Jessie Taylor
There are two types of candle cakes: cakes that look like candles and cakes that are shaped like candles and can be burned. To make a cake that looks like a candle, you can use a cake recipe of your choice and decorate it with buttercream and chocolate ganache to resemble melting wax. Alternatively, you can create a cake-shaped candle by melting and reshaping store-bought candles or using plain wax, dye, and scent. This project is simple and inexpensive, perfect for celebrating Halloween or the holidays.
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What You'll Learn
Baking the cake layers
To bake the cake layers, you will need to prepare your cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and greasing the paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
For a Noir Candle Cake, you will need two 6-inch cake pans, and for each pan, you will pour 1 cup of batter. The cakes will need to bake for 30-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remember to rotate the pans halfway through and then remove the cakes from the oven.
For a Melted Candle Cake, you will need a 9x9-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
If you are making three separate candle cakes, as described by Yolanda Gampp, you will need different-sized pans and varying amounts of batter for each cake. For the chocolate cake, use a 4-inch round pan and 0.5 pounds of batter, baking for 30 minutes. For the vanilla spice cake, use a 5-inch round pan and 1 pound of batter, baking for 50 minutes. And for the pumpkin spice cake, use a 6-inch round pan and 1.5 pounds of batter, baking for 1 hour and 5 minutes.
Let your cakes cool completely in their pans before removing and levelling them.
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Making the buttercream
To make the buttercream for a candle cake, you will need butter, black cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. If you are making a vanilla buttercream, you will need vanilla cake, heavy cream, and white chocolate chips. For a chocolate buttercream, you will need chocolate cake, heavy cream, and chocolate chips. For a pumpkin spice buttercream, you will need pumpkin spice cake, ginger buttercream, copper, orange, and brown food colouring. For an apple spice buttercream, you will need vanilla cake and ivory food colouring.
First, beat the butter in a mixing bowl until it is light and fluffy. Then, sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, and mix until combined. Next, add milk and beat until the mixture is smooth. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Finally, mix in vanilla.
If you are making a vanilla buttercream, combine heavy cream and white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add this mixture to your vanilla buttercream.
If you are making a chocolate buttercream, follow the same steps as for the vanilla buttercream, but use chocolate cake instead of white chocolate chips.
If you are making a pumpkin spice buttercream, mix copper, orange, and brown food colouring into your buttercream until you reach the desired colour.
If you are making an apple spice buttercream, mix ivory food colouring into your buttercream until combined.
Once you have made your chosen flavour of buttercream, it is time to assemble your candle cake. Spread a layer of buttercream on top of one of your cake layers. Place another cake layer on top, and repeat until all your cake layers are stacked. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the sides of the cake, then chill the cake until it is firm.
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Assembling the cake
Now that you've baked your cake layers, it's time to assemble your candle cake! Here's a step-by-step guide to putting it all together:
Step 1: Once your cake layers are cooled, use a knife to loosen the edges from the pan. This will make it easier to remove the cake layers without breaking them. You can also use a 4 1/4 inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles from the cake layers, creating a uniform shape for stacking.
Step 2: Prepare your frosting or buttercream. For a chocolate buttercream, mix butter, black cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth and fluffy. You can adjust the consistency by adding milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. For a white chocolate ganache, melt white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate with heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth.
Step 3: If you're creating a stacked cake, it's important to stabilize the layers. Use a small amount of frosting or buttercream on the bottom of each layer before placing another cake layer on top. Repeat this process until you've stacked all your layers. For a semi-homemade vanilla cake, fill and stack the layers with vanilla buttercream.
Step 4: After stacking the layers, it's time to frost the entire cake. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a generous amount of frosting or buttercream. Use a spatula to smooth out the frosting and create a uniform surface. You can also use a bench scraper to achieve a neater finish.
Step 5: For a dripping candle effect, chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. This will help the frosting set and create a firmer surface for the drips.
Step 6: To create the dripping effect, melt some white chocolate or ivory candy melts and mix with warm water. Pour the mixture into a squeeze bottle and drizzle it down the sides of the chilled cake. For a more distinct drip, freeze the cake after adding two layers, then add the remaining layers and freeze again before adding the drips.
Step 7: To transform your cake into a candle cake, create a hole in the center of the cake using a skewer. Insert a tall candle, a white birthday candle, or a tea light candle. You can light the candle just before serving to create a stunning and unique presentation.
Your candle cake is now ready to be enjoyed! Impress your friends and family with this creative and delicious dessert.
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Creating the chocolate drip
To create the chocolate drip, you'll need white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, and heavy whipping cream. You can also add gel food colouring to create a specific colour for the drip, such as ivory or bright white.
Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it until the chocolate has melted. You can also use a double boiler to melt the chocolate if you prefer. Stir the mixture until it is smooth and well-combined. If you're using food colouring, add a few drops and stir until you achieve your desired colour.
The consistency of the chocolate drip is important. It should be fluid enough to drip down the sides of the cake, but not too thin that it runs off completely. You can adjust the consistency by adding a small amount of warm water to the mixture.
Once your cake is prepared with its layers and frosting, you can begin to create the drip effect. Using a spoon or squeeze bottle, start by dripping the chocolate around the top edge of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. You can guide the drips with your spoon or spread them with a spatula if needed.
If you want a more controlled drip, you can chill your cake beforehand so that the chocolate sets more quickly as you apply it.
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Adding the candle
Firstly, you will need to create a hole for the candle to sit in. To do this, cut out a small portion of cake from the top layer. This can be done with a knife or a small offset spatula. Ensure that the hole is deep enough so that the candle sits securely, but not so deep that it risks compromising the structure of the cake.
Next, place the candle inside the hole. Tea light candles are a good option, as they are small and discreet, and will burn for a long time. If you want a taller candle, you can use a skewer to create a hole down the centre of the cake, and place a taller candle inside.
Once the candle is in place, you can light it, and your cake will truly resemble a melted candle! Just be sure to exercise caution when lighting the candle, and ensure that the flame does not come into contact with any part of the cake.
Finally, you can add some extra decorations to the cake, such as drips of white chocolate ganache, to enhance the melting candle effect.
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