The Starry Night Cake - Edible Painting

Let's get started!

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line two half sheet cake pans.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat butter and shortening until creamy, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. 
4. Add egg whites to butter mixture, beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
5. On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
6. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cake cool for 20 minutes, then put in fridge for an hour.
8. While cakes are cooling, make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream. 
9. Swiss Meringue Buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and sugar. Whisk over a double boiler until the mixture reaches 160F. 
10. Whip egg mixture on high until a stuff, glossy meringue forms and the bowl is no warmer than body temperature. About 5-8 minutes. 
11. Turn mixer to low and add the pinch of salt and butter, slowly one cube at a time. Once all the butter is added, let mix on low for 5 minutes until buttercream is smooth. 
12. Ice and stack cake on half sheet cake board. 
13. Cover board and sides of cake with black fondant. Let chill completely.

Time to Decorate!

1. Using a reference photo, color buttercream with gel food coloring to match The Starry Night palette. Put all the colors into piping bags. 
2. Trace outline of painting on top of cake with toothpick. 
3. Fill in background colors of painting, spread flat with offset spatula or palette knives. 
4. Add accent colors using piping bags, and create texture using palette knives.
5. Make a gold frame by rolling out 4 strips of gold colored fondant, decorating them with embellishments made from silicon molds. Let dry completely.
6. Paint frame with the gold luster dust mixed with extract or vodka. 
7. Place frame on top of cake.