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    Home » Cake recipes

    By Emily Leary. Last updated Feb 11, 2022. Green links are Amazon links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Sailing boat cake

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    This super cute sailing boat cake is delicious and just perfect for a birthday celebration. It has a rich, buttery sponge, a jam filling, and a sugar paste boat sailing on a sugar paste ocean.

    Front angle shot of Sailing boat cake with a mummy too logo in the lower-left corner

    The sponge uses the all-in-one method, which means you can make make the batter in a single bowl, adding all of the ingredients in a single step: just whisk and it's ready to pour into tins and bake!

    Front angle shot of a sailing boat birthday cake served on a white plate with a mummy too logo in the lower-left corner

    It might sound so simple that you'd think the quality would suffer but no! The texture of the vanilla sponge is light and fluffy with great structure, and the taste is top notch!

    Close up slice of cake on a white plate with a fork on the side.

    The sugar paste boat decoration is a little more tricky to make, but well worth the effort and I've included lots of step-by-step photos to help you get a great result.

    The first time I made this cake, I used cardboard to make the boat, but this time, my young baking assistant, Miss J (8) insisted that it had to be edible, so that's what we did!

    Front facing cake with a sugar paste sailing boat on the top.

    Here's how to make this sailing boat birthday cake at home.

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • 250 g (8.82 oz) baking margarine
    • 250 g (8.82 oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
    • 4 large free range eggs large, free range
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 250 g (8.82 oz) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
    • 1 tsp baking powder

    For the decoration

    • 6 tbsps strawberry jam
    • 200 g (7.05 oz) light blue sugar paste
    • 100 g red sugar paste
    • 2 pieces coloured card
    • 100 g yellow sugar paste
    • 50 g dark green sugar paste

    Equipment

    • Wooden skewers
    • Weighing scales
    • Measuring spoons
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Electric whisk
    • 2 Round 20cm (8") nonstick cake tin
    • Parchment/baking paper
    • Kitchen knife
    • Chopping board
    • Small mixing bowl

    Instructions

    Make the boat shapes

    Your sugar paste will need time to dry and harden.

    In the instructions below, I'll show you how to use your oven to dry it out. Alternatively, you can cut out your shapes the night before.

    You'll need three sugar paste colours - I chose red, yellow and green but any will work.

    Overhead shot of balls of sugar paste.

    Roll out the red sugar paste to about 7mm (1/4 inch) thick.

    Overhead shot of cut out rolled out red sugar paste

    Cut out a shape for the base of the boat.

    Overhead shot of cut out rolled out red sugar paste

    From the offcuts, cut a thin strip that will act at the mast.

    Overhead shot of thin strips of red sugar paste

    Roll out the yellow sugar paste to the same thickness and cut out two sails.

    Overhead shot of shaped red and yellow sugar paste

    Finally, use the green sugar paste to make some portholes. I used a small piping nozzle to cut mine. Brush a little water on the back of the circles to help them stick.

    Overhead shot of shaped red, green and yellow sugar paste boat

    Place all the pieces on a tray lined with baking paper.

    Front angle shot of Sailing boat sugar paste with a mummy too logo in the lower-left corner

    Now, you can either leave your sugar paste overnight to dry, or you can set your oven to its very lowest setting and place the tray on the middle shelf.

    After about 10 minutes, the sugar paste will be soft due to the heat, but it will have lost a lot of moisture. Don't touch it, just allow it to cool and you should find that it has become hard enough to hold its shape.

    Make the sponges

    Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F).

    Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla, self-raising flour and baking powder in a large bowl.

    Overhead shot of the cake mixture ingredients in a clear glass bowl.

    Beat with an electric whisk until the cake mixture is even and well combined.

    Beating the batter until smooth in the clear glass bowl.

    Divide the mixture between two greased and lined 20cm (8 inch) sandwich cake tins.

