Description
Honors Cap Frosted Cake is a celebration showpiece with 2-3 tiers of moist cake layers (typically 6-inch and 8-inch), covered in ivory vanilla buttercream. It features vintage-inspired piped designs using star and leaf tips, crowned with a handcrafted fondant graduation cap, finished with edible gold dust for an impressive, festive touch—perfect for graduations or milestone events.
Ingredients
- 2–3 cake layers (6-inch and 8-inch pans, flavor of choice)
- 4 cups ivory buttercream (made with real vanilla)
- Fondant (black or in school color, about 8 oz)
- 1 teaspoon tylose powder
- 1 teaspoon edible gold dust
- 1 teaspoon clear alcohol or clear vanilla extract (for gold painting)
Instructions
- Bake cake layers of your chosen flavor using 6-inch and 8-inch pans. Let them cool completely.
- Stack and level cake layers as desired for 2 or 3 tiers. Secure each tier with dowels for stability.
- Cover the stacked cake with ivory buttercream, smoothing the sides and top.
- Fill piping bags with ivory buttercream fitted with star and leaf tips.
- Pipe vintage-inspired patterns (swags, rosettes, leaves) around the cake as desired.
- A few days ahead, knead tylose powder into the fondant and sculpt a graduation cap shape. Allow to dry thoroughly.
- Mix edible gold dust with clear alcohol or extract to create gold paint.
- Once the fondant cap is dry, use a small paintbrush to carefully apply gold accents.
- Place the decorated fondant cap securely atop the frosted cake shortly before serving.
Notes
You can substitute any cake flavor or color to match the celebration; vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet work well. For dietary needs, use dairy-free buttercream and gluten-free cake. Make the fondant cap 1-2 days ahead so it dries properly; add extra tylose for faster setting. Store the finished cake, minus the fondant cap, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If buttercream is too soft for piping, chill slightly. If fondant cracks, massage with a touch of shortening. Gold dust can be swapped for edible metallic spray if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16th of cake)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg