Recipe

Galaxy Cake That Will Blow You Out of This World

By Paige Marie Rodgers at American University

"To infinity…and beyond!" - Buzz Lightyear.

Blast off into space with this galaxy cake. Not only will you enchant your guests with a beautiful galaxy outside the cake, but shock them when you cut into the cake revealing a solar system inside.

Galaxy Cake

  • Prep Time: 1 hr
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
  • Servings: 12
Ingredients
  • 9 tablespoons vanilla
  • 4 1/2 cups milk
  • 6 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cup butter
  • 12 eggs
  • 9 cups flour
  • 6 tablespoons baking powder
  • 3 cups butter
  • 3 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 48 ounces confectioners sugar
  • 6 tablespoons milk

Photo by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 1

First, make the cake batter. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Set the mixture aside. Combine the dry ingredients; flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Finally, slowly add the milk to the mixed batter.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 2

Divide the batter into various pans. Color each pan according to the planets you wish to use. I used red, brown, purple, yellow, and green (I added blue and green dye together to make earth). Bake each pan for 30-40 minutes at 350° F.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 3

Once the cakes are cooled, remove the caramelization from the outside of the cake. Using round cutters (I used icing tips and a toothpick container) cut the cakes to the size of planets you want. If you would like to include Saturn's rings, cut the circle of the planet and two rectangular strips of cake.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 4

Using three rectangular pans, add black cake batter to the bottom half of the pan, place three planets on top of the batter. If necessary, bake the cake for 15 minutes at 350° F. Finally, add another layer of black batter to cover the planets. Bake each pan for another 15-30 minutes at 350° F.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 5

As the cakes are baking, make the frosting using butter, confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 6

Once the cakes have cooled, remove the caramelization, stack, and frost using black frosting.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 7

Don't have time to make a mirror glaze or a fondant layer? Then, make a mess with various icing colors and splattered white stars. Using blue, purple, and pink icing, spread the colors on the black icing. Make the stars by splattering a mixture of vodka and pearl luster dust onto the cake.

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers

Step 8

Enjoy!

GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers