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Home › Recipe

Updated: Apr 17, 2020 · Published: Feb 16, 2018 by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 205 Comments

Mirror Cake Glaze Recipe

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

What is Mirror Glaze Cake?

Mirror cake glaze is a shiny cake made by pouring a delicious chocolate sugar glaze that has gelatin in it over a frozen cake, called an entremet (oooh so french). You can use a variety of colors and shaped molds to make the frozen cake to get that super reflective surface which is how the cake got it's name

These cakes really took off as a trend in 2017 but they seem like they are here to stay. One of the most popular creators of the mirror glaze cake is the instagrammer @olganoskovaa from Moscow Russia. Her cakes are so fun to watch, we never get tired of them!

mirror glaze

What is mirror glaze made of?

Mirror glaze is made from sweetened condensed milk, a little chocolate, water and gelatin and sometimes flavorings and colors. Mirror glaze sets because of the gelatin but not hard. It is pretty sticky stuff.

Mirror glaze has a nice taste. It's sweet but not too sweet and the flavors meld well with the cake and fillings. It might look a little strange putting gelatin on cake but it tastes delicious!

Mirror Glaze Cake

Easy Mirror Glaze Recipe

Lucky for us, easy mirror glaze recipe isn't even that hard to make. Like most things related to baking, it does take a few specific things to be fully successful in your quest for mirror glaze awesomeness.

  • Use a high quality white chocolate with more than 30% cocoa butter for best results
  • Make sure you strain your glaze after you make it so that you don't have any lumps ruining the finish
  • Pour your glaze at exactly 90 degrees F. Too warm and it will run off your cake. Too cold and it won't be smooth
  • Make sure your entremet is frozen and fresh outta the freezer so that it sets the gelatin and chocolate in the glaze quickly
  • Make sure you put your cake on top of a cake pan or glass so that the glaze can drip off easily.

Colored Mirror Glaze Recipe

To add colors to your glaze, simply start with making the white glaze. Divide the glaze into a few bowls and color them with regular food coloring. Some people like to then put these colors together into a big bowl or pitcher and then quickly pour over the frozen cake or they prefer to pour the colors individually and layer them up.

I used a combination of dark blue, turquoise and white to make this mirror glaze cake. You can even learn to make your own ocean wave mirror glaze cake complete with cool metallic effects!

colored mirror glaze cake recipe

fun little tip, if you add some metallic gold dust to some everclear or other grain alcohol and drip it over the mirror glaze, it makes some cool effects! Don't use too much though or it will eat away at your glaze.

Mirror Cake Galaxy

Making a galaxy cake is super fun! For this I prefer to use a dark chocolate mirror glaze recipe and add a little black food coloring to make it nice and dark. Then layer up some white, pink, purple, blue or any colors you want really! Top with some edible sprinkles or glitter for an extra out-of-this world look!

mirror cake galaxy

Galaxy mirror glaze cakes can be really fun and easy! My daughter avalon helped me make this one in a recent fb live. I just love how she has recently shown more interest in helping me bake, especially when it's time to lick the bowl.

Mirror glaze mousse cake recipe

So how do you actually make one of these beautiful, shiny cakes?

Start by making a mousse. Mousse is technically just any sort of custard (or pudding if you're from the US) that is lightened by whipped cream. You could make your own or if you're like me, you just use the boxed mix.

Switching up the flavors of your mousse can be pretty much anything! You can even start with vanilla and add in fruit purees to give it a different flavor like lemon or passion fruit! oohhh fancy.

How to make a mirror glaze cake

I had a great time making this valentines day themed mirror glaze cake heart with my daughter and she really enjoyed eating it. You see, its win/win that way. I get to make a yummy treat but I don't have to feel guilty about eating the whole thing myself.

I cooked up a batch of chocolate vanilla pudding and folded in some whipped cream. About ¼ liquid then whipped up to a firm peak. Fold until combined and smooth.

Fill your mold with about ⅓ of the mousse. Layer up some strawberries or fruit puree. More whipped cream, then your cake (I recommend our delicious vanilla cake recipe). Seal with another layer of cream and then freeze!

I love how this pretty cake looks on top of some melted ice cream and surrounded by fresh berries. Definitely, the perfect valentines day dessert that you can easily make on your own.

My smooth mirror glaze cake mold is perfect for creating a super shiny surface for the cake! Don't forget to trim off the drips after your glaze sets for a nice clean finish.

