Frosted layer cake is a classic for a reason: It’s perfect for any celebration, from a backyard bash to a lavish wedding. You can also design it to be as simple or intricate as you like. Our team at America’s Test Kitchen Kids, however, has come up with a cake that’s both easy to make and amazing to behold. Any kid can make it—it’s called a mirror cake.
So, how did we put the “mirror” in mirror cake? It’s all about the magic of gelatin. Thanks to this magical ingredient, you can transform the entire surface of your cake into a glimmeringly mirror-like, out-of-this-world masterpiece. (We’re not kidding when we say “out-of-this-world”—the glaze looks something like a far-off galaxy.)
Kids can learn even more about kitchen magic in our latest cookbook for young chefs, The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists. Not only will they learn how gelatin creates the most fantastical cake but they’ll also figure out why onions make you cry, why corn pops, and so much more.