Drop of Disney

Happy Friday! The new live action Snow White movie releases today and I’m celebrating with these cakes inspired by the Seven Dwarfs! The Dwarfs’ Mine Cart Cakes are chocolate cakes with chocolate buttercream frosting. Baked in a metal cart pan, they’re topped with colorful fondant jewels!

Snow White was my first favorite princess and so I was excited to attend an advance screening earlier this week. The live action remakes generally haven’t been my favorite movies. However, I did enjoy Rachel Zegler’s performance as Snow White and all of the CGI animal friends! Even though I didn’t like this movie as much as the original, it was a fun night celebrating one of my favorite princesses.

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For these cakes, I was inspired by the Seven Dwarfs’ work in the mines. I love the “Heigh Ho” song and scene in the original movie and just how colorful all of the gems are. The new movie adds some fast moving mine carts (reminds me of the ride at Disney World!) and so these cakes combine the two. Since I wanted the cakes to be in a mine cart, I used disposable baking trays I found on Amazon.

To make the cakes, start by whisking together the cocoa powder and boiling water. Then, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Finally, beat the butter and the sugar together in a medium bowl until its light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture, beating until combined. Then, add in the flour mixture, beating until combined. Finally, beat in the cocoa mixture. If desired, you can also stir in a 1/2 cup of chocolate chips!

Transfer the batter to the the baking cups and place them all on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 F for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

While the cakes are cooling, make the fondant gems using a fondant mold and various colors of fondant. I used a jewels mold from Michaels and red, green, blue, gold, and silver fondant from Statin Ice. If you have (or would prefer) you could also use candy melts in various colors to make the gems! To use the mold with fondant, simply press the fondant into the mold, let it set briefly and then remove from the mold to fully harden. I made 8-9 gems of each color. Once they were dry, I gave them all spray of with pearl edible food spray to give them a little more sparkle.

To make the frosting, start by beating the butter until creamy. Beating on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add in the milk and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

To decorate the cakes, use an offset spatula to frost the tops of each of the cakes. Then, place a selection of fondant gems onto the tops of each of the cakes. Finally, to add wheels to the mine carts, I used a hot glue gun to add black buttons to the bottom of the baking trays.

Enjoy The Dwarfs’ Mine Cart Cakes! Let me know what you think of the new Snow White movie!

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The Dwarfs’ Mine Cart Cakes

Inspired by the Seven Dwarfs from Snow White, The Dwarfs’ Mine Cart Cakes are chocolate cakes with chocolate buttercream frosting. Baked in a metal cart pan, they’re topped with colorful fondant jewels!

Course Dessert

Keyword Seven Dwarfs, Snow White

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4 mini cakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cakes

• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Chocolate Buttercream

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Decorations

• green, red, gold, silver, and blue fondant
• pearl edible food spray

Equipment

• 4 5.7 oz rectangle baking cups
• silicone jewel fondant mold

Instructions

Chocolate Cakes

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk cocoa powder into boiling water. Set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well-mixed.
6. Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating on low speed until combined.
7. Add the cocoa mixture and beat until combined. If desired, stir in the chocolate chips.
8. Scoop the batter into baking cups and place the baking cups on a baking sheet.
9. Bake the cakes for 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Fondant Gems

1. Press the fondant into the mold to create gem shapes.
2. Let set briefly before removing the fondant from the mold and placing on a piece of wax paper. Let set until hardened.
3. Repeat with other colors of fondant, making 8-9 of gems of each color.
4. Once all gems are set, spray them with pearl edible food spray.

Chocolate Buttercream

1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
2. On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
3. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Assembly

1. Use an offset spatula to frost the tops of the cakes.
2. Place a selection of fondant gems on top of the frosted cakes.