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Igloo Cake Recipe


  • Author: Isabella
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This delightful Igloo Cake is a fun and festive treat perfect for winter celebrations. Featuring a soft vanilla cake base shaped like an igloo, it’s frosted with blue-tinted vanilla frosting and decorated with marshmallows to mimic ice blocks. The entryway made from halved store-bought donuts adds a charming touch. Crushed blue rock candy and confectioners’ sugar complete this frosty masterpiece, ideal for impressing family and friends with a unique and delicious dessert.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • Cooking spray, for greasing
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 (15.25-oz.) box vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box (typically eggs, oil, and water)

For the Frosting and Decoration:

  • 1 (16-oz.) container vanilla frosting
  • 3 drops (or more) blue gel food coloring
  • 1 store-bought cake donut, halved
  • 1 (10-oz.) bag regular-sized marshmallows
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • Crushed blue rock candy, for decorating
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pans and Preheat Oven: Arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and an 8-inch ovenproof bowl with rounded bottom using cooking spray. Dust both with all-purpose flour, tapping out any excess.
  2. Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, prepare the vanilla cake mix according to the package instructions, which typically includes adding eggs, oil, and water. Pour a little more than half of the batter into the prepared bowl and the remaining batter into the prepared cake pan.
  3. Bake Cakes: Place the bowl and pan in the oven—arranged on the racks—and bake. Rotate the pan and bowl top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Bake until the cake in the pan is fully cooked and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes.
  4. Finish Baking Dome Cake: Continue baking the cake in the bowl until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes longer than the other cake. Remove both from the oven and invert them onto wire racks to cool completely.
  5. Frosting Preparation and Leveling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the vanilla frosting with blue gel food coloring, adding more drops if needed to achieve the desired shade of blue. Use a serrated knife to level the domed tops of both cakes for better stacking and frosting application.
  6. Assemble Igloo Base: Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake baked in the pan. Carefully place the bowl-baked cake on top of it, flat side down, stacking them to form the igloo shape. Frost the entire cake, covering all sides evenly.
  7. Create and Attach Entryway: Using frosting as glue, adhere one half of the store-bought cake donut to the bottom side of the stacked cake to serve as the entryway. Cover with a thin layer of frosting. Attach the second donut half to extend the entryway and cover it with frosting as well.
  8. Decorate with Large Marshmallows: Using clean kitchen shears, carefully snip the large marshmallows in half lengthwise. Starting from the bottom of the cake, press the cut sides of the marshmallows firmly into the frosting. Pack them closely together in even rows, covering the entire exterior of the igloo shape up to the dome top.
  9. Add Mini Marshmallow Detail: Snip mini marshmallows in half lengthwise and press them into the frosting covering the cake donut entryway, creating a textured snowy effect.
  10. Final Decorations: Sprinkle crushed blue rock candy onto the marshmallow-covered igloo to mimic sparkling ice crystals. Dust confectioners’ sugar lightly over the top and around for a frosted snow effect. Serve and enjoy your whimsical winter igloo cake!

Notes

  • Use an ovenproof bowl with a rounded bottom to create the dome shape of the igloo.
  • Adjust food coloring gradually to achieve your preferred shade of blue for the frosting.
  • Snipping marshmallows in half creates a flatter surface and makes them easier to adhere to the frosting.
  • Let the cakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
  • This cake can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: igloo cake, winter cake, marshmallow cake, vanilla cake, festive dessert, holiday cake