Sheep birthday cake

2 x 23cm/9in round cake tins

White card

Icing bag with a star nozzle

How to Make Sheep Cake?

Making a sheep cake is a delightful and creative process. This sheep cake recipe shows how to prepare the cake and decorate. Start by baking two round cakes and stacking them with a layer of strawberry jam in between. Then, cover the cake with vanilla frosting and create swirls to mimic wool. Add marshmallow ears, nose, and chocolate pen details for the face. For more variety, explore the creative and themed variations of the recipe below.

Level Your Cakes

Creating a stable foundation is crucial for your sheep cake's appearance. Use a cake leveler or a serrated knife to carefully trim the tops of your baked cakes. This ensures that they are even and flat, allowing for easy stacking and a polished final look.

Smooth Icing

Achieving a flawlessly smooth layer of icing is an art in itself. For a pristine finish, consider using a bench scraper along with the palette knife or spatula. Dip the scraper in hot water, dry it, and then hold it against the cake's sides while turning the cake on the turntable. This technique helps create a professional-grade smoothness.

Marshmallow Placement

When adding the marshmallow ears and nose, apply gentle pressure to embed them slightly into the frosting. To make them adhere securely, use a tiny amount of frosting on the back of each marshmallow as "glue." This ensures that your sheep's facial features stay in place and look well-integrated.

Practice Piping

Creating those elegant swirls with a piping bag takes practice. Start with a steady, even pressure on the bag while rotating the cake on the turntable. Practice piping on a piece of parchment paper to familiarise yourself with the technique before moving to the cake. The more you practise, the more consistent and beautiful your swirls will become.

Consistent Colouring

Maintaining consistent colour across your frosting can be a bit tricky. To achieve this, start by mixing a large batch of frosting with the desired colour. If you need more frosting, recreate the same shade by mixing equal parts of your original batch and the new batch. This helps you achieve a seamless and uniform appearance.

Fondant Fun

Take your sheep cake to the next level by using fondant to create additional decorations. Craft a fondant bow tie, flower crown, or even tiny glasses to give your sheep cake a unique personality.

• To make fondant decorations, knead the fondant until pliable and roll it out.
• Cut out shapes like bowties, flower crowns, or glasses using cookie cutters or a knife.
• Attach these fondant pieces to your sheep cake using a small amount of frosting as adhesive.

Flavorful Twist

While strawberry jam is a classic choice, experiment with different fruit jams or preserves. Raspberry, blueberry, or apricot jam can add new layers of flavour to your cake.

• After assembling the cake layers, consider spreading layers of different jams for a flavorful surprise in every bite.
• Mixing a tablespoon of liqueur into the jam can also add an extra layer of sophistication.

Colored Sheep

While traditional sheep are white, don't be afraid to play with colours. Use coloured frosting or edible food colouring to create a rainbow sheep cake or a sheep with a whimsically coloured wool.

• Divide your vanilla frosting into portions and colour each one differently.
• Apply the coloured frosting in sections on the cake to create a multicoloured wool effect.
• You can even make a tie-dye sheep cake by blending the colours together slightly.

Cupcake Cuties

Short on time or looking for individual servings? Adapt the sheep cake recipe into cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with frosting swirls, marshmallow ears, and chocolate pen features.

• Fill cupcake liners with batter and bake them according to the recipe.
• After they've cooled, pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. When decorating cupcakes, load the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle to the cupcake and apply even pressure to create the swirl effect.
• For the sheep's facial features, use the same mini marshmallow and chocolate icing techniques mentioned in the main recipe.

Easter Delight

For an Easter-themed twist, add pastel-coloured eggs around your sheep cake. These can be made from fondant, chocolate, or even mini candy-coated chocolates, adding a festive touch to your creation.

• To create an Easter-themed sheep cake, use pastel-coloured marshmallows to make the sheep's ears and nose.
• Arrange small candy-coated chocolate eggs around the base of the cake to simulate an Easter egg hunt. 
• When placing the candy-coated chocolate eggs around the cake, press them gently into the frosting to ensure they stay in place. You can arrange them in a circular pattern or scatter them for a playful effect.