    Overhead shot of cake mixture in a cake tin with the coloured sugar paste balls on the side.

    Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Place the cakes onto a wire rack and allow to cool fully.

    Overhead shot of the baked cake inside a cake tin surrounded by some of the ingredients required to make the sail boat cake.

    Fill the cake

    Place on of your cakes upside down on a plate or cake stand.

    Moving the cake onto the cake stand.

    Pile half the jam on top.

    Adding jam to the top of the cake sponge.

    Spread the jam to the edges of the cake. Spread the remaining jam onto the top of the cake.

    Overhead shot of smoothing the jam out on the cake.

    Place the second cake on top (also upside down).

    Overhead shot of the other half of the cake being added to the top of the jam.

    Spread with the remaining jam.

    Overhead shot of adding more jam to the top of the second layer of sponge.

    Cover the cake

    Roll out the blue sugar paste on a work surface very lightly dusted with cornflour. Aim to make it just slightly larger than the top of the cake.

    Covering the cake in blue sugar paste.

    Drape the sugar paste on the top of the cake. Allow the extra to hang over the side of the cake and shape it into ripples gently with your fingertips.

    Adjusting the blue sugar paste on the top of the cake.

    Complete your boat

    For this, you'll need an edible glue. Place a small chunk of sugar paste (you can use your offcuts from the boat) in a bowl and add a few drops of boiling water, stirring until you get a thick, stiff glue.

    Your boat shapes should now be set. Gently turn them over and use a little glue to bond the sails to the base of the boat.

    Overhead shot of a boat made from pieces of sugar paste.

    Dab a little more glue along the edges of the sails and position the mast in place.

    Overhead shot of the boat being assembled from pieces of sugar paste.

    Place more edible glue along the length of the mast, then place a wooden skewer on top.

    Overhead shot of attaching the skewer to the back of the boat made from sugar paste.

    Leave to set. It might take up to 30 minutes. If you can't wait, you can use the same oven trick you used before.

    Push the skewer into the centre of the cake to position your boat in place.

    The finished sailboat cake made from sugar paste and sponge cake.

    And you're done! Time to serve yourself a well-earned slice.

    A close up slice of the sailboat cake on a white decoative plate with a cake fork on the side.

    Do you love creating themed birthday parties? Which has been your favourite so far?

    Print this sailing boat cake recipe

    Here's the recipe for this fun sailing boat birthday cake again in a printable format.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Sailing Boat Cake Recipe

    This super cute sailing boat cake is delicious and just perfect for a birthday celebration. It has a rich, buttery sponge, a jam filling, and a sugar paste boat sailing on a sugar paste ocean.
    Prep Time45 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course: Desserts and sweet treats
    Cuisine: British
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 16 slices
    Author: Emily Leary

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • 250 g (8.82 oz) baking margarine
    • 250 g (8.82 oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
    • 4 large free range eggs large, free range
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 250 g (8.82 oz) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
    • 1 tsp baking powder

    For the decoration

    • 6 tbsps strawberry jam
    • 200 g (7.05 oz) light blue sugar paste
    • 100 g red sugar paste
    • 2 pieces coloured card
    • 100 g yellow sugar paste
    • 50 g dark green sugar paste

    Equipment

    • Wooden skewers
    • Weighing scales
    • Measuring spoons
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Electric whisk
    • 2 Round 20cm (8") nonstick cake tin
    • Parchment/baking paper
    • Kitchen knife
    • Chopping board
    • Small mixing bowl

    Instructions

    Make the boat shapes

    • Roll out the red sugar paste to about 7mm (1/4 inch) thick.
    • Cut out a shape for the base of the boat.
    • From the offcuts, cut a thin strip that will act at the mast.
    • Roll out the yellow sugar paste to the same thickness and cut out two sails.
    • Finally, use the green sugar paste to make some portholes. I used a small piping nozzle to cut mine. Brush a little water on the back of the circles to help them stick.
    • Place all the pieces on a tray lined with baking paper.
    • Now, you can either leave your sugar paste overnight to dry, or you can set your oven to its very lowest setting and place the tray on the middle shelf.
    • After about 10 minutes, the sugar paste will be soft due to the heat, but it will have lost a lot of moisture. Don't touch it, just allow it to cool and you should find that it has become hard enough to hold its shape.