One more tip, once you glaze your cake, put it in the fridge for a few hours to soften. No one likes eating rock-hard cake! This cake will keep up to 24 hours but after that, it will start to lose it's shine.

where to buy mirror cake

Chocolate mousse cake with mirror glaze

Chocolate mousse cakes are not the only way to use mirror glaze. You can also use regular cake iced in plain old buttercream to make a mirror glaze cake with frosting. Make sure it's really really smooth though and frozen for a least an hour before you put that glaze over the top.

Once you put the glaze on, let the cake chill in the fridge until you're ready to slice into it.

Kitchen tools to make a mirror glaze cake

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy

Kitchen thermometer - Vital tool for making sure your mirror glaze is not too hot or cold when you pour. Also great for use when using chocolate!

Mirror glaze mold (smooth heart) - The classic mirror glaze mold! Perfect size to make a tasty treat for two.

Mirror glaze mold (geometric) - This mold is a little bigger than the smooth heart and has a cool geometric finish. Great for small gatherings like bridal showers or birthdays!

Strainer (chinois) - super fine strainer for getting out pesky lumps and bumps in your mirror glaze so you have a super smooth, super shiny finish on all your cakes!

 

Recipe

Mirror cake glaze recipe

Mirror Cake Glaze Recipe

I used Chef Iso's mirror glaze recipe to make the cake I used for the Ocean Wave Mirror Glaze tutorial and it turned out awesome! 
Print Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 3346kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 10 oz Granulated Sugar
  • 7 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 5 oz Water
  • 4 teaspoon Gelatin Powder
  • 2.5 oz Water
  • 7 oz White Chocolate (high quality for best results such as Valrhona)
  • 2 drops White Food Coloring
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instructions

  • Add the sugar and first quantity of water to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
  • Pour the  second quantity of water into the powdered gelatin and mix with a spoon. Leave to fully absorb for 15 minutes.
  • Combine white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in large heat proof container
  • When the sugar and water mixture begins to simmer (do not boil), remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved.
  • Pour the hot liquid on top of the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and leave to sit for 5 minutes to melt.
  • Use a whisk or immersion blender to stir the glaze until the chocolate has completely melted.
  • Add the gel food coloring and stir until well-mixed. Pass the glaze through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Leave the glaze to cool.
  • Once the glaze has cooled to 90º F / 32º C, pour it over the frozen cake which is on top of a cup, sitting on a tray or plate with a edge to catch the drips.
  • Leave the glaze to set for 5 minutes before using a hot knife to remove the drips.
  • Enjoy your cake right away or refrigerate until serving. Keep in mind that glaze loses it's shine after 24 hours so if you're making this for a client make sure you pour the same day as delivery. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 3346kcal | Carbohydrates: 567g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 102g | Saturated Fat: 62g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 1511mg | Sugar: 566g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 6.6mg | Calcium: 1122mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Mirror Cake Glaze Recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Djina says

    January 15, 2020 at 9:34 am

    Hi!! I'm trying this on a galaxy cake, can I make the black glaze with dark chocolate insted of white and do the other colors in white chocolate.

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      January 15, 2020 at 1:01 pm

      Yes you definitely can and that would taste a lot better

      Reply
  2. Christina says

    January 24, 2020 at 2:00 am

    do you think I could use milked hazlenuts instead of water or to replace just some of the water?.... https://nuts.com/images/rackcdn/ed910ae2d60f0d25bcb8-80550f96b5feb12604f4f720bfefb46d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/d171af2e9f93607f-ofvT6cZ8-zoom.jpg

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      January 24, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Im not sure, I have never tried that but it sounds like it could work 🙂

      Reply
  3. nilly says

    February 25, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    hi, unfortunately my freezer is tinnyyy so I cant fit a cake in it. is it possible to keep it in the fridge overnight/ longer period of time prior to glazing? would that work?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      February 25, 2020 at 9:48 pm

      Sorry but the cake has to be frozen for the glaze to set up

      Reply
  4. Cesar Parra says

    April 14, 2020 at 8:14 pm

    can you use flavored gelitan for the glaze

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 16, 2020 at 9:36 am

      I've never heard of flavored gelatin. Do you mean jell-o? That contains sugar and is not the same as gelatin

      Reply
  5. Darren Tucker says

    April 14, 2020 at 9:54 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe. Worked a treat. Just follow the directions and you can’t go wrong

    Reply
  6. Carla says

    April 17, 2020 at 8:16 am

    Just an FYI in the step 8 which describes the temperatures of the glaze, it states 90º F / 37º C. This is not possible as the conversion is incorrect.

