My 5 Ultimate Tips for Creating a Spectacular Moana Cake

 

Open Your Eyes, Let’s Begin

Have you thought about making the popular Moana waterfall cake? First and foremost, I’d like to say this was a FUN party theme! I made the Moana waterfall cake myself. My mom made the Malasada donuts. My daughter looked like a beautiful little island girl. The decorations were adorable. The weather was perfect. It was a great day! My daughter begged me for a Moana birthday party and specifically asked for this cake, so I was willing to entertain the idea. Ok, Melianna, hold my beer (but really my coffee…lots and lots of coffee).

1. Bake and Frost a non-Moana Cake (or Three)

Practice makes perfect; or at least less embarrassing. Finishing this cake was a BIG accomplishment for me! I had two toddlers with endless energy. I work one day a week as a registered nurse and consider that my mental health day. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being a mother, but parenting can be draining. Did I mention that I also had NO cake-baking experience before this endeavor? EVERYTHING you see below, I learned for this cake. I took a pretty massive dive into cakes for my daughter. I had never even frosted a cake before this experience. My pictures below showcase my genuine naivety and the challenge I was soon to tackle.

This journey began in mid-August, and Melianna’s birthday was at the end of September. I needed A LOT of practice if I was going to make this cake and not end up on one of those “Nailed It” sites. Thank goodness my husband was on board for this project and willing to help with the kids when he could. I had to start at the beginning (hence those three mini cakes pictured above). Let’s just say I learned what a crumb coat was very quickly. Sad, I know.

2. Find the Perfect Cake Flavor

Once I learned how to bake, layer, frost, and make homemade buttercream, I needed to find the correct flavor profile. My daughter’s favorite flavor for every dessert is strawberry. The recipe I decided to use was from scratch and delightful! My inspiration was a recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction (recipe right here), and I highly recommend checking it out if you are looking for a delicious strawberry cake recipe. I did modify/swap some ingredients in my cakes, but it was her cake recipe with my buttercream.

3. Find the Perfect Frosting Flavor

For the frosting, I decided to be a little extra. I paired it with a caramelized white chocolate Italian buttercream. You are truly missing out if you have never heard of caramelized white chocolate! It is precisely how it sounds, and it is delicious! I heard about it on the Netflix baking show “Sugar Rush.” I learned how to make caramelized white chocolate (aka blonde chocolate) from this YouTube video. The process was a little tedious but, overall, simple.

After I pinned down my recipe, it was time to practice putting the cake together. This cake had several complex elements to consider, and I am no Tetris expert. The nice part about making this cake was that it forgave any visible mistakes. It did not require a smooth frosted look (thank goodness!). I was only practicing that technique because I wanted to be a little extra! The Pirouline cookies did an excellent job of hiding any external imperfections. The top of the cake was mostly covered with crushed graham crackers to simulate sand. Of course, lastly, the entire waterfall was uneven, aka perfect for hiding flaws! In case you are wondering what I used to give the waterfall a “shiny and fluid” look in my final cake, I used piping gel.

4. Practice Assembling the Moana Waterfall Cake

I needed to practice the cake assembly process. Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as just stacking the cakes on top of one another, and then you’re done. It can be quite a process. I decided I wasn’t going through the trouble of baking five practice cakes, so I purchased premade cakes from the grocery store. I scraped the icing off and carefully used a paring knife to cut out the needed circles. Two 8-inch rounds and three 6-inch rounds were the required sizes. I assembled the layers and tiers and then worked on my frosting technique. Here is a photo of my finished “practice cake.” It’s not too bad for a rough draft if you ask me. I could have easily just used this as my final cake, but it wasn’t the right flavor nor close enough to the actual date. DARN! I’m making a mental note for any complex future cakes.

5. Prepare as Much as You Can

As mentioned earlier, I truly enjoyed making this cake for my sweet girl. It was a great learning experience, and I love learning new skills! That being said, it was incredibly stressful launching myself into this unknown territory. I tried my best to prepare, but wouldn’t you know, I was up until 2 am the night before trying to finish. Also, I couldn’t just come home from work and get down to business. My two toddlers needed their momma. I had to start after their bedtime. Shoving all the extra sugar in my mouth to help keep me awake intensified the misery of staying up later than usual. However, this wasn’t exactly something I could put off until morning (not that I would have, anyways). Thank goodness I had already premade and colored the buttercream, pre-baked the cakes using cake pan strips (no leveling needed), and premade the gum paste flowers. Weren’t they cute?

Would I Aim This High Again?

This was a stressful experience for me physically and emotionally. I felt HUNGOVER the day of the birthday party without consuming a drop of alcohol. I’m sure the 10,000 calories of sugar and fat I consumed had nothing to do with that (I don’t recommend it). So, would I go to these great lengths again for an unforgettable cake? That is highly doubtful! I do have a little more experience, though, so I hope the next time wouldn’t be quite as stressful. If you are interested in making a cake like this, below you will find the YouTube video I used as a resource for the decorating process. It is in French, but I still found it incredibly helpful (I don’t speak French). I know there are several videos on YouTube regarding Moana Waterfall cakes, but I found this one most helpful. I appreciated the whimsical yet elegant appearance.

My Final Moana Waterfall Cake

Voila! My daughter’s very own Moana waterfall cake for her 3rd birthday. Her face lit up the moment she saw it, and I will cherish that memory forever. Bonus tidbit: everyone at the party thought my mom was the one who made the cake. I took that as the highest of compliments because her baked goods always look professional and fancy! Anyways, thank you for reading my little Moana waterfall cake adventure. I hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know your thoughts, tips, and tricks in the comment section below.

Are you looking for a way to encourage your child’s independence, creativity, and confidence in the kitchen? If so, take a look at the My First Coloring Cookbook Collection. The recipes are presented in picture format, allowing your child to cook and color in the same book. It’s perfect for any little aspiring chef in your life!