Arctic Adventure Cake With A Meringue Igloo And Iceberg

Have you ever wanted to take an exciting trip to the icy Arctic to see some igloos, meet the polar bears, and be surrounded by miles of gorgeous snow and ice? Well, maybe the Arctic is a little too cold and desolate for us to actually go visit, but this adorable Arctic adventure cake will bring the excitement of the north straight into your kitchen. From its delicious blueberry cake base to the buttercream frosting, this cake tastes absolutely delicious. Plus, the meringue igloo & iceberg and fondant polar bear on top make this cake cooler than cool – they make it ice-cold, in fact! This cake is so impressive, it'll send chills down your spine!

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½ hours
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Easy

You'll Need:

For the meringue igloo & iceberg:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1¾ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For the Arctic cake:

• 8 egg whites
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup milk
• 2⅔ cups flour
• ½ cup blueberries

For the buttercream frosting:

• 4¼ sticks butter, softened
• 1½ cups sweetened condensed milk
• blue food coloring

For the decoration:

• mini marshmallows
• 1 fondant polar bear 

Here's How:

1. For the meringue igloo & iceberg, preheat the oven to 175°F. Heat the egg whites, salt, and lemon juice over a double boiler while beating the mixture with a hand mixer. Once combined, gradually add in the powdered sugar and beat everything together for about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form, then transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a round nozzle. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper and grease the outside of a 5-inch glass bowl with some vegetable oil. Flip the glass bowl upside down onto 1 of the baking trays and pipe small circular portions of meringue around the entire outside of the bowl.

2. Dip your finger in some vegetable oil and gently flatten the tips of the meringue.

3. Pipe the remainder of the meringue onto another baking tray and use a spatula or similar tool to smooth it out, making sure it ends up being about ⅓ inch in height. Transfer both baking trays to the oven, then stick a wooden spoon in the door of the oven to leave it slightly open. Bake the meringue igloo & iceberg at 175°F for 2½ hours. After about 2 hours, carefully take the meringue igloo off of the glass bowl and place it upside down on the baking tray. Once the meringue decorations have baked, let them cool completely, then break a few corners off of the meringue iceberg to make it look more like ice.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. For the blueberry cake, beat the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer until the mixture becomes light and airy, yet firm. Fold in small portions of the milk, vegetable oil, and flour, alternating between the 3 ingredients, and stir until combined. Lightly grease the inside of a 5-inch glass bowl and fill it with the Arctic cake batter. Pour the remainder of the batter into an 11-inch springform pan and sprinkle the blueberries on top. Transfer both the bowl and the springform pan to the oven and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Once they've finished baking, let both cakes cool completely.

5. For the buttercream frosting, whip the butter until it becomes smooth creamy, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Spoon about ¼ cup of the buttercream frosting into a separate mixing bowl and set it aside for later. Color the remainder of the buttercream frosting blue with food coloring. Place the blueberry Arctic cake on a serving platter and frost it with the blue buttercream frosting. Place the meringue iceberg on top of the frosted Arctic cake and use some additional blue buttercream frosting to make the iceberg look like it's floating in water.

6. Remove the small cake from the glass bowl and place it upside down on top of the iceberg. Cover the dome cake with some of the buttercream frosting you set aside earlier, then place the meringue igloo on top of it.

7. Attach some mini marshmallows to the igloo with the remainder of the buttercream frosting to make an entrance to the igloo. Place a cute polar bear made out of fondant to iceberg, and your Arctic adventure cake is complete!

Traveling to the North Pole might sound like fun, but this yummy cake is definitely way cozier and way more delicious than an Arctic expedition would be. What a fun and original way to make a cake!

Get the recipe for the Aquarium Cake featured in the bonus video.