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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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
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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
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
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.
Pinuccio Tisi says
Hi, I made the mirror glaze and it was pretty easy, but I have a couple of questions; although the finishing was very shiny at first, after 10 minutes or so it lost the sheen and also it developed some bubbles. Any idea why this could have happened? I am ready for a second try but any advice would be helpful. Thank you , Pinuccio
The Sugar Geek Show says
If there are bubbles that means you mixed it a little too vigorously and trapped air in the mixture. Next time use a spoon or spatula. What did you do with the cake after you poured the glaze?
Alfonso Villegas says
Some sites recommend sifting the glaze through a tight mesh first before pouring.
The Sugar Geek Show says
You definitely could do that to prevent some lumps
Miss Belle says
Thank you! This turned out perfectly.
lisa says
liked to share a pic of my fantasy forest baby shower mirror cake, can I upload here?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Of course! Would love to see it
Shelley Bodoh says
I am going to use this for a gallexy baby shower cake I am doing. My question is how to attach fondant accents (in this case fondant stars of vavious sizes) to the side of the mirror glazed cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can't put fondant on mirror glaze, it will make the fondant get sticky and wet
hevan2020 says
what if you can't find that chocolate
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just use whatever high quality chocolate you have access to 🙂
kris says
can the glaze be put on a regular cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes but you have to have the buttercream very smooth and frozen for an hour so it sets the glaze. Do not freeze your cake solid
Dianne says
Hi in the first instruction it says to add water with the sugar so on and the second instruction is to add water with the gelatine powder.. Im curious is it the half cup water with the sugar, condensed milk so on and the tbsp with the gelatine or the other way around. Thankyou
Gabe Patterson says
I was wondering the same thing!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Step one is the first three ingredients in the recipe including the water. Step two is the second amount of water with the gelatin. Recipes are usually written in the order of ingredients used.
Marry says
I love the reciep so bad but the only thing what i missed is mirror glaze is transparent. I follow the steps properly and 3 times my glaze doesn't have density!!!
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
Are you adding color? once you add color it shouldn't be transparent or maybe you're pouring at too warm of a temperature?
NONFLUENCER says
Wouldn't the addition of the white chocolate affect the opacity? Regardless whether or not color is added.
nonfluencer says
Wouldn't the addition of the white chocolate affect the transparency, whether or not color was added? Might it have been accidentally omitted? What is the purpose of the white chocolate anyway?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Flavor, setting the mirror glaze, color etc.
Tanja Smith says
I am ready to try this recipe! Can you use flavored gelatin?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I wouldn't
Dee says
Can a cake covered with mirror glaze be frozen
The Sugar Geek Show says
No, the glaze will lose it's shine after a while
Vicki Pittman says
Hi Liz, just wondering if there is a way to get the glaze just on top of the cake and not sides for an ocean effect, maybe parchment paper type around sides on fondant and let set up??
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sure, if you made a collar around the cake using parchment or acetate and then poured the glaze on top and let it set then peeled away the collar it would totally stay on the top
Bernadette says
Can the glaze be used on chocolate buttercream that has been frozen the appropriate time? Do you think the chocolate color of the frosting would alter the color of the glaze? I am making one large sheet cake by putting two quarter sheet cakes, one vanilla with white frosting and the other chocolate with chocolate frosting, together, but the client would like the entire cake blue. Do you think it could work if the seam is smooth?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can do that 🙂
Mary says
If I used a frosting made with granulated sugar to coat the cake, would it still behave the same as a powdered sugar buttercream?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I'm not sure what you mean, I assume you mean like a Swiss meringue buttercream? In that case yes it would be just fine 🙂
Kristin says
So funny! I came here to see your cake that I am making for my daughter, Avalan! (pronounced Avalon!) I haven't met another Avalan (Avalon) before 🙂
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yay! It's a pretty great name 🙂
Jenn says
Great recipe - I love that the ratio conversion is there for smaller (or larger) amounts. I made some today for a galaxy drip beach cake (long story)... but I was concerned the drip would be too fluid and too thin (I didnt want it down the height of the cake, just over the edges) so I let the mixture set up a bit more than would be desired for a normal cake coating... but then - as expected - it was a bit lumpy. I learned 2 handy tips from this - a brulee torch is very handy! a) to smooth it out, and make it drip more if needed (as it raises the temp again, and melts the gelatin), and b) that it will pop ANY bubbles that are coming or just under the surface!
Thanks again for sharing your recipe!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Great tip! I wonder if a hair dryer would work too? 😀
Colleen says
Don’t use a hair dryer, even on low it creates ripples or waves.
Morrisonmama says
I'm guessing that any flame, such as a long stem lighter would work. We used flame to pop bubbles in epoxy coating at work.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Lighter fluid leave a taste on the cake so it's not recommended which is why we use a butane torch.
Help says
Arghhhh! No reply to how much water to use in which step!? I've been reading the comments hoping for an answer but it seems to be the only comment without a reply...
