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Take my favourite (and simplest) chocolate cake recipe, pair it with our printable Mermaid Tail Baking Template, some luscious vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream, and icing colours of your choice – and you’ve got the makings of a truly impressive mermaid-themed cake!
I made this one for my daughter’s birthday and it was a hit with everyone at her under-the-sea pool party. It was surprisingly easy to put together, and now I’m sharing my step-by-step tips so you can make your own. You can choose colours to match your party theme or go with the recipient’s favourites.
I use my one-bowl chocolate cake recipe for this. The DoughCuts Mermaid Tail Baking Template is quite long – 38 cm (15 in) – so I divided the batter between two large rectangular baking trays. You’ll need trays with sides, but they don’t have to be high (mine were only about 1.5 cm tall).
Tip: If your trays are shorter than 38 cm, simply trim the body end of the template to fit. No need to buy special tins – use what you already have.
Once baked, chill the cakes in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cutting out the mermaid tail shapes. Chilled cake is so much easier and neater to cut.
After chilling, cut out your shapes using the template. Keep one piece in the fridge to stay firm while you work. Place the other onto your serving platter or cake board.
Using a 13 mm round piping nozzle, pipe the first layer of buttercream in rows of colour – I used four different shades and repeated them along the cake.
After chilling, cut out your shapes using the template. Keep one piece in the fridge to stay firm while you work. Place the other onto your serving platter or cake board.
Using a 13 mm round piping nozzle, pipe the first layer of buttercream in rows of colour – I used four different shades and repeated them along the cake.
Carefully lift your second mermaid tail layer on top. Pipe a row of buttercream dollops (or dots) in your chosen colours, then gently press each one with an offset spatula to flatten into “scales”. Repeat row by row until the body is covered.
For the tail fin, I piped one solid colour and smoothed the top for a neat finish.
Once decorated, chill your cake in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Remove it about an hour before serving so the buttercream softens slightly for the perfect texture and flavour.
You can grab your own Printable Mermaid Tail Baking Template here and start creating your own mermaid-themed masterpiece. Please let me know if you make your own mermaid tail cake, I'd love to see pics of your creation.
Happy baking 💙
DoughCuts
15-20
Cake
A super simple chocolate cake recipe with a delicious vanilla swiss meringue buttercream.
This cake works really well with gluten-free flour if required. I use the pre-prepared gluten free baking flour from the supermarket.
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease 2 x baking trays or tins and line the bottom and sides with baking (parchment) paper.
Place all the cake ingredients into a food processor or bowl of electric mixer and mix until well combined. Pour into the 2 prepared baking pans.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the cakes have risen and spring back with gently touched.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before refrigerating in the cake tins. Ensure the cakes are very cold before attempting to cut them into shape.
Carefully remove your cakes from the pans. Using your mermaid cake template, place the template on top of the cake and carefully cut around the shape using a sharp, serrated knife. Place the cut shapes back into the fridge while you make the buttercream filling. This keeps the cakes firm for handling.
Combine the egg whites and sugar in a clean heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly.
Constantly whisk the sugar and egg mixture with a whisk until the mixture reaches about 65°C. If you don't have a thermometer you can rub some mixture between your fingers and if the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to touch, it's ready.
Remove the bowl from the heat and beat until white, fluffy and cool with an electric mixer. This step will take between 10 - 15 minutes usually. We are looking for stiff peaks.
When the bowl feels cool to the touch (you can chill it if you wish to make sure it's cool, you do not want the butter to melt). start adding the butter a piece at a time and beat well between each addition. Don't worry if the mixture looks split or soupy, just keep beating and it will eventually become smooth.
Add the vanilla extract and beat until completely smooth.
Separate the buttercream into different bowls (the number of different bowls depends on the number of different colours you’d like to use). Using a gel food colour, add a few drops at a time to colour the buttercream into your desired shades.
Place one cake cutout on a board or platter and pipe the buttercream on top using your choice of nozzle. I've used a 13mm round nozzle.
Place the second layer of cake on the first layer and pipe one row of small icing dollops.
Using an offset spatula carefully push the icing down to create the “scales” effect.
Repeat with remaining rows of icing, pushing down each row of dollops as you go.
Pipe dollops on the fins of the mermaid tail and smooth the top with your spatula.
Chill your cake, covered, in the fridge until your ready ti host your event. I recommend taking the cake out of the fridge around an hour before serving so the buttercream has a chance to soften slightly for the perfect mouth feel and deliciousness.
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