Want to create a stunning Mirror Glaze Cake at home? Follow my easy mirror glaze recipe to cover any cake. Check out the video and step by step tutorial plus tips and troubleshooting for shiny glaze success! In collaboration with Thermapen.
You will also love my Mirror Glaze Cheesecake
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Cake lovers have been enchanted with Mirror Glaze cakes for a couple of years, ever since stunning creations made a splash on Instagram.
Mirror glaze is not new! This glazing technique has been used by pastry chefs for many years to cover mousse cakes (entremets). This shiny glaze creates a highly polished surface that is actually reflective, hence the name.
Mousse cakes create the best surface for mirror glaze but you follow my easy mirror glaze recipe to transform any cake into a polished masterpiece. How about making a festive Galaxy cake or a themed Frozen cake?
What is mirror glaze made of?
This highly reflective glaze is made with water, sugar, glucose, condensed milk, gelatine and white chocolate.
The glaze is coloured with gel food coloring and then poured over a frozen cake once it reaches a certain temperature.
Contrasting colours create intricate patterns as the glaze drips off the cake – and here’s where you can unleash your creativity.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need to make a mirror cake at home
- Sugar, water and glucose (or corn syrup)
- Powdered gelatine
- Sweetened condensed milk
- White chocolate – ideally good quality white chocolate chips or a bar cut into very small pieces
- Food coloring in a variety of strong tints – my favourite brand is Americolor
- White Lustre powder (Sugarflair is my preferred brand)
- Sprinkles and decorations (optional – work with your colour theme)
- You will also need a frozen cake that’s covered in a smooth coating of buttercream – ideally Swiss Meringue buttercream
Essential Equipment
This is the type of recipe that demands a certain set of tools
- Thermapen – temperature is absolutely key in making mirror glaze, do not attempt the recipe without it. If the glaze is too hot it will simply drip off the cake. I rely on my Thermapen for its incredible 3 second response time (essential for this recipe) and amazing temperature range of -49.9 to 299.9°C!
- Digital scales – I use a scale for all my bakes but it is especially useful for mastering tricky skills like macarons or mirror cakes
- Measuring spoons
- Immersion blender (optional) for blending the glaze
- Fine strainer for getting rid of any lumps
- Palette knife – for scraping the glaze as it drips off the cake
- Cake boards – useful when covering cakes with buttercream
- Cake lifter – for transferring cakes safely
What cakes are best for glazing?
You can use any layer cake that’s entirely covered with a thick layer of white buttercream. The surface needs to be as smooth as possible for best results.
I used my vanilla cake recipe and my easy Swiss Meringue buttercream from my Salted Caramel Cake.
The cake also needs to be frozen so I prefer to make it at a day in advance. I would say the minimum freezing time would be at least 2 hours. You can also use a white frozen no-bake cheesecake as I have done here.
This recipe makes enough glaze to cover a 20cm /9inch layer cake, bear in mind that a lot of the glaze will drip off the cake as you are pouring it.
What will it taste like?
Mirror glaze simply tastes sweet since it is mostly white chocolate, sugar and condensed milk.
Mirror glaze sets as it contains gelatine – not hard, it is quite sticky. I prefer to serve the cake soon after the glaze sets as it can become a little rubbery the longer it sets.
But you don’t really choose to glaze a cake with this method for the taste – this is almost entirely done for show!
HOW TO MAKE MIRROR GLAZE
STEP 1. Prepare the gelatine. Put the cold water in a bowl and sprinkle the powder over the surface. Leave for 5 minutes to allow the gelatine to bloom (swell).
STEP 2. Put water, sugar and glucose in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat as soon as bubbles appear – do not boil.
STEP 3. Stir in the gelatine into the hot liquid so that it melts.
STEP 4. Pour in the condensed milk and stir to combine. You can also use an immersion blender here if you prefer.
STEP 5. Strain the mixture into a bowl over a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids.
STEP 6. Create your base colour by adding a few drops of gel colouring – I tinted my base xxx blue.
STEP 7. Working quickly pour some of the base colour into three smaller bowls or measuring jugs and tint these three contrasting or complementary colours.
HOW TO COVER A CAKE WITH MIRROR GLAZE
STEP 1. You will need to have your frozen cake ready to go. Put a small can into a large rimmed baking tray and set your cake on it.
STEP 2. Check the glaze is the right temperature – it needs to be 30C /89F when checked with your Thermapen. If it is too hot it will simply drip off the cake and if it is too cold it will set immediately!
STEP 3. Start pouring the glaze over the cake starting at the edges then moving in to cover the centre. The glaze will drip down the sides and cover the cake.
STEP 4. Start layering your coloured glaze over the base colour. The glaze will keep moving and pouring off the cake blending the colours together. Continue working with the colours until you are happy with the look.
