Bake and decorate this easy koala cake for a birthday party or any animal-themed event using three round cakes and three colors of frosting.
- 1 (15.5) ounce box white cake mix plus the water, egg whites, and oil called for on the package (SEE NOTES)
- ¼ cup instant white chocolate or vanilla pudding mix (dry powder)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ⅓-1/2 cup black frosting
- ⅓-1/2 cup white frosting
- 2 cups light grey frosting
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
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Grease one 8-inch round cake pan and two 6-inch round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
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Combine the white cake mix with pudding mix, water, egg whites, oil, and sour cream.
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Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
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Pour half of the cake batter into the 8-inch round pan, then divide the remaining cake batter among two 6-inch round pans.
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Bake for 20-26 minutes removing the smaller cakes a few minutes before the larger cake.
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Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then tip them out onto a cooling rack.
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Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
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Cut two ears from the smaller cakes.
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Arrange the three cakes together on a cake board so that the pieces create the koala's head and ears.
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Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #18 open star tip with black frosting.
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Pipe two eyes and a nose onto the large round cake.
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Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #21 open star tip with white frosting and pipe stars over the top of the ears leaving about an inch around the edge.
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Finally, fill a pastry bag fitted with a #21 pastry tip with grey frosting and pipe grey stars over the remainder of the cake including the sides.
CAKE MIX quantity - When I made my koala cake, I used a 15.5-ouce box which made enough cake batter to make an 8-inch round cake and two thin 6-inch round cakes. Cake mix sizes continue to shrink! You can add more flour to your cake mix to make it 15.5 ounces or you can make two cake mixes. If you use 2 mixes, you'll have enough batter to make an extra round cake or some cupcakes.
Store your Koala Cake at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can refrigerate leftovers after that point but your cake will stay moist if left at room temperature. The refrigerator can dry out your cake.
You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months.