Pregnant Belly Cake for baby reveal party

Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Bean Butter cream Frosting

 Pregnant Belly Cake

 I made this cake for my niece's 'baby reveal party'.  Isn't it great to have a themed party, especially when the surprise is who is going to be the next family member! Well I won't keep you waiting any longer; IT'S A GIRL!!!!! They will have a daughter in December. No name picked out yet but I know my nephew has something in mind.

The placement of the little foot pushing on her mothers belly is shown to the right and below. All I did was cut the shape of a babies foot in fondant and place it on the frosted belly then drape a large sheet of fondant over it. Gently press around the edges of the foot to make it prominent.

White cake with vanilla bean buttercream frosting. For the pans I used two oven prof bowls (1 small & 1 large) and two round cake pans (6 inch & 9 inch) to make two layered cakes. I bought Wiltons 5 lb. box of white fondant and mixed the colored fondant myself, using mint green, regal purple and lemon yellow AmeriColor food coloring.

The happy family!

Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Bean Butter cream Frosting

Ingredients;

Cake; yield is two 2-layer cakes using 8" pans. We will be using two round oven proof bowls (one large and one small to fit over the round pans), 9" round pan, 6" round pan.

Vanilla Cake

10 large egg whites at room temperature

2 whole eggs

2 cups whole milk, at room temperature

4-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

6 cups cake flour, sifted

4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

24 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into 24 even pieces

Vanilla Bean Frosting:

6 sticks + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

6 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons cream

2 vanilla beans, scraped

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Instructions:

Vanilla Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F Grease, flour the pans and bowls.

In a large bowl, combine and stir the egg whites, whole eggs, 1/2 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.

Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds, ensuring it's cold (you can keep some in refrigerator while you're adding pieces). Continue to mix on low until the mixture is a fine crumbly texture. Add milk, and mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches, mixing until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. (You want to ensure that the batter is homogenous.) Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at bottom of bowl is incorporated.

Dividing the batter is done by sight between the pans and bowls. you will bake 6 cakes total. One 9" round, two 6" rounds, one large bowl shape, and two small bowl shapes.

Bake until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 30 minutes. The large bowl will need about 5 or 10 minutes extra and the small rounds and bowls will bake 5 or ten minutes under. Be so careful to not over-bake. Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and then set the timer for 5 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 5 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn "round pan" cakes back up, leave bowl cakes upside down.  Cool completely.  If your cakes need to be evened out so they can be stacked now is the time to do it. Cut a circle out of the middle of the bottom layer if you are filling your cake with colored candy. Judge the size of cake removed by how much candy you bought.

Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Best eaten the same day as baked.

Vanilla Bean Frosting

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed butter will become very pale & creamy.

Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy and fluffy.

Best used right away.

You can eliminate the vanilla bean and use a total of 3 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

Assembly

Place three bottom cake layers (one 9" & two 6") on thin round cake boards.

Cut the center out of the 9" bottom layer if you are filling your cake with colored candy. Judge the size of cake removed by how much candy you bought. Fill the center with candy. Spread frosting on top of each cake with a small offset spatula.

Gently place 2nd bowl shaped cake layers on top. Place a generous scoop of frosting on top each cake, spreading evenly with a small offset spatula and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the three cakes. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

Remove the three cakes from refrigerator and apply a final "coat" of frosting to each cake and then carefully smooth out the frosting so when the fondant is placed it will look perfectly smooth. Take your time with this very important step, if not done well your cake will look lumpy. Keep cooling your cakes in the refrigerator as many times as needed to create a smooth surface

Strategically place the large belly cake on your cake board first. Cut a babies foot out of rolled fondant and place on belly. Roll out the fondant to completely cover the belly portion and also over hang to create the bottom of the dress. Gently smooth fondant over belly and use a pencil to form the folds in the bottom of the dress.  When you happy with it, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes then cut off the excess fondant. Now place the two smaller round cakes to make the breasts area of the cake. Roll out fondant to cover both breasts and to slightly overlap onto the belly. Place fondant over cakes and smooth over breasts and let the fondant ride up the belly portion. Place in fridge for 15 minutes then cut off excess fondant.

Now roll out and cut the colored fondant to create the ribbon. Place the ribbon to your liking. Use very little water to glue the fondant ribbon to the cake. Next roll out the fondant to make the polka dots. Use a round cutter in the size you want. Glue the polka dots to the dress using very little water.

Store in a cake keeper in refrigerator for up to 4 days. Best eaten day 1.