Our esteemed contributor, Miso of Miso Bakes, a celebrated artisan in the world of delectable treats, presents an inspiring new DIY project today, crafted especially for you, our cherished readers.
I am beyond thrilled to kick off this new year by sharing my very first cake tutorial of 2013 with all of you! This project is more than just a cake; it’s an edible celebration, deeply inspired by my profound love for the delicate confection known as the macaron. Yet, it also stems from the single most frequent question I receive from aspiring bakers: “How do you make perfect macarons?”
Macarons, for those unfamiliar with their enchanting charm, are a light, subtly sweet, and wonderfully chewy cookie sandwich. Traditionally, they are filled with a luscious ganache, a silky buttercream, or a vibrant fruit jam. Composed of surprisingly simple ingredients—egg whites, finely ground almond flour, and confectioner’s sugar—these seemingly innocent cookies can be notoriously finicky and, at times, downright stressful to master. Their delicate nature demands precision, patience, and often, a touch of luck.
Understanding the common frustrations associated with achieving that elusive perfect macaron, I decided to take a much easier, yet equally stunning, approach. My aim was to help you create the illusion of a perfect macaron without the typical headaches. So, I’ve transformed the iconic macaron into an impressive, multi-tiered cake form!
MACARON CAKE: A DIY Guide to Effortless Elegance
This exquisite DIY project is brought to you by the creative genius of Miso Bakes, promising to transform your baking endeavors into a delightful, stress-free experience.
Essential Supplies for Your Macaron Cake Masterpiece
Before diving into the creative process, ensure you have all your tools and ingredients ready. Preparation is key to a smooth and enjoyable baking and decorating journey.
- 6 layers of cake: Ideally, these should be baked in three distinct sizes, with two layers of each size. This variety in dimensions is crucial for creating the visually appealing, multi-tiered macaron stack.
- 3 flavors of buttercream: Having different buttercream flavors for each tier will add an exciting element of surprise and complexity to your cake, delighting every palate. Consider complementary flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and raspberry.
- 3 colors* of fondant: Select fondant colors that evoke the vibrant and delicate hues of real macarons. Pastel tones often work best for an authentic look, but don’t shy away from bolder choices to match a specific theme.
- 3 colors* of royal icing: Your royal icing colors should ideally complement or subtly contrast your chosen fondant colors. This will be used to create the distinctive “feet” of the macarons.
- 3 cake boards: These boards will provide essential support for each individual macaron tier, making the stacking process stable and secure.
- Straws or dowels: Crucial for internal support, these will prevent your magnificent cake from collapsing under its own weight, especially when stacking multiple layers.
- Toothpick: A simple yet indispensable tool for artfully swirling the royal icing to mimic the texture of genuine macaron feet.
Step-by-Step Macaron Cake Assembly Guide
STEP 1: Bake Your Cakes to Perfection
Begin by baking your six cake layers. While many cake recipes naturally bake with a slightly domed top, which is perfect for mimicking the curved upper shell of a macaron, don’t worry if yours bake flat. If your cakes don’t dome naturally, you can easily carve them to achieve that iconic rounded macaron shell shape. Choose a sturdy cake recipe, such as a vanilla pound cake or a rich chocolate fudge cake, that can hold up to carving and stacking.
STEP 2: Trim the Domes for a Stable Foundation
You’ll be sandwiching two same-sized layers together to form each “macaron,” and then stacking these sandwiched cakes. To ensure stability and a flat surface for subsequent layers, it’s essential to trim a bit of the dome off five of your six cake layers (all except the very top layer of your entire stacked cake). Use a serrated knife or a cake leveling tool to carefully remove the excess dome, creating a level surface for your buttercream filling and a stable base for stacking. This meticulous step prevents wobbling and ensures a polished final appearance.
STEP 3: Apply a Thin Layer of Buttercream (Crumb Coat)
Once your cakes are trimmed, apply a thin, even layer of buttercream to each individual cake layer. This is known as a crumb coat. Its primary purpose is to trap any loose cake crumbs, preventing them from mixing with your final fondant layer and ensuring a perfectly smooth finish. It also provides an adhesive surface for the fondant in the next step. Chill the crumb-coated cakes briefly to set the buttercream for easier handling.
STEP 4: Cover Each Shell with Fondant
After the crumb coat has set, knead your chosen colored fondant until it’s pliable and smooth. Roll out the fondant evenly to a desired thickness and carefully drape it over each cake layer, smoothing out any air bubbles or wrinkles with a fondant smoother. Take your time to achieve a flawless, smooth surface on each “macaron shell,” as this is crucial for the realistic macaron aesthetic. Remember to color your fondant ahead of time, allowing colors to deepen if desired.
STEP 5: Prepare the Bottom Shell for Filling
Carefully flip the bottom-most fondant-covered cake layer of each macaron sandwich onto a cake plate or a dedicated cake board. Flipping it allows the flat, trimmed side to become the base, ready to be filled, while the gently domed side remains at the top, mimicking the classic macaron shell.
STEP 6: Generously Fill with Buttercream
Now for the delightful filling! Pipe or spread a generous amount of your chosen buttercream flavor onto the flat, flipped surface of your first macaron shell. Ensure an even layer, extending almost to the edges. This rich filling is what gives the macaron cake its delicious interior and helps to create the iconic “sandwich” look.
