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–+ servings
Polar Bear Cake
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Polar Bear Cake

This Polar Bear Cake features a moist vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and simple black and white fondant decorations. Perfect for a polar bear or teddy bear birthday or baby shower!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cool Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 or more
Author Meghan

Equipment

  • 1 8-inch cake pan
  • 3 6-inch cake pans
  • 4 Even Bake Cake Strips
  • 1 small fondant rolling pin with guides
  • 1 small circular biscuit cutter
  • 1 large circular biscuit cutter
  • 1 round gold cake board
  • 1 large round piping tip like 2A
  • 1 food grade paint brush optional

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Cake:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter at room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups buttermilk at room temperature

For Decorating:

  • 2-3 batches Easy Vanilla Buttercream see note
  • white rollable fondant or gum paste
  • black rollable fondant or gum paste
  • powdered sugar for rolling fondant
  • iridescent luster dust optional

Instructions

Make the Fondant Ears:

  • It is important to make the ears at least a day in advance of assembling the cake so they have time to dry. If you use gum paste instead of fondant, you may not need as much time.
  • Lightly dust a work surface with powdered sugar. Roll out white fondant into a thin layer using a small fondant rolling pin with guides for even rolling. Press a small biscuit cutter lightly into the fondant to make an impression. Cut around the circle on one side and make a long triangle shape on the other side with a sharp paring knife. Repeat to make a second ear.
    fondant ears for a Polar Bear Cake and a Teddy Bear Cake on a parchment lined baking sheet with a small fondant rolling pin, paring knife and bowl of clear alcohol
  • Set the ears aside to dry at room temperature.

Bake the Cakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Add moist cake baking strips around one 8-inch and three 6-inch round cake pans.
  • Spray the pans with non-stick baking spray containing flour, such as Pam for Baking. Alternatively, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides of the pan and the parchment. Set aside the pans.
    an 8 inch cake pan and three 6 inch cake pans sprayed with nonstick baking spray
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar until fully combined.
  • Add the eggs one at a time. Beat thoroughly after each egg.
  • Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Using a large rubber spatula, fold in ⅓ of the dry ingredients.
  • Add half of the buttermilk and fold until combined, then add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining buttermilk and ending with the rest of the dry ingredients. Small lumps of flour will remain. Take care not to overmix.
    vanilla cake batter in a mixing bowl with a spatula in the bowl
  • Divide the batter evenly between the four pans.
  • Bake the cakes for 15-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This time will vary depending on the size of your cake pans and the thickness of the batter. Reduce the baking time for thin layers. You do not want to overbake this cake, or it will taste dry.
  • Remove the pans from the oven, take off the cake baking strips, and allow them to cool for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto cooling racks to cool completely. Use the 8-inch cake to make cake pops or wrap in plastic wrap and store in freezer in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag for a later use.

Assemble the Cake:

  • Place a 10-inch round cake board on a spinning cake decorating stand.
    a gold cake board next to a bowl of vanilla buttercream
  • Add a small mound of buttercream to the center of a cake board.
    a round gold cake board with vanilla buttercream in the center
  • Place pieces of waxed paper down around the buttercream and put the first cake layer on top. The waxed paper will protect the cake board from getting messy with buttercream. You don't want the paper to be too far under the cake or it will be hard to remove later.
    a single layer of vanilla cake on a gold cake board covered with waxed paper
  • Cover the top of the cake with an even layer of buttercream.
    vanilla buttercream covering a single layer of vanilla cake on a gold cake board
  • Stack another 6-inch cake on top and repeat until all three layers have been stacked.
    a three layer vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream between the layers
  • Break three wooden skewers to a size just smaller than the height of the cake and insert them into the cake in the center and two sides, all in a row. These serve as the supports for the cake to prevent sliding.
    the top of a vanilla layer cake showing where the wooden supports are inserted
  • Apply a thick layer of buttercream to the entire cake.
    a three layer 6-inch cake covered in vanilla buttercream
  • Hold a metal cake scraper at an angle against the side of the cake while spinning the cake stand to smooth the surface, adding extra buttercream to fill in gaps as necessary and smoothing the top as well. Repeat this process until the surface is as smooth as you want. Another option is to pop the cake in the refrigerator to chill the buttercream. Then run the metal scraper under hot water to heat it, dry it off, and smooth the surface of the buttercream with the heated scraper.
  • To make the fondant face, roll out white fondant with a small fondant rolling pin and powdered sugar. Cut the fondant with a large round biscuit cutter.
    white fondant rolled and cut with a large circular biscuit cutter
  • To give the fondant some sparkle, use a food grade paintbrush to apply some iridescent edible luster dust to the surface of the white circle and the two ears (optional).
    a bottle of iridescent edible luster dust
  • Roll black fondant into a thin layer and use a large round piping tip, like a 2A, to cut out two eyes. Free cut a rounded triangle nose with a sharp paring knife.
  • Place a dot of royal icing, melted chocolate or white chocolate, or buttercream on the back of the black nose. Place the nose toward the top of the large white circle.
    a polar bear face made of white and black fondant on a cookie sheet next to a piping tip and food grade paintbrushes
  • Place the circle on the front of the cake toward the bottom third, with the nose at the top. Place the two eyes above the nose.
  • Insert the ears into the top of the cake, pressing until just the rounded portions are visible.
    a polar bear cake on a cake board with waxed paper pieces under the cake to protect the cake board
  • Carefully remove the waxed paper, moving each piece back and forth while pulling to prevent the buttercream from sticking. Discard the paper.
    Polar Bear Cake
  • Refrigerate the cake to set the buttercream before covering loosely with plastic wrap.

Notes

If you don't have buttermilk, you may mix 1¼ cup whole milk with 1¼ tablespoons white vinegar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature before using.
Easy Vanilla Buttercream recipe HERE. One batch is enough to cover two 6-inch cakes. For a 4 layer 6-inch or 3 layer 8-inch cake, you will need at least 3 batches. 
Storage: Store the cake at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If refrigerated, allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving. Cake should be consumed with 2-3 days, ideally earlier.
Cake batter adapted from Sugar Spun Run
You're Gonna Bake It After All
bakeitafterall.com