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Today, I’m excited to share with you my latest culinary masterpiece – a stunning 2-tier Great Gatsby Roaring ’20s cake. A few weeks ago, I turned to my lovely virtual friends on Instagram for help in planning my next cake design. The poll results were tied between animal-themed and 1920s-themed cakes. So, after narrowing down the options, the roaring ’20s cake emerged as the clear winner.
In this post, I’ll guide you through the process of creating this fabulous cake, perfect for any decade-themed party or as a gift for friends who appreciate the jazz era and its carefree spirit. So, let’s get started and have some fun!
Roaring ’20s Cake Recipe, Ingredients & Tools Lists
To create your very own roaring ’20s cake, you’ll need the following ingredients and tools. I’ve also included links for easy shopping and reference.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cake (choose your favorite recipe or flavor)
- Buttercream (vanilla American crusting buttercream is recommended)
- Fondant
- Multi-sized edible pearls (optional)
- Gold luster dust
- Clear, food-grade alcohol
Gather The Following Cake Tools & Miscellaneous Decor Items
- 2, 6-inch cake pans
- 2, 4-inch cake pans with a 3″ depth
- Mixing bowls of varying sizes
- Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Cake leveler/wire, turntable, cake scraper, offset spatula, piping bags (available in a kit)
- Wire cooling rack
- Food coloring gels
- Plastic wrap
- Fondant toolset with scallop stamper
- Silicone mat for protecting the work surface
- Food-safe paint brushes
- 1920s-style feather for garnish
How To Assemble & Decorate Your Roaring ’20s Cake
1. Torte, layer, and crumb coat the two tiers individually.
Start by leveling each domed layer of the cake tiers using a wire cake leveler. Add a layer of frosting to the bottom layers and place the respective top layers on them. Assemble each cake tier separately. Apply a generous amount of colored buttercream to the top of each cake and use a spatula to smooth it out, creating a structured corner on the crumb coat. Cover the rest of the sides with frosting, smoothing it with a cake scraper. Refrigerate the cakes until the buttercream is firm.
2. Add the final coat of buttercream.
Apply another layer of buttercream on top and around the sides of each cake. Smooth it down using a cake scraper, filling any holes or gaps with additional buttercream. Refrigerate the cakes until the buttercream is exceptionally hard.
3. Create fondant pearls and a fondant rose.
Roll and flatten a piece of fondant to create same-sized squares. Roll each square into a sphere to create pearls of uniform size. Roll out a thin piece of fondant and cut out teardrop shapes to form the rose petals. Roll the petals together, starting from the smallest one, until the rose is complete. Let the rose and pearls dry.
4. Stack your roaring ’20s cake tiers together.
Once the buttercream has crusted, add a small amount of fresh buttercream to the center of the larger cake tier. Gently lift the smaller cake tier and place it on top of the larger one. You can choose to leave the cakes separate and serve them as a set.
5. Create and add the fondant fringe and scallops.
Color some fondant and roll it into a long, narrow rectangle. Cut short perpendicular lines along the edge to create the fringe. Attach the fringe to the cake, using a small amount of buttercream if necessary. Use a pointed fondant tool to separate the fringe for a natural movement. Roll and cut out three thin strips of fondant to create a braid. Attach the braid to the top of the fringe. Roll out fondant and create scalloped trim pieces using a circular border stamp. Attach the scalloped pieces, starting from the top and working down. Use a rounded fondant tool to press the bottom border for a clean finish.
6. Add your finishing touches.
Attach the fondant pearls to the cake tiers using a bit of buttercream. Place the fondant rose on top and surround it with feathers. In a small bowl, mix gold luster dust with clear, food-grade alcohol to create a paint-like consistency. Decorate the scallops, fringe, pearls, and any other desired areas with the gold garnish.
7. Time to enjoy your roaring ’20s cake!
Congratulations! Your roaring ’20s cake is complete. Remember that American buttercream cakes last at room temperature for 2-3 days and can be refrigerated or frozen after that. Always remind recipients that the feathers are not edible. Share your masterpiece on Instagram and tag me – I’m excited to see your culinary artistry!
Take care and enjoy the party!
XOXO
