Tatooine Sunset Cake Inspired by Star Wars: A New Hope

This weekend, I spent some quality time with two of my favorite droids — R2-D2 and K-AID!

I’ve combined two of my favorite things, Star Wars and baking, and have set off on a Star Wars Baking Challenge as I prepare for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker this December!

Not only am I marathoning all of the Skywalker saga (I LOVE a good movie marathon and you can find the best order to watch the films here), but I am baking a Star Wars recipe inspired by each episode along the way!

Love my Star Wars R2-D2 apron? Grab one from Jordandené and use discount code MONICA.DELMONICO for 15% off your entire purchase of $20 or more! [partner] Also, check out my Star Wars Kitchen Shopping Guide for more galactic gadgets.

Star Wars Baking Challenge — Week 4, A New Hope

This week, it’s all about Episode 4: A New Hope! I love a good origin story, so A New Hope has always been one of my favorites in the saga. I love meeting Luke, Obi-Wan, Han Solo, Princess Leia — I could go on and on — and being introduced to George Lucas’ creative galaxy.

For my recipe inspired by A New Hope, I chose to make a three-tiered cake inspired by the iconic, breathtaking binary sunset on Tatooine.

Depending on the shot, you may see various colors of the sky in the film, but for my cake, I chose this purple and pink sky when Luke is seen longing for galactic adventure.

Tatooine Sunset Cake Inspired by Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope

What You Need:

CAKE

• Three 6-inch circular cakes

BUTTERCREAM ICING

• 4 sticks of salted butter, room temperature
• 2 lbs. of powder sugar (1 bag), sifted
• 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 3-5 tbsp. milk
• Food gel coloring — pink, purple

DECORATING TOOLS

• Graham crackers
• Parchment paper
• Angled spatula
• Icing scraper
• Icing bag
• Icing coupler
• Icing tip — medium round tip
• Serrated knife
• Two wooden skewers
• Paper for your two moons — one lighter and one darker
• Tape
• R2-D2 and C-3PO action figures

Prepare and bake three 6-inch circular cakes (you choose the flavor!).

CAKE BAKING TIPS: Grease your cake pans and then sprinkle flour all over the surface. Next, cut out a circular piece of parchment paper and lay it on the base of the pan before pouring the batter into the pans. These steps will help your cakes slide right out of the pan once they cool.

Once your cakes are out of the oven, set them aside to cool. Then, using a serrated knife, level off the top of the cake, if needed.

Before you begin to ice your cooled cakes, place several small pieces of parchment paper on your cake stand or cake plate and then place your first cake on top. By doing this, you will help to keep your cake plate clean and free of extra icing while you work.

Next, it’s time to prepare your buttercream icing.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat your softened butter, vanilla, and a tablespoon or so of milk until blended and smooth. (I let my stand mixer go for several minutes until the butter mixture is creamy). Slowly add your sifted powdered sugar, a few cups at a time, until all of it is incorporated. Next, add one tablespoon of milk at a time, if needed, until you reach your desired frosting consistency. Taste test to be sure it’s perfect! 🙂

Add a generous amount of icing to the top of your first cake. Then, using your angled spatula, smooth the icing out across the top of the first cake.

Once your icing is smooth and even, place your second cake on top. Repeat the process, adding a layer of icing to the top of the second cake. Spread the icing across the top of the second cake with your angled spatula and spread the excess icing over the edge of the cake. Repeat process for your third cake, smoothing the top icing layer.

Add additional white icing rows around the edge of your cake. Then, using your angled spatula or icing scraper, smooth and spread the icing around your cake.

For my sunset cake, I chose to blend purple, pink, and white icing to achieve my look. Separate some of your white icing into two separate small bowls. Add purple food coloring to the first bowl and add pink food coloring to the second bowl. Additionally, set aside some extra white icing in case it is needed for touch ups.

Starting with the dark purple share, spread purple icing around the bottom of your cake, creating an uneven border. Repeat the process for your pink icing in the middle section of your cake.

Oh, and don’t worry if your cake looks like mine while you’re icing your rows! The next step will smooth everything out!

Using your angled spatula or your icing scraper, carefully smooth the icing around the edge of your cake, removing the excess icing as needed. Make sure to keep the spatula touching the cake stand or plate as you “drag”  it around the cake, this will help your icing colors not to blend too much from how you applied it, however, a sunset does not have perfect lines! Blending the colors between each other is what gives this cake its signature look!

Smooth the edges of the top of your cake and, if needed, add extra white icing to smooth the top of the cake.

Place your cake in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes or so, then remove it and touch up the icing by filling in any gaps, smoothing the edges, etc.

Clean the base of your cake stand of any excess icing (or transfer your cake to a plate or stand if you used cake boards). Use your remaining purple icing with a medium round tip to pipe a border around the base.

Next, cut out two small circles for your moons and tape them to wooden skewers. Stick them in the top of your cake to achieve your binary sunset.

Finally, add graham cracker crumbs around the edges of the cake to represent the sand of Tattooine. Place your R2-D2 and C-3PO figures next to the cake.

And there you have it! A lovely Tatooine sunset cake with two of my favorite droids!

“We seem to be made to suffer. It’s our lot in life.” –C-3PO

But cake does make it better, if I do say so myself.

Have you been following my Star Wars Baking Challenge? Check out my other Star Wars recipes as I countdown to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker!

—> Queen Amidala Inspired by The Phantom Menace
—> Anakin and Padme Pear Pie Inspired by Attack of the Clones 
—> Obi-Wan and Anakin Mustafar Cake Inspired by Revenge of the Sith
—> Mandalorian Pumpkin Pie Inspired by Disney+’s The Mandalorian