Peacock Cake

My friend, Victoria, asked me to make a Peacock cake for her birthday party at Gardner Village.  It was a Peacock themed birthday party.  There would be 20 - 30 people.  Of course I jumped at the chance.  Who doesn't love peacocks.  I admit, I was a intimidated to make a cake for her because her mother, Jane, is a professional cake artist, so Victoria knows good cake.  She provided the peacock feathers and the cake topper which really pulled the look together and made it sing "I'm a Peacock Cake."

I started with the chocolate mousse filling, as it needed some overnight refrigeration time.  This is an easy chocolate mousse recipe, just 5 ingredients, and it's rich. 

Chocolate Marshmallow Mousse

• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream - whipped
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Cook marshmallows, milk, and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Whisk together until melted and smooth - about 5 min.  Transfer pan to a large bowl of ice water.  Let stand, whisking occasionally until cool and thick - about 15 - 20 min.  In a separate bowl beat whipped cream and vanilla until, well, creamed.  Fold in whipped cream.  Refrigerate 6+ hours or overnight.

Heating up chocolate, marshmallows, and milk.

When they are all melted together transfer to an ice filled large bowl.  It needs to be big enough to fit the pan.  Whisking occasionally, let sit for 15 - 20 minutes until cool and thick.

In a separate bowl make the whipped cream.

Fold in whipped cream into cooled chocolate marshmallow mixture.  Refrigerate overnight.

What you don't see is me eating the chocolate mousse with reckless abandon.  Time for some cake.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

• 2 and 1/3 cup flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 and 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup shortening
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Beat together shortening and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Alternate adding buttermilk with dry ingredients to the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 min.  Makes three round 9" and two round 6" cake pans.

Vanilla Buttercream frosting.  

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup butter, room temperature or softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 Tbs heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbs meringue Powder
• 8 cups powdered sugar
• Beat together shortening, butter, vanilla, and whipping cream.  Mix in Meringue powder and 1 cup or powdered sugar.  Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until well combined.  Add more whipping cream or powdered sugar as needed for the right consistency.

The bottom layer with chocolate marshmallow mousse.

I went with a light green bottom and a light blue top.  Instead of separating the frosting out in three colors, I finished the bottom green layer, added blue food coloring to the remaining frosting to make the blue layer, then added red to make purple for the peacock scroll work.

Top blue.  My yellow fondant flowers are in the background.  I forgot to take pictures exclusively of them.

Added more food coloring for purple.

Draw on happy peacocks.

I think the peacocks look a bit sloppy, but let's call it Impressionist instead.

Completed cake.

I have peacocks on all sides of the cake.

Yellow fondant roses.

Enjoy.