How to Make a Purse Cake
Grab your supplies., Melt the marshmallows., Add the sugar., Knead the fondant., Color the fondant for the purse., Color the fondant for the piping., Wrap and rest the fondant., Gather your ingredients and supplies., Prepare the chocolate mixture...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Grab your supplies.
Note that marshmallow fondant should rest overnight before you use it, so make it the day before you plan to make your cake.
To make the fondant, you'll need your ingredients, food coloring, and the following supplies:
Double boiler (large glass bowl and medium saucepan) Hand mixer Plastic wrap Two large sealable plastic bags -
Step 2: Melt the marshmallows.
Fill the bottom of the saucepan with one inch (2.5 cm) of water.
Place the glass bowl on top of the saucepan and add the marshmallows and water.
Heat the double boiler over medium heat.
Stir the mixture regularly, and keep the marshmallows on the heat until they have completely melted. , Remove the melted marshmallows from the heat and place the bowl on a heat-proof surface.
Add 6¼ cups (750g) of the sugar in 1-cup (125-g) increments and beat the mixture on medium-low speed until the sugar is mostly incorporated.
When all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium and mix until everything comes together as a sticky dough.While your beating the mixture, you can also add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla or almond extract for added flavor. , Sprinkle a flat surface with the remaining cup (125 g) of sugar.
Turn the dough out onto the sugared surface.
Coat your hands in the vegetable shortening and knead the dough until all the sugar has been incorporated.If the dough becomes too sticky, add more vegetable shortening to your hands and the counter. , Cut off about one-third of the fondant ball and set it aside.
With the larger portion of fondant, add 10 drops of pink food coloring and knead the color into the dough.If necessary, add more food coloring in 10-drop increments until you achieve the desired color for the body of the purse.
Knead the fondant until the color has been fully incorporated.
Instead of pink, you can use red, blue, brown, green, purple, or any other color you like for the body of the purse. , With the smaller portion of fondant that you set aside earlier, add 10 drops of black food coloring to make the piping, handles, and decorations for the purse.
Knead the food coloring into the dough.
Add another 10 drops of color if necessary.
Continue kneading until the color has been completely worked into the dough.
Instead of black for the accents, you can use any color you like, such as brown, a darker shade of the color you used for the purse, or even gray. , Wrap each ball of fondant tightly in plastic wrap.
Then transfer each wrapped ball to a sealable plastic bag.
Push out all the air and seal the bag.
This will prevent the fondant from drying out.Transfer the fondant to the fridge and let it rest overnight. , You will need a few tools and pieces of kitchen equipment to make your cakes and frosting.
Along with your ingredients, you'll also need:
Small and medium bowl Whisk Stand mixer with paddle attachment Two eight-inch round cake pans, greased Two wire cooling racks , In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water.
Whisk them together to fully combine.
Transfer the bowl to the freezer.Allow the chocolate mixture to chill while you prepare the rest of the batter.
You want to bring it down to room temperature, so leave it in the freezer for about half an hour. , Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and give them a quick whisk.
Add the vanilla and vegetable oil and whisk to combine.
Set the mixture aside as you prepare the dry ingredients. , In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Turn the mixer on low to combine the dry ingredients.
Add in the cubes of butter one at a time, until all the butter has been added and the mixture takes on a sandy texture.If you don’t have a stand mixer, combine everything in a large bowl and mix it with a hand mixer. , Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the other wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
Pour one-third of the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Turn the mixer on low to combine.
When the ingredients start to come together, increase the mixer speed to medium–high and mix for two minutes.
Decrease the speed to low and slowly pour in the remaining wet mixture.
When it has all been added, increase the speed to medium–high speed and mix for 30 seconds. , Divide the batter evenly between the two greased cake pans.
Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes.
The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean but with a few fudgy crumbs.Remove the cakes from the oven when they're done baking and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. , Turn the cakes out onto the wire racks and allow them to cool to room temperature, about one to two hours.