    Make the sponges

    • Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F).
    • Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla, self-raising flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
    • Beat with an electric whisk until the cake mixture is even and well combined.
    • Divide the mixture between two greased and lined 20cm (8 inch) sandwich cake tins.
    • Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Place the cakes onto a wire rack and allow to cool fully.

    Fill the cake

    • Place on of your cakes upside down on a plate or cake stand.
    • Pile half the jam on top and spread the jam to the edges of the cake. Spread the remaining jam onto the top of the cake.
    • Place the second cake on top (also upside down) and spread with the remaining jam.

    Cover the cake

    • Roll out the blue sugar paste on a work surface very lightly dusted with cornflour. Aim to make it just slightly larger than the top of the cake.
    • Drape the sugar paste on the top of the cake. Allow the extra to hang over the side of the cake and shape it into ripples gently with your fingertips.

    Complete your boat

    • For this, you'll need an edible glue. Place a small chunk of sugar paste (you can use your offcuts from the boat) in a bowl and add a few drops of boiling water, stirring until you get a thick, stiff glue.
    • Your boat shapes should now be set. Gently turn them over and use a little glue to bond the sails to the base of the boat.
    • Dab a little more glue along the edges of the sails and position the mast in place.
    • Place more edible glue along the length of the mast, then place a wooden skewer on top.
    • Leave to set. It might take up to 30 minutes. If you can't wait, you can use the same oven trick you used before.
    • Push the skewer into the centre of the cake to position your boat in place. And you're done! Time to serve yourself a well-earned slice.

    Video

    Notes

    Your sugar paste will need time to dry and harden. In the instructions below, I'll show you how to use your oven to dry it out. Alternatively, you can cut out your shapes the night before.
    Make sure to look through the step-by-step images to help guide you through making your sugar paste boat.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 618IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
    * Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram or tag @EmilyLearyCooks on Twitter. I can't wait to see your posts!

    This recipe adapted from one provided by Stork and Ruth Clemens of The Pink Whisk.

    Pin this sailing boat cake

    graphic text SAILING BOAT CAKE above a Front angle shot of blue boat-themed cake
    graphic text step-by-step recipe SAILING BOAT CAKE above a boat-themed cake with website URL below
    graphic text SAILING BOAT CAKE step-by-step recipe above a blue boat themed cake
    graphic text SAILING BOAT CAKE STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE EASY AND DELICIOUS above a sailing boat birthday cake
    graphic text SAILING BOAT CAKE STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE EASY AND DELICIOUS above a sailing boat birthday cake
    Front angle shot of a sailing boat cake below graphic text PRETTY SAILING BOAT CAKE

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      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Lindsay @ Newcastle Family Life says

      July 30, 2015 at 4:29 pm

      I love this it looks so simple yet so lovely. My little boy will be turning one next month and something like this will be perfect for him x

      Reply
    2. clara says

      July 24, 2015 at 10:39 am

      Looks so delicious...

      Reply
    3. Best Cake Mixers says

      July 24, 2015 at 9:03 am

      It's really good.Need not a long time to make and different than other birthday cakes.People must love this.

      Reply
    4. Deborah Chalk says

      July 22, 2015 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      I think this is a lovely cake design and could be adapted easily with different cut outs on top. I got my daughter involved in making her cake and we make Nigella's no fuss fruit tart (the recipe is online). The top is covered in all sorts of different berries and it looked wonderful with candles on it. All the berries made it a slightly healthy option and it was great to involve my daughter in making it herself.

      Reply

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