There are many types of cakes. Some stand out for their flavors, while others are distinguished by their decoration details. Just as the taste of a cake is important, so is its presentation. In recent years, picture cakes have become quite trendy. Loved by both kids and adults, picture cakes bring smiles to faces. So, have you ever wondered how to make a picture cake? In fact, it’s a fairly simple process, and you can make a picture cake at home with the right ingredients.
When making a picture cake, you first need to prepare a base, just like with other cakes. To make the base, you’ll need to prepare a cake batter. For this, mix eggs, flour, sugar, oil, and milk, and bake the batter in an oven preheated to 180°C. Once the cake is fully baked and has risen, take it out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Once the cake base has cooled, carefully cut it in half horizontally. You can use a long knife for this or even a piece of string. For the latter method, take a long string, wrap it around the cake’s midpoint, and cut it precisely.
After cutting the cake in half, you can moisten the inner layers with fruit juice (e.g., mixed fruit or peach-flavored) or milk. This will give the cake a moist texture rather than a dry one.
Spread whipped cream and chocolate sauce between the layers. If you prefer, you can also add fruit-flavored sauces or pudding—this entirely depends on your taste.
Once you’ve spread the chocolate and whipped cream, slice fresh bananas thinly and place them between the layers. Add strawberries and pistachios for extra flavor. After preparing the filling, carefully place the other half of the cake on top.
Before adding a picture to the cake, you need to cover it with fondant. You can either buy ready-made fondant or make it yourself at home. Choose the color of the fondant as you like, but white is recommended for picture cakes since it helps the picture stand out.
After covering the cake with white fondant, apply cooled jelly on top.
Now it’s time to add the picture to the cake. Special printers designed for bakers can print edible images. These printers use food coloring instead of regular ink to print pictures.
Instead of paper, thin layers of wafer or fondant are placed in the printer. Be cautious, as some unreliable companies in Turkey use regular ink for picture cakes, which contains harmful substances. Similarly, if you’re making a picture cake at home, avoid using low-quality materials.
Once you’ve prepared the picture cake, it may appear matte. To eliminate this effect, you can brush a jelly mixture over the surface to enhance its shine.