As you wait for the cakes to cool, prepare your frosting., Add the butter to the bowl of the stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl.
Cream it for two minutes with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Add the sugar in half-cup (62.5-g) increments, and mix until it’s fully combined with the butter.
Add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.Finally, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of milk and mix to combine.
If the frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon (15 ml) of milk until the frosting is light, creamy, and easily spreadable.
When you achieve the right consistency, whip the frosting for an additional three to four minutes on medium speed. , Remove the fondant from the fridge and set it aside to warm to room temperature as you assemble, trim, and frost the cake.
The fondant will be easier to work with if it’s warm. , Spread a generous layer of frosting on top of one of the cakes and use a frosting knife to spread it around evenly.
Pick up the second cake with your hands or a spatula, and gently place it on top of the frosted cake.
If you don’t have a frosting knife, you can use a butter knife or a flat knife to spread the frosting. , Cut a two-inch (5-cm) slice off the bottom of the cake to form the base of the purse.
Then cut off a one-inch (2.5-cm) slice from the top.
Stand the cake upright on the bottom cut edge and transfer it to a cake plate or serving platter standing up.
Set aside the cake you cut off to use in another recipe, or to make cake pops. , Use a long knife to shave the edges off the top of the cake.
Slice off all four edges from the top of the cake on a 45-degree angle to create the top of the purse where the flap and handle will be., Cover the top and sides of the cake with a generous layer of frosting.
Use the frosting knife to spread everything around evenly.
You don’t have to worry about it looking pretty, as the fondant will cover the frosting.
The frosting acts like glue for the fondant, and helps it adhere to the cake properly., Sprinkle a flat surface with powdered sugar and turn the pink fondant out onto the sugar.
Roll it out with a fondant roller or regular rolling pin sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Roll the fondant out into a circle with a thickness of one-quarter inch (6.4 mm). , Pick up the fondant and lay it on top of the cake.
Starting at the top and moving down, gently mold the fondant around the cake, smoothing it with your hands as you go.
To get the fondant molded to the edges of the cake, pinch the excess fondant together at the edges and trim off the excess.
Then use your fingers to smooth the seam and mold the fondant to the shape of the cake.
Mold the fondant to the bottom edge of the cake, allowing the excess to spill out beside the cake.
When you’ve covered the cake completely, use a pizza cutter to trim the excess fondant from around the base of the cake. , Turn the black fondant out onto a sugared surface.
Roll it out with the rolling pin into a circle that’s one-quarter inch (6.4 mm) thick.
Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut an open-ended rectangle into the fondant that’s six inches (15 cm) long and four inches (10 cm) wide.
Leave the fourth widthwise edge uncut.For the fourth edge, instead of cutting a straight edge, use a knife to cut a rounded edge for the front of the flap.
Set the flap aside for now. , Roll the remaining black fondant into a long cylinder with a half-inch (175 mm) diameter.
Use the decorating brush to brush a thin layer of water along the base of the cake at the front, and then up and around the front edge of the cake, back to where you started.Press the piping against the cake where you added the water and gently press it into the cake. , Use a decorating brush to cover the flap with a thin layer of water.
Lay the flap over the top center of the cake.
Position the flap over the cake with the squared edges at the back of the cake and the rounded end at the front.
Because the flap went on after, it should be covering the black piping running along the edges on the top of the cake. , From the remaining black fondant, cut a cylindrical strip that’s about eight inches (20 cm) long.
Brush water onto the cut ends of the cylinder and press these into the flap on the top of the cake.
Gently press down on the fondant to secure it in place.
If the handle won’t stay up in an arc, you can lay it down flat against the front or back of the cake. -
Step 3: Add the sugar.
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Step 4: Knead the fondant.
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Step 5: Color the fondant for the purse.
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Step 6: Color the fondant for the piping.
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Step 7: Wrap and rest the fondant.
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Step 8: Gather your ingredients and supplies.
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Step 9: Prepare the chocolate mixture.
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Step 10: Combine the liquid ingredients.