STEP 7: Complete the Macaron Sandwich
Carefully place the second matching-sized cake layer (also covered in fondant and with its dome trimmed) on top of the buttercream filling. Gently press down to create a cohesive macaron sandwich. Ensure the edges are aligned as perfectly as possible, forming a neat, uniform shape.
STEP 8: Add Crucial Internal Support with Dowels or Straws
Before stacking the next macaron tier, measure the approximate width of the macaron that will be sitting on top of your current tier. This step is critical for structural integrity. Cut dowels or sturdy plastic straws to the exact height of your bottom macaron tier. Insert these supports strategically into the center of the bottom macaron, ensuring they are flush with the top surface. These dowels will bear the weight of the upper tiers, preventing your cake from sinking or collapsing. Typically, 3-5 dowels arranged in a circle provide excellent stability.
STEP 9: Stack Your Macaron Tiers on Boards
Adhere the next macaron tier (already assembled in steps 5-7) onto a cake board that has been cut slightly smaller than the macaron itself. This smaller board will be hidden once stacked, giving a seamless appearance. Place a small dollop of buttercream on top of the dowels on your lower tier, then carefully center and place the new macaron (with its attached board) onto the supports. This is exactly how you would stack a traditional wedding cake, with each tier having its own board and supported by dowels below.
STEP 10: Secure with a Central Dowel (Highly Recommended for Stability)
Once all your macaron tiers are built and stacked, for ultimate stability—especially if your cake will be traveling or displayed for an extended period—insert a long central dowel. Starting from the very top center of your cake, gently push the dowel all the way through every tier until it reaches the bottom of the main cake board. This creates an immovable anchor, ensuring your towering macaron cake remains perfectly aligned and secure.
STEP 11: Pipe the Signature “Macaron Feet” with Royal Icing
Now for the magic! Using your colored royal icing, pipe a thick, continuous line around the very edges where the two macaron shells meet. This is where you create the distinctive “feet” (or pieds) of the macaron. The royal icing should be firm enough to hold its shape without spreading too much, but still pliable enough to pipe smoothly. Think of a consistency similar to toothpaste, not too stiff for roses, but certainly not runny.
STEP 12: Swirl the Royal Icing for a Textured Look
Immediately after piping, take a clean toothpick and gently swirl the royal icing around the edges. This technique creates the delicate, ruffled, and slightly irregular texture that is characteristic of real macaron feet. Work quickly before the royal icing begins to set, creating an organic and natural appearance for each macaron tier.
STEP 13: Achieve a Luminous “Shiny” Effect
To give your macaron shells that alluring, slightly glossy sheen found on authentic macarons, rub the absolute smallest amount of vegetable shortening all over the fondant-covered shells. Use your finger or a clean paper towel to lightly buff the surface. This technique subtly enhances the color and adds a beautiful, realistic luster to your masterpiece.
STEP 14: Celebrate Your Creation!
Congratulations! You have successfully created a stunning, towering stack of perfectly replicated macarons, ready to impress and delight. Take a moment to admire your incredible work and, as Miso Bakes recommends, do the happy dance! You’ve transformed the challenge of macarons into a triumph of cake artistry.
Important Notes and Expert Tips for Your Baking Journey
*Understanding Food Coloring Dynamics:
When coloring fondant or royal icing with food coloring gel, always keep in mind that colors tend to develop and deepen over time as they sit. What appears to be a light pastel initially might become a shade or two darker after an hour or overnight. Therefore, it’s often wise to mix your colors slightly lighter than your desired final shade. Don’t be alarmed if your royal icing colors turn out a bit darker than your fondant; sometimes, the “feet” of a real macaron can naturally bake to a darker hue than the shell itself, depending on how they rise and spread in the oven. This subtle variation can actually add to the realistic charm of your macaron cake.
Mastering the Art of Real Macarons (for the Adventurous Baker):
For those intrepid bakers still determined to master the notoriously tricky real macaron, I highly recommend starting with a recipe that utilizes the Italian meringue method rather than the French meringue. While the Italian meringue process involves an extra step of cooking sugar syrup, it results in a far sturdier and more forgiving meringue. This resilience makes it significantly less prone to common macaron failures like hollow shells or cracked tops, offering a much higher success rate for beginners and experienced bakers alike.
The Golden Rule of Meringue: Zero Fat Contamination:
One of the most crucial, non-negotiable steps in macaron making—regardless of the meringue method—is ensuring there are absolutely no traces of fat (even the tiniest speck of egg yolk) in your egg whites. Fat is the arch-nemesis of meringue; it will prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly into stiff, voluminous peaks and will irrevocably break down their delicate protein structure. This applies not just to the egg whites themselves, but also to all your equipment. Always ensure your mixing bowls, whisks, and spatulas are impeccably CLEAN and completely DRY. Residue from oils or detergents can also act as fat, hindering your meringue’s formation. In my professional opinion, this level of cleanliness is far more important than the often-debated practice of aging your egg whites. When working in a demanding restaurant environment, I successfully made perfect macarons day in and day out using egg whites straight from the fridge, proving that meticulous attention to cleanliness and technique trumps many perceived requirements.