Pusheen Cake Recipe: Easy Decorating Guide

Pusheen Cake Recipe: Easy Decorating Guide

The easiest pusheen cake recipe is a 20 cm (8-inch) round vanilla cake covered with a thin layer of buttercream, topped with pale gray fondant, and finished with black icing details. This size gives you enough surface area for Pusheen’s face and body while keeping the cake manageable for a first-time decorator.

For the most durable result, use buttercream for the filling and crumb coat, fondant for the gray cat shape and small ears, and stiff royal icing or melted dark chocolate for the eyes, whiskers, paws, and stripes. The quantities below make one two-layer cake serving approximately 10 to 12 people.

Recipe at a glance

Ingredients

For the vanilla cake

• 300 g plain or all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 200 g unsalted butter, softened
• 250 g granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, approximately 200 g without shells
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 180 ml whole milk, at room temperature

For the vanilla buttercream

• 250 g unsalted butter, softened but not oily
• 500 g powdered or icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 60–75 ml milk or heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt

For decorating

• 450–500 g light gray fondant
• 15–20 g pink fondant, or a small amount of pink icing
• 50–70 g black royal icing, black buttercream, or melted dark chocolate
• 30–40 g white fondant or white icing for optional eye highlights
• A small amount of water or edible glue for attaching fondant pieces
• Optional: 100–150 g additional fondant in a contrasting color for a bow, scarf, party hat, or cake-board decoration

Before you decorate

Bake the cake in two greased and lined 20 cm round pans. Heat the oven to 175°C conventional or 160°C fan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes until lighter in color, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla, alternate the dry ingredients with the milk, and stop mixing as soon as the batter is even.

Divide the batter between the pans, using a scale if possible so both layers bake to the same height. Bake for 25–32 minutes, or until the centers spring back and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer the cakes to a rack and cool completely.

The cake must be fully cool before frosting. Warm cake softens buttercream, makes fondant stretch, and can cause the finished gray covering to slide. If convenient, wrap the cooled layers and chill them for 30–60 minutes; a slightly firm cake is easier to level and decorate.

Make the buttercream

Beat the butter for 4–5 minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in three additions, mixing on low speed first to reduce clouds of sugar. Add the vanilla, salt, and 60 ml of milk or cream, then beat for another 3 minutes. Add the remaining liquid only if the frosting is too stiff to spread.

Reserve approximately 150 g for filling, 300–350 g for the crumb coat and final coat, and 100–150 g for small corrections or a border. A buttercream layer about 3–4 mm thick is sufficient beneath fondant. A thicker layer can make the cake heavy and may create bulges under the covering.

Step-by-step Pusheen decorating plan

1. Level and fill the cake

Trim the domed tops from the cake layers with a serrated knife. Place the first layer on a cake board or flat serving plate, cut side up, and spread approximately 150 g of buttercream evenly across it. Keep the filling level and stop about 5 mm from the edge so it does not squeeze out.

Place the second layer on top with the cut side down. Press gently until the layers align. If the cake is noticeably uneven, chill it for 20 minutes before continuing. A level base is important because Pusheen’s face will look tilted if the fondant follows a sloping cake.

2. Apply the crumb coat

Spread a thin coat of buttercream over the top and sides, using about 200–250 g. This layer traps loose crumbs and fills shallow gaps; it does not need to look decorative. Chill the cake for 20–30 minutes, until the surface feels firm but is not hard.

Add a second thin coat where the cake shows through, especially around the top edge. Scrape the sides as smooth as possible. The fondant needs a fairly even surface, but it does not require a perfectly sharp professional finish.

3. Prepare and cover the gray fondant

Knead 450–500 g of gray fondant until flexible, then roll it on a lightly dusted work surface to approximately 3–4 mm thick. For a 20 cm cake that is 8 cm high, roll a circle at least 36 cm across: 20 cm for the top plus 16 cm for the two sides. This calculation leaves a small working margin.

Lift the fondant over the chilled cake and smooth the top first. Work down the sides gradually, lifting the lower edge away from the cake before smoothing it inward. This prevents deep folds near the base. Trim the excess with a sharp knife, leaving about 5 mm to press neatly against the cake board.

If you prefer not to cover the whole cake with fondant, spread a smooth gray buttercream coat instead. Use fondant only for the ears, tail, and facial pieces. Buttercream is softer and less resistant to fingerprints, but it is easier to cut and usually tastes less sweet.

4. Shape Pusheen’s ears

Cut two rounded triangular ears from gray fondant, each approximately 5 cm tall and 4.5 cm wide. Make the bases slightly curved so they follow the cake’s top edge. For inner ears, cut two smaller pink triangles about 2.5 cm tall and attach them with a tiny brush of water or edible glue.

Insert a short piece of dry spaghetti or a small food-safe cake pick into each ear only if local food-safety guidance allows it and the pieces will be removed before serving. For a safer flat design, place the ears directly on the cake top and support them with small fondant wedges at the back.

