Horse Cake is a chocolate cake shaped like a horse head. I served it at Fuzz's birthday (may nears ago) and it got a lot of good reviews. Plus it's cute! It's the one birthday cake I'm not ashamed to post. Most of the others are so embarrassing I just took them down (though Chococat is still floating around on Pinterest).
I've recently updated the recipe card because while my old recipe was a good one, you can use any 9x13 inch chocolate cake to make a horse head.
The diagram for carving the horse cake was originally from a pattern on Family Fun, but the link no longer works so I'll do my best to describe it for you below.
Horse Cake Head
You bake the the chocolate cake in a 9x13 inch pan. Let the cake cool, then freeze it so that it will be easy to carve. When the cake is frozen, set it in front of you with the 13 inch side on the bottom. Cut a triangle from the bottom about 4 inches from the left corner. This will be the area between the horse's mouth and neck. Move the triangle to the top to make an ear. Next, you'll need to carve an arch up around the left corner to create the slope of the horse's head. The best way to do this is to look at a lot of horse head cakes and just wing it, but you could also look for a pattern. This cake is just so easy you shouldn't have to.
This is a brown horse, but there's no reason why you can't make a white horse or any other color. Be sure to make a crumb layer, which is a messy first coat that holds in the crumbs before you spread on the fresh layer.
Decorating is the fun part. The horse in the photo has a non-edible googly eye, a bridle made of Sour Strips & a Lifesaver and his nose is a black jellybean.
Recipe
Horse Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 9x13 inch chocolate cake, prepared
Frosting:
- 5 cups frosting. I recommend 4 cups chocolate and 1 cup vanilla.
Instructions
- Freeze the cake slightly to make it easier to carve. It doesn't need to be fully frozen, just frozen long enough so that it is firm. Be sure to wrap it tightly so it doesn't form ice crystals.
- When the cake is frozen, set it in front of you with the 13 inch side on the bottom.
- Carve a triangle from the bottom about 4 inches from the left corner. This will be the area between the horse's mouth and neck. Save the triangle, as it will become the ear.
- Next, you'll need to carve the top left corner into an arch to make the top of the head. Put the triangular shaped piece on top of the arch to make the ear.
- Position the cake on a board so that it kind of looks like a horse head, then spread chocolate icing all over it to hold it together. This is your messy crumb layer. Chill or freeze briefly until firm, then use your crumb-free icing to make the horse's fur and mane.
- Don't forget to give your horse a nose, an eye and a bridle. Candy works well. The horse in the photo has a black jellybean nose and a bridle made with blue sour strips and a red lifesaver for the buckle. His eye is a non-edible googly eye.
Anna says
I emailed this version to Lora and am posting it here.
Vegan Cake (for Horse Cake)
3 cups cake flour (340 grams)
2 cups granulated sugar (398 oz)
2 teaspoons baking soda (10 ml)
1 teaspoon salt (5 ml)
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (51 grams)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (180 ml)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 ml)
2 tablespoons vinegar (30 ml)
2 cups warm water or brewed coffee (I used water since the cake was for kids) (480 ml)
(Frosting Recipe Below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). If you are making a horse cake, line a 13x9 inch pan with non-stick foil.
In a large mixing bowl, six the dry ingredients thoroughly. Add liquid ingredients Mix until uniform, then beat with an electric mixer for about a minute.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes for round pans or 40-45 minutes for 13x9 inch. Let cool on a rack.
Freeze cake. Carve cake while frozen or partially frozen. Frost cake with a thin layer of frosting while frozen. Let it thawn then add another layer of frosting and decorate.
Chocolate Frosting
8 oz vegan butter, softened (such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder – sifted
2 1/2 to 3 cups confectioner’s sugar, measured and sifted
2 tablespoons soy or almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir together softened vegan butter, cocoa and 2 cups of the sugar. Add soy milk and vanilla and stir again. Using high speed of electrix mixer (I use the whipping attachment on my stand mixer), beat icing for a minute. Add the rest of the sugar, adding just until you think it’s the right consistency. Beat for a good 3-5 minutes, scraping side of bowl often, until light and fluffy. Ice the cake.
Lora says
Anna:
May I get your vegan recipe for this cake? My daughter has allergies to milk and eggs. For her second birthday I would love to make this cake.
Thanks -- Lora 🙂
Anna says
Done!
Meaghan says
The cake looks fabulous! I have a daughter with a dairy allergy, could you forward me the vegan version. I would love to make a cake that tastes good for others attending her party.
Thank you so much!
[email protected]
Janice says
Wow!! I can't believe you made that from scratch! You do have an artists touch =) What was the texture of the cake like?
Anna says
Daniela, I emailed you the recipe. Let me know if you did not receive it.
Alison, I don't know about the kids, but the parents sure did like it ;). The kids just wanted to eat it.
Actually, they did seem to really like it. I was worried it would be too chocolate-packed for them, but they ate it all.
Steph, that's what I love about Family Fun. All the cakes look complicated, but are super simple.
Tracy, I used my decorating tubes for the mane.
Carole, I am really not talented at all. The person who thought up the cake shape is the brilliant one. Even an all thumbs decorator can make this cake. Oh, Fuzz is always queen for a day -- all day everyday.
Sandra, just make it. She'll love it.
sandra says
The cake looks great!! Too bad my daughter that loves horses is going to be 18 on her next birthday. Aw....I might just make it anyway. She'll probably get a kick out of it!!
carole says
The cakeis beautiful. As I said before "you are one talented lady" Sounds like all the kids had a wonderful time and that Fuzz was Queen for the day.
The cake sounds wonderful. I may just make it without making it into a horse.
Tracy S says
Great cake, Anna! The mane looks especially delicious.
Hope Fuzz had a great birthday.
Anna says
Hi Meredith,
Dutch process cocoa is neutral (alkalized), which means it doesn't have enough acid to react with baking soda. However, if the recipe has another very acidic ingredient, a leavening reaction will occur. In this case, the other acidic ingredient is the large amount of buttermilk.
meredith says
What a super-looking cake. Quick question about the recipe, thouogh: I thought that Dutch-process cocoa was for recipes w/ only baking powder, or when baking powder quantity is greater than baking soda...am I confused? Doesn't it make a difference in leavening/rise?
stephbachman says
Great looking cake! It looks much harder than the instructions appear. : ) Happy Birthday!
Dani says
Ohhh, I need to make a cake for my neighbors daughter - she has lactose intolerance and a vegan cake sounds like something she should be able to eat.
Could you email me the recipe? daniela AT culinarystudent Dot us