Friends and family will adore this simple Turkey Cake with made a sugar cookie base and frosted with vanilla buttercream. Follow this simple tutorial to make the most adorable Thanksgiving dessert.
Thanksgiving is coming up soon, which means it’s time to start planning the menu! The centerpiece of any Thanksgiving meal is obviously the turkey. But this year, why not take your turkey to the next level by making a cake that looks just like one! A turkey cake is sure to wow and delight your guests.
A Fun and Festive Dessert
A cake shaped and decorated like a turkey is a fun, humorous, and creative alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving desserts like pumpkin and apple pie It shows off your baking and decorating skills in an playful way Kids and adults alike will get a kick out of slicing into this turkey cake and devouring it!
The element of surprise and whimsy makes this the perfect festive dessert for a holiday all about overindulging Just be prepared for all of your Thanksgiving guests to take out their phones and snap some pics of your masterpiece turkey cake before digging in!
How to Make a Turkey Cake
Making a cake that resembles a plump Thanksgiving turkey may seem daunting, but it’s actually quite easy with some strategic baking techniques and decorating skills.
Here’s an overview of how to make a turkey cake:
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Bake two round cakes for the body and use a cupcake or a loaf cake for the head.
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Once cool, stack the cakes and frost to form the shape of a turkey body. The domed top of the round cake will create the round shape of a turkey’s body.
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Frost the entire turkey and use frosting to create the wings, tail, feathers, head, wattle, legs, and feet.
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Decorate with candy corn for the beak and feet, chocolate chips or nuts for the eyes, and coconut flakes for the feathers.
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Add any other decorations to finish it off like cranberries for the wattle, red licorice for the comb, etc.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to decorating your turkey cake. Let your creativity run wild!
Helpful Tips and Tricks
When executing a turkey cake, there are some tips and tricks to ensure it comes out looking plump, round, and positively turkey-like.
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Draw a template of a turkey body on paper so you know how large to make the cakes and where to place the frosting and decorations.
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Use a serrated knife to carve and shape the stacked cakes into an oval turkey shape.
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Place the cake head at an angle to create the turkey’s characteristic tilted head.
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Use frosting to create distinctive feathers, especially the large tail feathers.
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Make sure to include key features like the wattle, comb, and snood.
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Use brown frosting for any feathers to mimic real turkey plumage.
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Refrigerate the turkey cake for 30-60 minutes after decorating so the frosting sets up nicely.
Show Off Your Decorating Skills
One of the best parts about crafting a turkey cake is that it really allows you to highlight your cake decorating abilities.
You can go super simple with just some frosting feathers or get extra creative with hand-sculpted fondant features, brushed food color paint details, chocolate corn kernels spilling out, etc.
Use whatever baking and decorating techniques you’re comfortable with. The end result is sure to be amazing no matter what!
Choose Your Fave Cake and Frosting Flavors
The wonderful thing about whipping up a turkey cake is that you can customize the flavors.
Get creative with the cake flavors like:
- Spice cake
- Pumpkin cake
- Carrot cake
- Red velvet cake
- Chocolate cake
- Vanilla cake
- Marble cake
- Lemon cake
- Banana cake
And don’t be afraid to liven up the usual vanilla or cream cheese frosting with flavors like:
- Brown sugar cinnamon
- Maple
- Pumpkin spice
- Salted caramel
- Peanut butter
- Peppermint
Or go for a completely iced cake with ganache, buttercream, or cream cheese icing.
Make it a Family Activity
Crafting a turkey cake for Thanksgiving can be a fun family activity, especially with kids.
Give the kids simple tasks like:
- Spreading the frosting
- Placing the candy decorations
- Helping draw the turkey template
The whole family can join in on decorating the turkey cake together. Then everyone will feel proud when it’s the centerpiece dessert on Thanksgiving!
Find Inspiration Online
If you need a bit more inspiration and guidance for your turkey cake endeavors, look no further than the internet! There are lots of amazing tutorials, photos, and videos online.
Check out YouTube for helpful step-by-step video tutorials showing how to decorate your turkey cake masterpiece. The Tablespoon website also has an incredible photo of a finished turkey cake that can provide ideas.
Use these resources to spark your creativity and make sure your turkey cake looks as impressive as possible.
Present Your Turkey Cake
Once your turkey cake is all decorated, make sure to present it properly so all your hard decorating work shines.