5. Position the face

Mark the face lightly with a toothpick before piping. On a 20 cm cake, place the eyes about 7–8 cm apart, measured center to center, and position them approximately 5 cm below the top edge. Put the nose 2–3 cm below the eyes. These measurements keep the expression centered rather than crowded near the cake’s rim.

Pipe two short black horizontal or gently curved eyes, each about 1.2–1.5 cm long. Add a small pink oval or inverted triangle for the nose. Pusheen’s familiar expression is simple, so avoid oversized eyes or a long mouth; the blank space is part of the design.

6. Add the mouth and whiskers

Use black icing to pipe a small vertical line beneath the nose, followed by two short curves extending left and right. Add three whiskers on each side, keeping them between 2.5 and 4 cm long. Pipe with steady pressure and allow each line to set for several minutes before touching it.

Royal icing is the most durable choice for thin details because it dries firm. Black buttercream is softer but easier to eat and correct. Melted dark chocolate can work for whiskers if the cake will remain cool; it may soften in a warm room.

7. Add stripes, paws, and the tail

Pipe three dark curved stripes on each side of the forehead, following the rounded shape of the head. Add two or three stripes on each cheek if space permits. Keep the marks separated by at least 8–10 mm so they remain visible after slicing.

For paws, use small gray fondant ovals or short black icing marks near the lower front of the cake. A fondant tail can be made from a 12–15 cm tapered rope, curved into a question-mark shape, and attached to the side with edible glue. If the tail is heavy, support it with a hidden food-safe pick and remove the support before serving.

8. Add optional details

A bow, scarf, party hat, fish-shaped cookie, or small fondant cupcake can personalize the design without making Pusheen’s face harder to recognize. Keep added pieces below approximately 3 cm thick so they do not slump. Attach decorations no earlier than the day before serving when possible.

For a fish accessory, roll a 5–6 cm oval of fondant, pinch one end into a tail, and mark a few diagonal lines with a blunt tool. Place it beside Pusheen rather than directly over the facial features. This creates visual interest while preserving the main character design.

Choosing the decorating method

Storage, serving, and durability

Store the finished cake in a cool, dry room if it will be served within 24 hours. If it contains perishable fillings or the room is warmer than approximately 22°C, refrigerate it in a tall cake box. Fondant may develop condensation when moved from a cold refrigerator into warm air, so let the boxed cake come toward room temperature gradually.

The first details to wear or fail are usually the whiskers, ear tips, and unsupported tail. Avoid touching the top after decorating, and transport the cake on a level surface with a nonslip mat underneath. Do not seal fondant decorations in an airtight container while they are still soft; trapped moisture can make them sticky.

For the cleanest slices, remove any hidden picks, dry spaghetti, or toothpicks before serving. Use a long sharp knife and wipe the blade between cuts. Fondant decorations can be peeled away by guests who prefer less sweetness, while the buttercream and cake remain easy to serve.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Covering a warm cake: Heat softens the buttercream and causes fondant to wrinkle.
• Rolling fondant too thin: Below about 2.5 mm, gray fondant is more likely to tear or show every crumb.
• Using too much filling: More than approximately 170 g between two 20 cm layers can make the cake bulge.
• Making the eyes too large: Pusheen’s expression depends on small, simple marks and generous empty space.
• Adding details too early: Soft royal icing or chocolate can smear when the cake is moved.
• Using wet color on fondant: Excess water creates shiny patches and can dissolve black or pink pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this Pusheen cake recipe as a sheet cake?

Yes. Bake the same batter in a 23 x 33 cm rectangular pan, checking it after approximately 25 minutes. Use a paper template or lightly mark a large Pusheen outline on the chilled buttercream, then add the facial features and stripes within that shape.

Can I use ready-made cake instead of baking from scratch?

Yes, provided the cake is firm enough to support buttercream and fondant. A plain vanilla or chocolate sponge with two layers works well. Measure the cake before buying or preparing decorations, because a larger cake needs more fondant and icing than the quantities listed here.

How far ahead can I decorate the cake?

You can bake the layers up to two days ahead and keep them wrapped at room temperature or frozen for longer storage. Complete fondant covering and large decorations one day before serving, but add delicate whiskers and unsupported pieces as close to serving as practical.

What can I use instead of fondant?

Use gray-tinted buttercream for the cake and pipe the ears, stripes, eyes, and whiskers with royal icing or buttercream. This version is easier to cut and less sweet, but the surface will be softer and the lines may lose definition if the cake becomes warm.

How do I make the design suitable for a small cake?

For a 15 cm cake, reduce the face measurements by about one-quarter: place the eyes roughly 5.5–6 cm apart and make each eye about 1 cm long. Use fewer cheek stripes and omit the tail if the sides are too narrow. The key recognizable features are the gray shape, triangular ears, small eyes, pink nose, and whiskers.

Can I freeze a decorated Pusheen cake?

A fondant-covered cake can usually be frozen briefly if placed in a rigid box and wrapped carefully, although condensation may affect the finish during thawing. Buttercream-only cakes generally tolerate freezing better than cakes with delicate royal icing pieces. Thaw the cake in its box in the refrigerator, then let it stand at room temperature before opening the box.