Batter Bowl Doll Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl (8 inches across top) and three 8-inch round cake pans with shortening; coat with flour (do not use cooking spray).
• In large bowl, make cake batter as directed on boxes. (Both boxes of cake mix can be made at one time; do not make more than 2 boxes, and do not increase beating time.) Pour 3 1/4 cups batter into 1 1/2-quart bowl, and divide remaining batter among 3 pans (slightly less than 2 cups per pan).
• Bake cake pans 23 to 30 minutes and bowl 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and bowl. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Place cakes in freezer 45 minutes before cutting to reduce crumbs. Cut off rounded tops of cakes. Cut bowl cake in half horizontally. Cut 1 3/4-inch diameter hole in center of all 5 cake layers.
• Spoon frosting into large bowl. Stir in food color until desired pink color. Place one 8-inch cake on serving plate; spread 1/3 cup frosting over top. Top with second 8-inch cake; spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Repeat with third layer; top with larger bowl cake layer, cut side up. Spread with small amount of frosting. Top with rounded bowl cake layer, cut side down. Trim side of cake if necessary to make a tapered "skirt."
• Spread thin layer of frosting over side and top of layered cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze cake 30 to 45 minutes to set frosting.
• Spread frosting over cake as desired. Wrap hair and lower half of doll with plastic wrap. Insert doll into center of cake. Frost body of doll. Decorate with sprinkles and candy pearls as desired. Unwrap hair. Store cake loosely covered.

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch round or square cake pan with nonstick baking spray; line the bottom with parchment. Set aside.
• Beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes (see Cook's Note). Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 45 seconds after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl until combined.
• With the stand mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating between the two, starting and ending with the flour and mixing until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with a rubber spatula.
• Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.
• For chocolate cake: Add 1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder to the flour mixture. After the eggs are incorporated, beat in 4 ounces melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate, beating until combined. Alternate adding 1/4 cup of hot brewed coffee with the flour mixture and buttermilk.
• For lemon poppyseed cake: Beat 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest with the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice to the buttermilk before it goes into the batter. Before pouring the batter into the cake pan, gently fold in 2 tablespoons poppy seeds using a rubber spatula. For a lemon glaze, whisk 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Add more lemon juice, a few drops at a time, if needed. Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.
• For coffee cake: To make a streusel, combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes in a medium bowl. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Pour half of the batter into the cake pan and spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle half of the streusel over the batter. Spread the remaining batter on top and sprinkle the remaining streusel over it. For a maple glaze, whisk 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup with 1 teaspoon water and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar into a small bowl until smooth. Add more water, a few drops at a time, if needed. Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the maple glaze over the top.
• For confetti cake: Increase the vanilla extract from 1 tablespoon to 2 tablespoons. Before pouring the batter into the cake pan, gently fold in 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles using a rubber spatula.
• For raspberry jam swirl cake: Bring 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam to room temperature and stir it vigorously with a spoon until smooth. Pour half of the batter into the cake pan and spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula. Place 4 dollops (about half) of the jam on the batter. Spread the remaining batter over top and make 4 more dollops over the batter with the remaining jam. Drag a long wooden skewer through the batter, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan, creating swirls of jam.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart ovenproof Pyrex glass mixing bowl with shortening and dust with flour.
• Prepare cake as directed on box. Pour batter into prepared bowl.
• Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.
• Invert on cake plate with widest part of cake on the bottom. Cool 3 hours before decorating.
• Insert a clean doll into center of cake. Decorate the skirt with icing tinted any color or use more than one color. Use a decorator tip to make the skirt as fancy as you like and decorate the top of the doll for the top of the dress also.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a deep 15cm round cake tin, making sure the lining is higher than the top of the tin. Grease and base line a 1 litre ovenproof glass pudding basin.
• Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt together until pale and fluffy, then pour in the eggs, one at a time, giving the mix a really good beating before adding the next. Add 1 tbsp of the plain flour if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Beat in the yogurt.
• Mix the flours; then, using a large metal spoon, fold them into the batter, and spoon into the prepared tin and bowl. The mixture will come almost to the top. Place the bowl and cake tin on a baking tray. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour 40 to 1hour 50 mins. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• To make the butter icing, put the butter into a bowl and beat well until softened. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Trim the tops of the cakes level. Slice the pudding basin cake in three and the 15cm cake in half. Using a 5cm round cutter, stamp out the centre of each piece of cake.
• Place one half of the 15cm cake on a cake board. Spread with a little butter icing and place the other half on top. Spread a little icing on this layer and top with the widest layer of the basin cake. Repeat with the other layers. Spread the remaining butter icing all over the assembled cake.
• Take 250g white fondant icing and roll out into a long strip about 7cm wide. Press the edge gently with a teaspoon to give a frilled effect or use a ball tool. Attach to the base of the cake, pushing gently onto the icing.
• Roll out the pink icing to a large circle about 36cm in diameter. Cut a hole from the centre using the 5cm cutter. Cut away just under an eighth section of the icing. Drape the icing over the cake, making the join at the back. At even intervals push up the pink fondant to create a swagged look.
• Spray the cake lightly with the edible lustre. Take the doll and wrap the legs in plastic film. Place the doll in the cake. The top of the cake should come to hip not waist level. Using the trimmings, roll out an oblong of pink icing and wrap around the body of the doll to make the bodice. Smooth the bottom of the bodice onto the top of the skirt.
• Roll out some white fondant and cut out a 9cm circle using a fluted or flower cutter. Cut a small circle from the centre of this and then split one side and place around the waist of the doll, cutting away any excess. Use the remaining white icing to make a large bow and place at the back of the dolls waist.
• Make up the royal icing according to pack instructions. Using a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle (or use a strong plastic bag and cut off the tip), pipe around the edge of the pink skirt. Attach a rose to the top of each swag. Pipe three lines of dots just above the roses going up the dress.
• Pipe across the top of the bodice and half way down the front. Using the icing attach a sugar butterfly to the top of the bodice and one large sugar rose at the waist.