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Step 11: Combine the dry ingredients.
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Step 12: Add the wet ingredients to the dry.
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Step 13: Bake the cakes.
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Step 14: Cool the cakes.
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Step 15: Make the frosting.
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Step 16: Warm the fondant.
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Step 17: Layer the cakes.
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Step 18: Cut the cake.
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Step 19: Shape the top of the cake.
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Step 20: Frost the cake.
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Step 21: Roll out the fondant.
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Step 22: Cover the cake with fondant.
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Step 23: Create the flap.
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Step 24: Add the piping.
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Step 25: Attach the flap.
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Step 26: Add the handle.
Detailed Guide
Note that marshmallow fondant should rest overnight before you use it, so make it the day before you plan to make your cake.
To make the fondant, you'll need your ingredients, food coloring, and the following supplies:
Double boiler (large glass bowl and medium saucepan) Hand mixer Plastic wrap Two large sealable plastic bags
Fill the bottom of the saucepan with one inch (2.5 cm) of water.
Place the glass bowl on top of the saucepan and add the marshmallows and water.
Heat the double boiler over medium heat.
Stir the mixture regularly, and keep the marshmallows on the heat until they have completely melted. , Remove the melted marshmallows from the heat and place the bowl on a heat-proof surface.
Add 6¼ cups (750g) of the sugar in 1-cup (125-g) increments and beat the mixture on medium-low speed until the sugar is mostly incorporated.
When all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium and mix until everything comes together as a sticky dough.While your beating the mixture, you can also add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla or almond extract for added flavor. , Sprinkle a flat surface with the remaining cup (125 g) of sugar.
Turn the dough out onto the sugared surface.
Coat your hands in the vegetable shortening and knead the dough until all the sugar has been incorporated.If the dough becomes too sticky, add more vegetable shortening to your hands and the counter. , Cut off about one-third of the fondant ball and set it aside.
With the larger portion of fondant, add 10 drops of pink food coloring and knead the color into the dough.If necessary, add more food coloring in 10-drop increments until you achieve the desired color for the body of the purse.
Knead the fondant until the color has been fully incorporated.
Instead of pink, you can use red, blue, brown, green, purple, or any other color you like for the body of the purse. , With the smaller portion of fondant that you set aside earlier, add 10 drops of black food coloring to make the piping, handles, and decorations for the purse.
Knead the food coloring into the dough.
Add another 10 drops of color if necessary.
Continue kneading until the color has been completely worked into the dough.
Instead of black for the accents, you can use any color you like, such as brown, a darker shade of the color you used for the purse, or even gray. , Wrap each ball of fondant tightly in plastic wrap.
Then transfer each wrapped ball to a sealable plastic bag.
Push out all the air and seal the bag.
This will prevent the fondant from drying out.Transfer the fondant to the fridge and let it rest overnight. , You will need a few tools and pieces of kitchen equipment to make your cakes and frosting.
Along with your ingredients, you'll also need:
Small and medium bowl Whisk Stand mixer with paddle attachment Two eight-inch round cake pans, greased Two wire cooling racks , In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water.
Whisk them together to fully combine.
Transfer the bowl to the freezer.Allow the chocolate mixture to chill while you prepare the rest of the batter.
You want to bring it down to room temperature, so leave it in the freezer for about half an hour. , Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and give them a quick whisk.
Add the vanilla and vegetable oil and whisk to combine.
Set the mixture aside as you prepare the dry ingredients. , In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Turn the mixer on low to combine the dry ingredients.
Add in the cubes of butter one at a time, until all the butter has been added and the mixture takes on a sandy texture.If you don’t have a stand mixer, combine everything in a large bowl and mix it with a hand mixer. , Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the other wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
Pour one-third of the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Turn the mixer on low to combine.
When the ingredients start to come together, increase the mixer speed to medium–high and mix for two minutes.
Decrease the speed to low and slowly pour in the remaining wet mixture.
