cream and strawberry jelly coating, wafer flowers, and a doll on top. It’s a lovely one to make together if your child enjoys helping in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 200g butter
- 200g caster sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To decorate:
- 1 large carton of cream
- Packet of strawberry jelly
- Wafer flowers
- 1 Barbie-type doll (legs removed!)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Soften the butter in the microwave, then whisk in the sugar. Add the flour and egg mix alternately, along with the vanilla extract.
3. Grease two circular ovenproof dishes of slightly different sizes, with sloped sides. Divide the mixture between them and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
4. Once cool, place one cake on top of the other with some strawberries and cream in between. With the smaller cake on top, this creates the dress shape, sloping down like a real skirt.
5. To decorate, whisk the cream. Melt the strawberry jelly in the microwave and let it cool slightly, then whisk it into the whipped cream.
6. Put the cream and jelly mix in the fridge to cool a little — but watch it carefully. You want it set enough to hold its shape on the sponge, but not so firm that it won’t spread.
7. Apply the mix roughly all over the double sponge to create texture. Stick the wafer flowers over the “dress” (keeping one back for her hair), then leave the cake in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
8. Tape a skewer against the legless doll (dress her in a nice top!) and push the skewer down into the top of the sponges.
9. Add the final flower to her hair, and there she is — your very own princess cake!
A Few Handy Tips
- Chill the doll’s “torso” section separately before inserting it, so the skewer goes in cleanly.
- If your child has a favourite colour, you can tint the cream instead of using strawberry jelly, or swap the flavour of jelly to match the party theme.
- This cake is best assembled the day before serving, as it needs time to set and firm up in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the princess cake in advance?
Yes. The sponges can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Assemble and decorate the cake the day before the party so it has time to chill and set overnight.
Do I need special baking dishes to get the dress shape?
No special equipment is needed — just two round ovenproof dishes with sloping sides in slightly different sizes. Regular round cake tins will also work if sloped dishes aren’t available; the dress shape will simply be a little less defined.
Can I make this cake without the doll?
Yes. You can leave the doll off entirely and simply decorate the stacked sponge as a round “dress” cake, or replace her with a small princess figurine that doesn’t need the skewer support.
How should the cake be stored once decorated?
Because it’s finished with fresh whipped cream, keep the cake refrigerated until serving, and try to serve it on the day you plan to cut it for the best texture.
You May Also Enjoy
Looking for more birthday inspiration? Don’t miss our roundup of Frozen-themed birthday cakes to make at home — from simple bakes to real showstoppers.
Save This for Later
Not baking today? Save this princess cake idea to your birthday planning board, or browse more of our kids cake ideas for inspiration whenever the next celebration comes around.
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