STEP 5. Put the lustre powder in a small bowl and tip a clean brush in it. Flick the brush over the cake to add some sparkle!
STEP 6. Use a small palette knife to clean the drips off the bottom edge of the cake. Use a cake lifter to transfer the cake onto a stand or plate.
STEP 7. If you want to add decorations do so now but be aware you won’t be able to move them if you are unhappy with their position! You can put the cake in the fridge at this point or serve it.
Can I save leftover glaze?
Most of your glaze will drip off the cake and into the tray set underneath. Be prepared for a little bit of mess regardless… You can pour the leftover glaze into a bowl or measuring cup and store to use on another bake.
You will need to reheat the glaze so it becomes liquid again and use it as a base colour. The only downside is that you won’t be able to control the colour, especially if it is a dark glaze.
TOP TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING
- Set up your work station so that everything is ready to go. Once the glaze is made you will need to work quickly. Oh and a personal tip from me to you – don’t wear a fuzzy sweater!
- Temperature is the key! Use your Thermapen to check the glaze has reached the optimum temperature before pouring. Continue to check the temperature especially in smaller bowls, you might need to quickly reheat those in the microwave if they cool too quickly.
- Choose your colour scheme. I went with a blue/green tints to create a Frozen birthday cake. A darker version of same colour theme would be ideal for a Galaxy Cake.
- If your glaze has any small air bubbles use a pin to pop them.
- If you are unhappy with the colour of your mirror glaze cake then allow it to set first. Use a small amount of an accent colour (make sure it is heated to the right temperature) then add a small pattern over the cake to add visual interest.
Mirror Glaze Cake
Ingredients
Mirror Glaze Recipe
Makes enough to cover a 20cm/9in layer cake or frozen cheesecake
- 2 tbsp powdered gelatine (15g)
- 80 ml | ⅓ cup cold water to bloom the gelatine
- 200 g | 1 cup granulated sugar
- 200 g | 7oz corn syrup / glucose
- 100 ml | 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp water
- 150 g | 5.3oz sweetened condensed milk
- 200 g | 7oz white chocolate chips or a bar chopped into small pieces
- selection of soft gel paste food colours
- lustre powder optional
- selection of sprinkles optional
- 1 cake covered in buttercream frozen for at least 2 hours
Instructions
- Put the powdered gelatine in a small bowl and add the cold water. Allow it to ‘bloom’ – it will swell and become almost solid. Set aside.
- Put the sugar, corn syrup and water into a saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Do not allow it to boil.
- Take off the heat and stir in the gelatine until it melts.
- Add the condensed milk and stir until smooth.
- Put the chopped chocolate into a bowl and pour the hot mixture over it. Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes then stir slowly using a balloon whisk. Start from the centre and increase your stirring motion outwards until the glaze is completely smooth.
- Strain the glaze using a fine sieve and discard any solids.
- Add a small amount of your base colour into the glaze and stir until smooth. Adjust until you are happy with the colour.
- Pour a small amount of the glaze into three smaller bowls and tint each bowl a complementary colour (I used blue, black and purple).
- Check your glaze has reached 30C/89F before using with a digital thermometer. It can be a couple of degrees either side of this temperature.
- Remove the cake from the freezer. Place on tin set over a rimmed tray to catch the excess glaze.
- Smooth the top of the cake with a palette knife so it is as even and smooth as possible.
- Pour the base colour glaze over the entire cheesecake, starting at the edges and filling in the centre.
- Drizzle the contrasting colours over the top to create and interesting pattern – work quickly before the glaze has a chance to set.
- Add a dusting of lustre powder or other decorations if you like. Leave the glaze to set and cake to come to room temperature before serving.
- If you are not serving immediately, keep in the fridge until ready to slice.
Video
Notes
Mirror Glaze Equipment & Ingredients
This is the type of recipe that demands a certain set of tools and ingredients (contains affiliate links)- Sugar, water and glucose (or corn syrup)
- Powdered gelatine
- Sweetened condensed milk
- White chocolate – ideally good quality white chocolate chips or a bar cut into very small pieces
- Food coloring in a variety of strong tints – my favourite brand is Americolor
- White Lustre powder (Sugarflair is my preferred brand)
- Sprinkles and decorations (optional – work with your colour theme)
- You will also need a frozen cake that’s covered in a smooth coating of buttercream – ideally Swiss Meringue buttercream
- Thermapen – temperature is absolutely key in making mirror glaze, do not attempt the recipe without it. If the glaze is too hot it will simply drip off the cake.
- Digital scales – I use a scale for all my bakes but it is especially useful for mastering tricky skills like macarons or mirror cakes
- Measuring spoons
- Immersion blender (optional) for blending the glaze
- Fine strainer for getting rid of any lumps
- Palette knife – for scraping the glaze as it drips off the cake
- Cake boards – useful when covering cakes with buttercream
- Cake lifter – for transferring cakes safely
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