Get ready to turn your baking skills into a frosty masterpiece with this easy polar bear cake! I’ve laid out all the tricks and tips to make your polar bear cake the star of your next gathering so all the guests at the party will be bear-y impressed!
This light vanilla cake covered in buttercream frosting is a great recipe for a beginner to start with and only requires one piping tip. So, let’s chill out and get baking!
How To Make A Polar Bear Cake
Step 1) Preheat Your Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour one 9 inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Step 2) Cream the Butter and Sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 3-4 minutes.
Step 3) Add Eggs and Vanilla:
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Step 4) Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 5) Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed, just until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense.
Step 6) Pour into Pan:
Pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top and make it level.
Step 7) Bake:
Place the cake pan into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking times can vary, so keep an eye on it.
Step 8) Cool:
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you’re making your cake in advance, once it’s room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge or freezer.
Step 9) Make Polar Bear Ears
To make the polar bear ears for this cake, melt about ½ a cup of white candy melts according to the package instructions. I put mine in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power for a minute and then 20 seconds at a time until they were melted.
Draw circles with a flat bottom (or semi-circles) on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper then flip it over so you can put the melted candy on top of the side with no ink.
Put the melted candy melts in a piping bag and cut the tip off, pipe them into the shape you made for the ears. You can smooth out the melted chocolate with the back of a spoon. Set them aside and let them cool completely. Don’t make them too thin or they’ll be more prone to breaking.
Step 10) Make Frosting
In a large bowl, combine 7 cups of powdered sugar, 2 cups of unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and up to ¼ cup of cream or milk. Start on a low speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer then work your way up to a high speed until the white icing is fluffy and well mixed. Mixing will take a few minutes.
Step 11) Color Frosting
Remove ¼ cup of your white vanilla frosting and divide it into two small bowls. Add black food coloring to one portion until the frosting is black for the polar bear’s eyes and nose.
Instead of adding black food coloring to your second bowl, add a small spoonful of your black frosting to your second small bowl of white frosting to make gray. You can always make it darker as needed.
Step 12) Cut & Frost Cake
Take your cooled 9 inch round cake and cut it in half to give you two semi-circles. Add frosting to one semi-circle and stack the second on top so you have a two-layer cake.
Add a layer of frosting to the flat edge of the double-layer cake to make it sturdy and then stand it on that edge on top of a cake board or flat serving plate.
Frost the entire outside of the cake with a crumb coat of white frosting. This layer traps in any crumbs and will give you a smoother, more even surface to decorate on.
Step 13) Place White Chocolate Polar Bear Ears
If your white chocolate polar bear ears are round, cut the bottom to make them capable of sitting flat on top of the cake.
Put white frosting inside a piping bag with a #21 small open star piping tip and make two rows of thick frosting for the ears to sit on top of. Then add additional frosting on top of the first layer behind the ears and the sides for extra support.
Step 14) Outline The Details
Use a toothpick to score the face of the polar bear cake so you know which areas you will be frosting with black, gray, and white. Lightly draw in two circular eyes, a larger half circle for the gray muzzle area and a small oval for the black nose.
Step 15) Decorate With White Frosting
Use your #21 small open star piping tip and a piping bag of white frosting to outline the details you scored with the toothpick so you don’t accidentally cover them.
Work your way across the top and sides of the cake adding white stars over the whole cake to look like polar bear fur.
Add white frosting to the top and back of the cake using white stars.
Step 16) Add Frosting Details
Take your small star piping tip out of the piping bag of white frosting and clean it off and ready to use with a piping bag full of gray frosting.
Add your light gray frosting to the front of the cake where you previously marked it.
Once your gray is finished, remove the star tip and clean it again to get it ready for the black details. Use your star tip, and a piping bag of black frosting to pipe black stars to form the nose and eyes.
Lastly, use one final piping bag with no tip inside and the rest of your black frosting. Cut the very tip off the bag to make a small round hole and add eyebrows to the face of your polar bear cake.
Enjoy your adorable creation!
More Christmas Fun:
Polar Bear Cake Tips & Tricks
White Chocolate Polar Bear Ears
You’ll notice that I traced full circles on my parchment paper and then had to trim the cooled chocolate to make a flat edge. Instead, draw circles with a flat edge on the bottom so you don’t have to cut them at all. It’ll save you a bit of time.
If you’re having issues piping the melted white candy melts onto your parchment paper, put them back in their bowl and add a teaspoon of neutral flavored vegetable oil like sunflower or canola oil. Don’t use olive oil as it affects the taste.
Adding oil to your candy melts will help make them a more liquid consistency so you can pipe them into a shape more easily. The white chocolate ears don’t have to be smooth; polar bears are fuzzy!
If you’re having a hard time getting the white ears to stay on top of the head, try adding more frosting to support them.
Cake Crumb Coating Tips
If you’re having issues getting a smooth crumb coat on your cake, it could be the consistency of your frosting. Your frosting should be not too thick and not too thin. To get it just right, add a small amount of milk or cream to your frosting if it’s too thick, or a bit of powdered sugar if it’s too thin. Aim for a spreadable but not runny texture.
Before you start the crumb coat, ensure your cake is properly chilled. This makes the cake firmer, reducing the likelihood of crumbs mixing with the frosting.
I find it helpful to use a piping bag for the crumb coat. This allows for better control and more even distribution of the frosting. Once you have a lumpy layer of frosting on your cake, use an offset cake spatula to smooth it out. Work from the center toward the edges to keep the crumbs locked in.
