Instructions

1. Bake four layers of your preferred cake recipe, making three layers in 8-inch round pans and one layer in an 8-inch round, 1 ½-quart oven-safe bowl. Cook the layer in the bowl at twice the recommended time for the pans or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the layers completely.

2. Wash the Barbie doll body with soap and water. Rinse and dry it completely. Move the arms so they are up all the way and wrap the body tightly from the waist to the toes with plastic wrap or foil. Wrap the hair with plastic wrap to keep it free of frosting until serving time.

3. Level the round layers with a serrated knife and cut the bowl layer in half horizontally. Set the flat half of the bowl layer aside. Cut a hole through the center of all four layers, making the hole wide enough to comfortably fit the doll's body.

4. Frost the bottom round layer with a thick layer of frosting and stack a second round layer on top. Continue to frost and stack the layers. Stand the Barbie next to the cake and verify that the cake is tall enough before placing the cut-side of the bowl layer on top of the final round layer. Use the removed half of the bowl layer to elevate the cake more, or trim off more from the bowl layer to shorten the cake, as necessary. Trim the sides of the cakes to even them up and create a smooth dress shape, if necessary.

5. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake, leaving the hole through the center free of frosting. Place the cake in the freezer for 45 minutes to set up the crumb coat.

6. Frost the entire cake with the final coat of frosting. Create a Barbie-themed look by using hot pink frosting and white accents, or create one of the different Barbie princess looks with yellow or pale blue frosting. Small sugar roses, spaced evenly around the lower third of the skirt and connected with swags of white icing, give the look of an elegant ball gown. Alternatively, cover the cake in fondant, but don't cover the hole in the top of the cake.

7. Insert the wrapped Barbie into the hole in the center of the cake. Place frosting in a piping bag and pipe the bodice of the dress onto the doll, or dress the Barbie in a tight-fitting bodysuit or tank top in a color that coordinates with the dress. Pipe on any decorations to match the dress, such as ruffles or flowers. Alternatively, decorate the dress with fondant or sugar decorations. Remove the hair covering before serving.