The Cutest-Ever Cat Cake

Stuff your cake with a fishy filling (candy fish, that is) for a dessert that yields miles of smiles.

By: Alana Jones-Mann

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Photo By: Alana Jones-Mann

This Cake Will Make You a Cat Person

We can't say there's a specific occasion that warrants a cat cake (unless it's your cat's birthday, perhaps?). But one look at this fuzzy guy and you'll be hard-pressed to find a reason to not make it. Not only is the frosting fur and candy-decorated face crazy-adorable (and clever), but when you slice inside you're greeted with another party-ready surprise: It's stuffed with candy fish! Follow our tutorial to see how to make it — it's easier than you think.

Here's What You'll Need

Food:

3 cake rounds, cooled (choose any recipe you like)

Buttercream frosting (about 2 batches of your favorite recipe/2 store-bought cans)

Fish gummies

Soft candy in white and pink (like taffy or Airheads)

Brown and black food coloring

Tools:

Serrated knife

Offset spatula

Circular cookie cutter

Plastic piping bags (and rubber bands to close them)

Decorating tips (a multi-opening tip, a small round tip and a large round tip)

Waxed paper

Scissors

Skewer or toothpick

Start with 3 Cake Rounds

Bake up your favorite cake recipe — you'll need three layers. Once the cake has cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of each round.

Make Space for the Candy Surprise

Place the first cake round on a serving plate and frost with your favorite light-colored buttercream frosting. Layer the second cake round on top of the first, and place the cake in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to allow the frosting to set.

Then, use a serrated knife to cut out a circle from the center of the cake layers (doing this now, instead of before you stack the cakes, ensures the cutout circles in both rounds line up evenly). Use a cookie cutter as a template by positioning it in the center of the cake and cutting around it.

Pour fish gummies (or any candy you like) into the hole and frost the top of the cake.

Cover Everything Up

Position your third cake round on top to hide the candy.

Frost the Outside

Frost the exterior of the entire cake, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.

Gather Icing and Candy for Decorating

To turn your cake into a smiling cat, get together some more frosting, piping bags and the soft candy.

Grab Your Decorating Tips Too

To get the details of your cat's fur and face just right, you'll need a few specialty piping tips: a multi-opening tip, a large round tip and a small round tip.

Pipe On the Fur

Color a bowl of buttercream frosting with a few drops of brown food coloring (or whatever color you'd like your cat to be). Fill a piping bag with the frosting and insert the multi-opening decorating tip. Pipe in short strokes, beginning on the outer edge.

Keep Piping!

Work your way inward, piping on the rest of the fur. Overlap each new row over the previous one to fully cover the cake (your cat needs a thick coat!). Leave a blank space on the lower half of the cake for the mouth area.

Make the Cheeks

Insert the large round decorating tip into a piping bag and fill halfway with white buttercream frosting. On a piece of waxed paper, pipe two circular mounds and use a small spatula or spoon to mottle the texture a little. Place the cheeks into the fridge for at least 10 minutes to allow the buttercream to harden.

Make the Nose and Lip

Cut out a nose shape from the soft pink candy and add small nostril details with a skewer. For the lip, cut out a tiny sliver.

Start Building the Face

Add two small dollops of white buttercream at the top of the mouth area and position the cheek pieces atop. And a small dollop of buttercream to the back of the nose and position it at the top of the cheeks. Place the lip piece below.

Make Ears

Using scissors, cut two triangles from the soft white candy and two smaller triangles from the soft pink candy. Lay the pink pieces on top of the white ones to create bitty little ears.

Pop 'Em On!

With the ears positioned at the top of the cake, the cat really begins to take shape. Gently press them into the brown "fur" frosting to secure in place.

Draw the Eyes

Dye a small bowl of buttercream frosting with black food coloring, and fill a piping bag fitted with a small round decorating tip. Draw two arches above the cheeks to make the cat's sleepy eyes.

Don't Forget the Whiskers

Fill another piping bag fitted with the small round decorating tip with white buttercream to draw on the finishing touch: three whiskers on each cheek.

Slice and Delight

Place the cake back in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow the frosting and decoration to set. Then serve and expect lots of smiles!

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