Tips For Piping Stars
Put a small amount of frosting in your piping bag at a time. You can refill the same piping bag with more frosting as you go. The heat from your hand will warm up your frosting as you’re making stars.
If you find that as you’re frosting the polar bear cake, the frosting gets too runny and warm, it won’t hold its shape. Take a break and put the piping bag in the fridge for a couple of minutes then start again.
If your piping bag is really hard to squeeze, or the stars aren’t sticking well to your cake, the frosting is probably too thick or too cold. Warm up the piping bag with your hands and try again, or put the frosting back in your bowl, mix it with more milk and try again.
Vanilla Or Chocolate Cake?
You could technically use a chocolate cake if you prefer, as long as you have a thick layer of frosting that covers your entire cake; the outside should still be white. You can also use a box of vanilla cake mix instead of this recipe from scratch. It won’t affect the end result.
Final Thoughts On Making an Easy Polar Bear Cake
If you follow my simple steps, you’ll have your own cute polar bear cake whipped up in no time. I put together this adorable polar bear cake for a special birthday party. It’s also a wonderful cake for Christmas parties, winter get-togethers and special occasions for kids who love animals.
Whatever your reason is for making this cake, it’s going to be a brrrrrr-illiant addition to your dessert table and it’s sure to make your guests smile!
Easy Polar Bear Cake
Equipment
- bowls
- spoons
- Offset spatula
- #21 Piping Tip
- piping bags
- 9 Inch Round Cake Pan
- Electric mixer
- Parchment paper
- cake board
Ingredients
Frosting & Decorations
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups of butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Black food coloring
- ½ cup White candy melts
Cake Ingredients
- 1.5 cups of All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup of Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup of Whole Milk
- 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of Salt
Instructions
Step 1) Preheat Your Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour one 9 inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Step 2) Cream the Butter and Sugar:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 3-4 minutes.
Step 3) Add Eggs and Vanilla:
- Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Step 4) Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 5) Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed, just until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense.
Step 6) Pour into Pan:
- Pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top and make it level.
Step 7) Bake:
- Place the cake pan into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking times can vary, so keep an eye on it.
Step 8) Cool:
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If you’re making your cake in advance, once it’s room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge or freezer.
Step 9) Make Polar Bear Ears
- To make the polar bear ears for this cake, melt about ½ a cup of white candy melts according to the package instructions. I put mine in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power for a minute and then 20 seconds at a time until they were melted.
- Draw circles with a flat bottom (or semi-circles) on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper then flip it over so you can put the melted candy on top of the side with no ink.
- Put the melted candy melts in a piping bag and cut the tip off, pipe them into the shape you made for the ears. You can smooth out the melted chocolate with the back of a spoon. Set them aside and let them cool completely. Don’t make them too thin or they’ll be more prone to breaking.
Step 10) Make Frosting
- In a large bowl, combine 7 cups of powdered sugar, 2 cups of unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and up to ¼ cup of cream or milk. Start on a low speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer then work your way up to a high speed until the white icing is fluffy and well mixed. Mixing will take a few minutes.
Step 11) Color Frosting
- Remove ¼ cup of your white vanilla frosting and divide it into two small bowls. Add black food coloring to one portion until the frosting is black for the polar bear’s eyes and nose.
- Instead of adding black food coloring to your second bowl, add a small spoonful of your black frosting to your second small bowl of white frosting to make gray. You can always make it darker as needed.
Step 12) Cut & Frost Cake
- Take your cooled 9 inch round cake and cut it in half to give you two semi-circles. Add frosting to one semi-circle and stack the second on top so you have a two-layer cake.
- Add a layer of frosting to the flat edge of the double-layer cake to make it sturdy and then stand it on that edge on top of a cake board or flat serving plate.
- Frost the entire outside of the cake with a crumb coat of white frosting. This layer traps in any crumbs and will give you a smoother, more even surface to decorate on.
Step 13) Place White Chocolate Polar Bear Ears
- If your white chocolate polar bear ears are round, cut the bottom to make them capable of sitting flat on top of the cake.
- Put white frosting inside a piping bag with a #21 small open star piping tip and make two rows of thick frosting for the ears to sit on top of. Then add additional frosting on top of the first layer behind the ears and the sides for extra support.
Step 14) Outline The Details
- Use a toothpick to score the face of the polar bear cake so you know which areas you will be frosting with black, gray, and white. Lightly draw in two circular eyes, a larger half circle for the gray muzzle area and a small oval for the black nose.
Step 15) Decorate With White Frosting
- Use your #21 small open star piping tip and a piping bag of white frosting to outline the details you scored with the toothpick so you don’t accidentally cover them.
- Work your way across the top and sides of the cake adding white stars over the whole cake to look like polar bear fur.
- Add white frosting to the top and back of the cake using white stars.
Step 16) Add Frosting Details
- Take your small star piping tip out of the piping bag of white frosting and clean it off and ready to use with a piping bag full of gray frosting.
- Add your light gray frosting to the front of the cake where you previously marked it.
- Once your gray is finished, remove the star tip and clean it again to get it ready for the black details. Use your star tip, and a piping bag of black frosting to pipe black stars to form the nose and eyes.
- Lastly, use one final piping bag with no tip inside and the rest of your black frosting. Cut the very tip off the bag to make a small round hole and add eyebrows to the face of your polar bear cake.
- Enjoy your adorable creation!
This looks amazing.
My wonderful daughter made this for my 65th birthday. A delicious cute treat. Mmmm
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