When it has all been added, increase the speed to medium–high speed and mix for 30 seconds. , Divide the batter evenly between the two greased cake pans.
Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes.
The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean but with a few fudgy crumbs.Remove the cakes from the oven when they're done baking and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. , Turn the cakes out onto the wire racks and allow them to cool to room temperature, about one to two hours.
As you wait for the cakes to cool, prepare your frosting., Add the butter to the bowl of the stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl.
Cream it for two minutes with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Add the sugar in half-cup (62.5-g) increments, and mix until it’s fully combined with the butter.
Add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.Finally, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of milk and mix to combine.
If the frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon (15 ml) of milk until the frosting is light, creamy, and easily spreadable.
When you achieve the right consistency, whip the frosting for an additional three to four minutes on medium speed. , Remove the fondant from the fridge and set it aside to warm to room temperature as you assemble, trim, and frost the cake.
The fondant will be easier to work with if it’s warm. , Spread a generous layer of frosting on top of one of the cakes and use a frosting knife to spread it around evenly.
Pick up the second cake with your hands or a spatula, and gently place it on top of the frosted cake.
If you don’t have a frosting knife, you can use a butter knife or a flat knife to spread the frosting. , Cut a two-inch (5-cm) slice off the bottom of the cake to form the base of the purse.
Then cut off a one-inch (2.5-cm) slice from the top.
Stand the cake upright on the bottom cut edge and transfer it to a cake plate or serving platter standing up.
Set aside the cake you cut off to use in another recipe, or to make cake pops. , Use a long knife to shave the edges off the top of the cake.
Slice off all four edges from the top of the cake on a 45-degree angle to create the top of the purse where the flap and handle will be., Cover the top and sides of the cake with a generous layer of frosting.
Use the frosting knife to spread everything around evenly.
You don’t have to worry about it looking pretty, as the fondant will cover the frosting.
The frosting acts like glue for the fondant, and helps it adhere to the cake properly., Sprinkle a flat surface with powdered sugar and turn the pink fondant out onto the sugar.
Roll it out with a fondant roller or regular rolling pin sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Roll the fondant out into a circle with a thickness of one-quarter inch (6.4 mm). , Pick up the fondant and lay it on top of the cake.
Starting at the top and moving down, gently mold the fondant around the cake, smoothing it with your hands as you go.
To get the fondant molded to the edges of the cake, pinch the excess fondant together at the edges and trim off the excess.
Then use your fingers to smooth the seam and mold the fondant to the shape of the cake.
Mold the fondant to the bottom edge of the cake, allowing the excess to spill out beside the cake.
When you’ve covered the cake completely, use a pizza cutter to trim the excess fondant from around the base of the cake. , Turn the black fondant out onto a sugared surface.
Roll it out with the rolling pin into a circle that’s one-quarter inch (6.4 mm) thick.
Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut an open-ended rectangle into the fondant that’s six inches (15 cm) long and four inches (10 cm) wide.
Leave the fourth widthwise edge uncut.For the fourth edge, instead of cutting a straight edge, use a knife to cut a rounded edge for the front of the flap.
Set the flap aside for now. , Roll the remaining black fondant into a long cylinder with a half-inch (175 mm) diameter.
Use the decorating brush to brush a thin layer of water along the base of the cake at the front, and then up and around the front edge of the cake, back to where you started.Press the piping against the cake where you added the water and gently press it into the cake. , Use a decorating brush to cover the flap with a thin layer of water.
Lay the flap over the top center of the cake.
Position the flap over the cake with the squared edges at the back of the cake and the rounded end at the front.
Because the flap went on after, it should be covering the black piping running along the edges on the top of the cake. , From the remaining black fondant, cut a cylindrical strip that’s about eight inches (20 cm) long.
Brush water onto the cut ends of the cylinder and press these into the flap on the top of the cake.
Gently press down on the fondant to secure it in place.
If the handle won’t stay up in an arc, you can lay it down flat against the front or back of the cake.
About the Author
Grace Simmons
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
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