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The purpose of this tutorial is to really showcase how you can easily make this solar eclipse design on any dessert using powdered sugar or cornstarch! The recipe below is for a Spicy Pineapple Poke Cake, but this technique would be perfect for Solar Eclipse themed pancakes, brownies, cookies and any other cake recipe. It will work best with dark smooth surfaces. Look for the Purple Font below to skip straight to the simple technique on how to make the Solar Eclipse design!
Be sure to check out my Solar-Eclipse Themed and Glow-in-The-Dark Themed Gift Ideas!
This recipe calls for using boxed cake mix as a base – it works and it’s easy. If you want to easily ‘upgrade’ your cake, then you can follow some of the guidelines at WonderHowTo Food Hacks. You can absolutely make your cake from scratch if you desire! I modified the Pineapple and Habanero Cupcake recipe from Bravado Spice Co. as I didn’t want the cake to be too overpowering in spiciness. [Disclaimer: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of this hot sauce to try out a new recipe. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.] The addition of crushed pineapple was to add a bit more flavor, texture and moisture to the cake. It also complimented the hot sauce perfectly! Plus it makes it a perfect summertime treat!
If you want to know why there are red X’s in the picture of my ingredient list, want to see a very ugly cake or have a good laugh, then you will want to see mypost appropriately called “Creation of the Ugly Non-Glowing Too-Hot Solar Eclipse (Sunflower) Cake“.
What you will need to make a double layered 9″ round cake:
1 Box of Yellow or Pineapple Cake Mix (and ingredients per directions on the box – mine called for 3 eggs and water, and butter was used to grease the cake tins)
1 Tub of White Vanilla Frosting (12 oz)
1 Package of Pre-Packaged Black Fondant (24 oz)
~1/2 Cup of Crushed Pineapple
~2 TBS of Bravado Spice Co. Pineapple and Habanero Hot Sauce
~1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar (to cover work space when rolling out fondant)
~1 TBS of Cornstarch
You will also need to have 2 9″ cake tins, parchment paper, a shot glass, a wooden spoon, a rolling pin, a 10×10″ cake base (cardboard cut-out or book wrapped in cling n’ seal or aluminum foil will work too), a fondant smoother and a UV/blacklight light source.
- Prepare and bake cake mix according to the directions on the box. Grease baking tins. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of cake tins to help them pop out when finished.
- While cake is baking, make Spicy Pineapple Poke Mixture. Add-in ~1 TBS ofBravado Spice Co. Pineapple and Habanero Hot Sauceto 1/4 cup Crushed Pineapple. Add in more hot sauce or crushed pineapple to taste and desired spiciness level.
- Once cake is baked and cooled, poke holes into one of the cake rounds with the handle of the wooden spoon. Be careful not to poke all the way through the cake.
- Spoon Spicy Pineapple Poke mixture into the holes of the cake.
- Add a layer of icing to the top of the cake round and stack the other cake round on top. Repeat steps 3 and 4.
- Trim the cake so that it has smooth sides and that the top is evenly flat. Add a thin coating of frosting around the cake for a crumb coating. Ensure a smooth layer and that imperfections of the cake are hidden.
- Follow the fondant directions (ensuring to knead it extensively and to cover the work area with powdered sugar to avoid it sticking to the table or use a fondant mat) and roll it out so that it will cover the base and cake. Smooth out fondant from the top of the cake to the sides and then the base using your hands and the fondant smoother.
- Remove excess powdered sugar by using a barely damp paper towel (if too much water gets onto the fondant – it will leave a water stain) and buffering the fondant.
- Place shot glass upside down in the middle of cake. Spoon a thin layer of corn starch around the base of the glass. With a clean and dry finger, dip finger into cornstarch and drag towards outer layer of cake to make a starburst pattern. [This technique can be done with powdered sugar too (cornstarch glows better under UV) and can be used on pancakes, brownies, fudge, cookies, etc.!]
- Lightly sprinkle corn starch onto base for the appearance of distant stars in the background.
- Remove shot glass, dim the lights and turn on the UV light to enjoy your Solar Eclipse cake!
Enjoy! Have fun celebrating the solar eclipse this year and be sure to check out fun gift ideas for your solar eclipse enthusiast on my page! (…I also have a page forglow-in-the-dark gift ideastoo!)
One more note! You can use coupon code TAKE10 on www.bravadospice.com for 10% off any of their delicioushot sauces (other flavors include JALAPEÑO AND GREEN APPLE and GHOST PEPPER AND BLUEBERRY) and other products! Thanks Bravado Spice Co.!
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