Description

This recipe combines professional French patisserie techniques with playful design to create a tender, strawberry-flecked sponge cake. Utilizing a structured marble batter and precision star-piping, it results in a sophisticated character cake that is as delicious as it is charming.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons skim milk powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (beurre pommade)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
Pink, black, and yellow gel food coloring
4 cups vanilla buttercream icing

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Instructions

Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and skim milk powder into a bowl and whisk to aerate.
In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and reaches the fluffy ribbon stage.
Incorporate the eggs and egg whites one at a time, ensuring a full emulsion after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla, mixing on low speed until just combined.
Divide the batter into two equal portions, tinting one pink, and gently fold the chopped strawberries into both.
Grease the Hello Kitty mold thoroughly and marble the pink and white batters into the pan, leaving an inch of space at the top.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 60 minutes, then rest in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled, use colored buttercream and a star piping tip to decorate the character features, starting with the outlines and filling with uniform stars.

Notes

For the cleanest release from the mold, create a homemade ‘cake goop’ by mixing equal parts flour, vegetable oil, and melted shortening to brush into the pan’s details. Ensure your strawberries are chopped very finely; larger pieces may cause the delicate features of the character mold to crumble during the unmolding process.

Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: French-inspired