How to Make Perfect Mini Naked Cakes
Treat guests to these scrumptious desserts that almost look too good to eat. Plus, they’re as easy to make as they are pretty.
Tomas Espinoza
Ingredients
- 2 boxes of cake mix (we used vanilla)
- frosting in desired flavor (we used vanilla buttercream)
- small, fresh flowers/buds, for garnish
Materials
- 13x9" baking pan
- parchment paper
- cake knife
- 2 3/4"-round biscuit cutter
- piping bag with round piping tip
- floral snips
Bake the Cake
Bake your favorite cake mix, following the instructions on the box. Be sure to line the baking pan with parchment paper.
Cut the Cake
Remove the cake from the pan by lifting up the parchment paper. Place the cake on your work surface, then using a cake knife, cut the top of the cake off (Image 1) so you have a clean, flat surface (Image 2).
Image 1
Image 2
Cut Cake Rounds
Using the biscuit cutter, start cutting out the cake rounds. You should be able to get several rounds from one sheet cake.
Prep Piping Bag + Tip
Open the piping bag and insert the round tip into the bag so that the decorative tip peeks out the bag opening. Using a spoon or spatula, transfer the frosting into the bag and gently squeeze it, moving the air out of the bag and the frosting down towards the tip.
Frost the First Layer
To create your first cake, place the bottom cake round on a plate and frost the top. Start by frosting it along the outside edge, working your way in a spiral towards the center, then fill in anywhere you may have missed.
Frost the Second Layer
Place the top cake round on the bottom one, pressing down slightly. Then, frost the top round in the same manner. You can get a little fancy with it, since the frosting will be visible under the flowers.
Finish With Flowers
Now that the top is fully frosted, you’re ready to add some flowers. Start by selecting small flowers and greenery in a variety of colors and textures, then trim the stems down to about 1 1/2 inches long. Gently place them into the top of the cake, stems down. You only need a few flowers for each.
Not sure what flowers to use? You can opt for edibles like roses, gardenia, pansies, violets and dandelions, for example. If you choose to use non-edible flowers, be sure to pick them off before diving in.