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hi Angela, I can update the recipe for you but for future reference, a recipe is written in the order of ingredients you use. So step one indicates you combine the first three ingredients including water together. Step two is combining the second amount of water with gelatin.
Saba salman says
The 1/2 cup water goes with the sugar and condensed milk, and one tablespoon with gelatin.
Vanessa C says
The first amount of water is 1/2cup and the 1 Tbsp... it goes with the sugar and condensed milk. That’s the first 3 ingredients.
The second amount of water was listed after the gelatin- it’s another 1/2 cup of water that gets mixed with the gelatin, so the gelatin can bloom.
Tom B says
I recently made a couple of mirror glaze cakes but I needed to pour the glaze over the Cake twice because the first time it almost ran straight off the cake. The glaze was around 30-35degrees so presume that wasn’t the problem. Could it be that my buttercream icing wasn’t cool enough and smooth enough? How long would you recommend cooling or freezing the iced cake to make sure the glaze sticks first time?
Hopefully I’ll be able to enter it in a local cake competition 🙂
Thank you!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
The cake needs to be very cold on the outside, also try using a good quality chocolate if you arent already
Barbara says
Hi
I have already frozen the cake with the butter cream on it and have just read that it should only be in the freezer for 1 hour before
Advise please, panicking, cake needed in 24 hrs
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
oops! Go ahead and glaze the cake but then put it in the fridge to defrost overnight.
Laurel says
I put a mirror glazed cake in the fridge overnight because it wasn't due till the following day and it was no longer a mirror glaze it looked like really smooth icing any idea why ? Is there a another way to make this so it can be iced the evening before it's needed?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It loses it's shine after 24 hours. I recommend glazing the day you want to deliver it
Patty says
Hello...I made this and it is very easy but learned a couple of lessons...1. this does cool pretty quickly,( cool day here and windows open may have effected it) 2. reread instruction's lol...I froze my cake overnight!! and think that may have been a issue with setting so fast. 3. I do not have a torch so I tried the idea above with the hair dryer...don't do it doesn't work it blows the glaze and well starts the cake melting. I have a cake with a awesome top with what looks like candle dripping down some of the sides. so lessons learned LOL.... I do have a question...is the glaze supposed to be rubbery once dried? I think I may have forgot the 1/2 cup water an that's the result..its one of those days LOL....
The Sugar Geek Show says
The glaze will be rubbery from the gelatin when it's set.
Kim says
I made this recipe over the weekend and I noticed that at 5 degrees above cooling temp, 95 I had to reheat over a double boiler to even make a consistency that was pour-able. I also noticed that even after adding color and doing two coats the glaze was still opaque. I chalk that up to me only doing a crumb coat and not a finished layer. Would both of these things happen because I just used regular white chocolate baking chips? It was just a test cake as it was my first time trying a mirror glaze. TIA
The Sugar Geek Show says
Are you heating at F or C? If made correctly 95 should be plenty warm for pouring. Make sure you follow the directions and measure everything correctly. Opaque means not see-through so I assume you meant transparent. You can add a little white food coloring to the glaze to make it more opaque and yes a final coat of buttercream is important for not only the glaze but so that it's smooth. Hope that helps
Phyllis L says
Love your videos. Very complete. I have been cake decorating for over 40 years and am amazed at how much knowledge you have!Can the glazed cake be refrigerated after being glazed?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Aww thank you so much! That is so nice! Yes I refrigerate mine 🙂
Sandy says
Can I put the mirror glaze on my cake the day before I need it. Should I put in refrigerator to store it leave it out on counter?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can and storing in the fridge is a must 🙂
Sofia Cohan says
Hi, can you use colored chocolate to skip a few steps or would that not work?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You could but you most likely will not get the color you're desiring from the small amount of chocolate.
Erin says
I was planning to make this cake and bring to work for a party tomorrow. What do I do with the cake from now until 12:00 tomorrow? Should it be refrigerated or should it be left out? Or should I do the glazing early in the morning? Help!
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can refrigerate or do it before you leave. It sets very quickly then you trim off the drips and it's ready to go 🙂
Caroline says
Hi there, thanks for the recipe. If I’m making a cake and using this, I’m curious if it’s ok to be left outside for a period of time. If I ice it in the morning and fridge it for a few hours can it then sit outside for a few hours before serving? Will be maybe 75 degrees outside and may be in the sun but hopefully not. Thank you!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If this cake is in the sun it will definitely melt. It can be left at room temp no problem but never in the sun
Marie says
I was reading your recipe for the mirror glaze and can’t wait to try it. I’m wondering if I can buy a frozen cake with icing and just pour the mirror glaze on top. Would I have to defrost the cake in the fridge for a few hours before pouring the glaze over it or could I pour the glaze over the completely frozen cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The cake needs to be frozen when you pour the glaze. Store in the fridge after pouring.
Tonya says
Do you have to use buttercream or can you use other types of frosting?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can use other kinds as long as they freeze well