Here are some presentation tips:
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Display your cake on a cake stand or platter to elevate it.
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Surround the cake with some fall garnishes like cranberries, maple leaves, mini pumpkins, etc.
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Use a wood slice or cake board to help transfer the cake to your serving platter or table.
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Insert some feathers or a little turkey figurine into the top of the cake.
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Scatter some chocolate leaves, acorns, or corn kernels around the base.
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Tie a simple ribbon around the bottom of the cake stand for some festive flair.
However you choose to present it, your decorative turkey cake is sure to wow everyone at your Thanksgiving feast!
Dig Into This Delicious Dessert
The fun doesn’t stop when the turkey cake comes out of the oven. The best part is getting to dig into this delicious dessert!
Provide guests with a knife to slice into the turkey cake and serve it up. Make sure to get photos of everyone enjoying a slice of your marvelous creation.
Then sit back and enjoy the fruits of your baking labor! A turkey cake truly makes for an iconic and decadent Thanksgiving dessert. Once people get a taste, it may just become a new family tradition.
So what are you waiting for? Roll up your sleeves, preheat that oven, and get baking a show-stopping turkey cake this Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Turkey Cookie Cake
I will be the first to admit that coming up with adorable and themed desserts really is not my forte, but I even impressed myself when I first saw my finished Turkey Cake.
This simple yet elegant design can be replicated at home following this step-by-step tutorial. I made this cookie cake using my favorite easy sugar cookie, but this design can be used to decorate cakes, brownies or cookie bars too.
Preparing to Make and Decorate the Cookie Cake
Prepare a base. This is a 9-inch sugar cookie cake, but you could also try this with chocolate chip cookies or any number of options I suggested below. Prepare in a springform pan, and cool completely.
Prepare the buttercream. This is my easy vanilla buttercream recipe. It starts with cold butter, which makes it the perfect consistency for piping.
Divide and color the buttercream: I used 4 colors for this design, and in the recipe card you’ll find exactly how much of each frosting color you’ll need. To color the frosting, start with just a drop of gel color. They are highly concentrated, and it’s easy to add more color than to adjust after you’ve added too much. Here’s a full tutorial for you on how to color buttercream.
Fill the piping bags: Since the yellow and orange use the same size piping tip, I used a double bag method. I filled the piping bags individually with buttercream and then used a third bag fitted with the piping tip. For the yellow, orange and brown, I used a Wilton 1A.
Following the double bag method allows you to easily wash the tip between colors without having to disassemble the piping bag. If you need a further explanation, here’s a full tutorial on how to use a piping bag.
Great now you are ready to start decorating!
How To Make An Incredibly Realistic Turkey Cake For Thanksgiving | Food Insider
FAQ
What is the name of the turkey cake?
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Name of dessert
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Type
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Baklava
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Phyllo pastry
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Bağaça
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Tahini Cake
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Bici Bici
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Non-dairy ice
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Biga peynir tatlısı
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Pastry
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What is the Danish cake that looks like a person?
What is in Baskin Robbins turkey cake?
What is Viking cake?
Can you make a Turkey cake from a bakery?
This super-fun turkey cake looks like it might have come from a bakery — but it actually only requires one cake layer and the piping technique is very forgiving (turkey feathers come in all shapes and sizes, after all!). Here’s how to make it for your festivities — get the full instructions in the recipe.
How do you make a Turkey cake with toasted cake cubes?
Toss together with the toasted cake cubes. Set aside. Set the turkey cake on a platter or in a roasting pan. Use the remaining cake/frosting mixture to sculpt two large turkey legs and two wings. Attach them to the cake. Frost the legs and wings and allow the frosting to dry.
How do you make a Turkey torso cake?
Assemble cake – Level, fill, ice and stack. Cover in brown fondant – And trim excess around the base. Add feather indentations – Using a grass decorating tip. Make turkey torso and face- With rice krispie treats and fondant. Attach to the front of cake – Do this very gently. Make wings– Using a leaf cutter and yellow, red, brown fondant.
How do you make a turkey wing cake look real?
Attach them to the cake. Frost the legs and wings and allow the frosting to dry. Once the frosting has dried to the touch, press a paper towel that is imprinted with dots, all over the cake to make it look like realistic turkey skin. If the frosting sticks, allow it to dry longer.