Recipe: Royal Caribbean's 50th Birthday Cake

It is never too late to celebrate Royal Caribbean's 50th anniversary, and nothing says a celebration quite like cake!

For many months, Royal Caribbean was serving guests in the main dining room a buttercream birthday cake, topped with rainbow sprinkles, a swirled lollipop and chocolate coin.

For my fellow cruise fans also going through cruise withdrawal, here is how to make your very own Royal Caribbean birthday cake at home!

50th Birthday Cake Ingredients

Serves 4. Ready in 1.5 hours (or 1 hour if you buy sponge cake).

Vanilla Sponge Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup nonpareil rainbow sprinkles
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• candies, for garnish

Note: you could save time by purchasing store-bought sponge cake.

Vanilla butter icing

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons milk

White Chocolate Glaze

• 1/3 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/3 cup white chocolate
• 2 tablespoons apricot gel
• 1 teaspoon gelatin powder

Suggested music while preparing 50th Birthday Cake

• Kool & The Gang - Celebration

50th Birthday Cake Instructions

Vanilla Sponge Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Prepare a 1/2-inch baking pan by brushing it with softened butter, then lightly dust it with flour
3. Beat eggs and vanilla extract in mixer for about 1 minute on high speed
4. Slowly add the sugar and beat for 15 minutes
5. In a bowl, sift flour and baking powder
6. Separately, combine butter and hot water in a cup
7. Carefully fold flour mixture into eggs, then fold butter mixture into batter
8. Fold rainbow sprinkles into batter evenly and pour into buttered pan
9. Bake for 30 minutes
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack

Vanilla Butter Icing

1. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy
2. Add sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency
3. Reserve

White Chocolate Glaze

1. In a small pot, combine milk, corn syrup, apricot gel and gelatin powder, and bring to boil
2. Add white chocolate and mix until smooth
3. Reserve

To Assemble

1. Cut sponge cake with a 2- or 3-inch ring
2. Use 1 tablespoon icing between of the three sponge cake layers, spreading evenly
3. Over a cooling rack, drizzle glaze evenly to cover the cake
4. Place in freezer for 30 minutes, or until set
5. For color drizzle, reserve a little glaze with each color, mixing each in separate bowls
6. Drizzle colors on top and garnish with fun candies

I hope this recipe helps bring a little (sweet) Royal Caribbean fun to your home.  If you manage to create it, please share a photo in our comments below so we can all see your creation!