    90º F = 32º C
    37º C = 99º F

    Other sites (including the one you referenced)recommend 90-93F / 32-34 C.

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 17, 2020 at 1:05 pm

      Thanks so much, I will update that

      Reply
  7. Karen Netherland says

    April 21, 2020 at 9:27 pm

    5 stars
    Liz I really love the way these mirror cakes look. Do you think it's possible to mirror glaze a teapot cake?
    Thanks a bunch!
    Karen N

    P.S. Avalon is such a cutie.

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 22, 2020 at 8:31 am

      You could definitely glaze the round part. For the spout and handle you might have to dip them in the mirror glaze with a toothpick and then attach to the teapot carefully with another toothpick. Tricky stuff

      Reply
  8. Yeah nah says

    May 16, 2020 at 11:47 pm

    1 star
    Didn't set properly for me, despite letting the temp drop to under 90f

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      May 17, 2020 at 9:09 am

      Sorry it didn't work out for you. Perhaps you mis-measured something along the way. The glaze definitely sets very well so something must have gone wrong 🙂

      Reply
  9. Krissy says

    May 18, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    Do you pour mirror glaze directly on the cake or do frost the cake and pour over buttercream? Also if you pour all the colors in one bowl do they mix or stay a little separated. Trying to make a galaxy cake. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      May 18, 2020 at 4:48 pm

      You frost the cake first and freeze it for an hour or two so it's really cold. Then pour the glaze over. I prefer to pour in separate cups.

      Reply
  10. Aliyah says

    June 07, 2020 at 8:07 am

    Hey, do we need to use white food colouring? I can’t find it in stores 🙁
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      June 08, 2020 at 9:33 am

      White food coloring makes the glaze opaque, otherwise it will be transparent.

      Reply
  11. PEGGY BRASWELL says

    June 07, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this for the first time, and it came out even better than I expected! My only problem is getting the drips off cleanly. They just stretch out and don't want to cut. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      June 08, 2020 at 9:26 am

      Your knife needs to be hot.

      Reply
  12. Claire says

    July 15, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    Hello. I plan on making this cake for a baking competition. It will likely be sitting at room temperature for about 4-5 hours. Will it be okay? I plan on freezing overnight, pouring in the morning, refrigerating for an hour, and then transporting to the site which will be indoors at room temperature. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      July 15, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      Yes it will totally be ok.

      Reply
  13. Mariyam says

    August 02, 2020 at 8:28 am

    Hi
    Can what can I use to write HBD on Mirror glaze cake ? When I use normal icing it's sinking in the glaze
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      August 02, 2020 at 5:24 pm

      After the glaze has firmed up you can write with any kind of frosting

      Reply
  14. Robert says

    August 19, 2020 at 1:39 am

    Haven't made mirror glaze but have odd question: Can a mirror glaze go on a cheesecake?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      August 20, 2020 at 9:25 am

      I don't see why not as long as the cheesecake is cold enough

      Reply
  15. Jacqueline Freel says

    August 20, 2020 at 5:12 am

    Hi Liz,
    I have a question, I’m wondering if I can use your mirror glaze over a pipeable cream cheese frosting? Does it have to be buttercream?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      August 20, 2020 at 9:18 am

      Yes you can as long as its very very cold so that the glaze sets properly

      Reply
  16. Stephanie says

    October 13, 2020 at 7:48 am

    5 stars
    I made this for the first time also using the easy buttercream frosting. Rave reviews and it looked beautiful. My only change will be to get gel dye for stronger colour.

    Reply
  17. Stacey Janz says

    October 17, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    5 stars
    This was the easiest ever and I made the galaxy look and it turned out so good. Super impressed and so was everyone else who ate it.

    Reply
  18. Marlene Raymond says

    February 05, 2021 at 11:25 am

    5 stars
    I haven't tried if yet, but will definitely be trying this weekend thanks so very much for the best recipe and for sharing the QA, they were so very helpful

    Reply
  19. Amanda says

    February 15, 2022 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    I'm going to be making this in my baking class tomorrow. I read all the previous commentor's questions, and I really appreciate that you've answered them. I feel pretty confident that I'll get every right during class.

    Reply
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