Star Wars Lightsaber Cake Inspired by The Force Awakens

This is THE week! We’re in the FINAL DAYS until we see Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in theaters.

To be honest, I’m not sure it has actually sunk in yet that we are going to see the finale of the Skywalker Saga THIS WEEK! It’s a surreal thing, but I’m excited nonetheless.

Before we go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, my Star Wars baking challenge is a bit behind! *internal screaming*

Wow, I’ve been baking a lot lately! And while, yes, I should have been solely focusing on SW, there’s also been some other cool recipes going on to support the other universes out there… 🙂 (Check out my Black Widow Pumpkin Pie and Wonder Woman 1984 Pie Design!)

This wouldn’t have been an issue, but my original Force Awakens recipe that I made LAST weekend was a total flop. UGH. I hate when that happens. And let’s be honest, it’s not the first time a themed recipe has not turned out as planned. (I’m seriously thinking of sharing a recipe FAIL post because, wow, some of the attempts are LOL funny.)

But here we are! It’s the final week and I WILL see my Star Wars baking challenge through! I’m excited to share my Force Awakens post today, as well as an upcoming Last Jedi post this week, followed by a final Rise of Skywalker recipe AFTER I see the movie. (I need inspiration for this one before I bake!)

Star Wars Baking Challenge — Week 7, The Force Awakens

Week 7 of my Star Wars baking challenge is inspired by The Force Awakens — one of my FAVORITE films in the entire saga.

Let me say it louder for the people in the back — I love this movie so much. It reinvigorated an already beloved saga for me, brought creative storytelling from one of my favorite directors, J.J. Abrams, introduced new characters I loved immediately, and brought them together with our favorite original characters.

It’s no secret, I’m a huge Rey fan… so I had to find a way to include her in one of my recipes. But then again, I couldn’t leave out Kylo Ren! After all, “darkness rises and light to meet it.” Okay, I know that line is one movie too soon, but it was just too appropriate.

For my Force Awakens recipe, I incorporated both Rey and Kylo elements through their red and blue lightsabers.

And since my last cake was a HUGE hit in my house — a chocolate cake covered in a delicious coffee buttercream — I brought it back by popular demand with a new twist. While the “foundation” is the same, this cake is full of the force, as it is lined with chocolate covered pretzel lightsabers.

Kylo Ren and Rey Lightsaber Cake Inspired by Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens

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What You Need:

CAKE

• Three 6-inch circular cakes, chocolate

COFFEE BUTTERCREAM ICING

• 2 sticks of salted butter, room temperature
• 1 lb. of powdered sugar (1/2 bag)
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• 3-5 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp. instant coffee granules

CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZEL LIGHTSABERS

• White chocolate candy melts
• Pretzel sticks
• Sanding sugar sprinkles, red and blue
• Black food coloring
• Icing bag
• Icing coupler
• Icing tip, medium round
• Parchment paper

DECORATING TOOLS

• Angled spatula
• Icing scraper
• Textured icing comb *optional* (I purchased this set)
• Icing bag
• Icing coupler
• Icing tip — star tip
• Serrated knife

Preparing the Edible Chocolate Covered Lightsabers

First, prepare your edible chocolate covered pretzel lightsabers to ensure they have time to set before you need to decorate your cake.

Melt white chocolate candy melts in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each warm-up until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Place a piece of parchment paper on your work area to lay your chocolate covered pretzels as you prepare them. Dip each pretzel stick in the melted white chocoalte, leaving a small piece of pretzel exposed at the bottom to serve as the lightsaber handle. Lay the covered pretzel stick on the parchment paper and cover the melted chocolate in blue sanding sugar. Repeat to make as many lightsabers as you want.

Repeat this process to make red lightsabers.

For the two side blades of Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, break off small pieces of pretzels to dip in the melted chocolate, then cover them in red sanding sugar.

Let your lightsabers cool and harden completely before removing from the parchment paper, about 25-45 minutes.

Preparing the Cakes

Prepare and bake three 6-inch circular chocolate cakes.

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.

Preparing the Coffee Icing

Next, it’s time to prepare your coffee buttercream icing. (YUM — let me just tell you this icing MAKES THE ENTIRE CAKE. It is absolutely delicious.)

First, in a small bowl, combine your heavy cream and instant coffee granules. Mix well, but know that not all of the coffee granules will dissolve and that’s perfectly okay. Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat your softened butter until fluffy. Then add the vanilla and salt and mix until smooth.  (I let my stand mixer go for several minutes until the butter mixture is creamy). Slowly add your powdered sugar, a few cups at a time, until all of it is incorporated. Next, add one tablespoon of your coffee cream mixture at a time until you reach your desired coffee taste (add as much or as little as you’d like based on your strength preference). Taste test to be sure it’s perfect! 🙂

Place a fourth of the icing in a small bowl and add black food coloring. Then, prepare your icing bag and coupler with a medium round tip, fill the bag with the black icing, and set aside. You will use this black icing to make your lightsaber handles momentarily.

Decorating Your Cake

Once your coffee icing is prepared, add a generous amount to the top of your first cake. Then, using your angled spatula, smooth the icing out across the top.

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 icing around the sides of your cake. Then, using your textured icing scraper, create the icing pattern around your cake.

Smooth the edges of the top of your cake and, if needed, add extra coffee icing to 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 coffee icing to add a border along the bottom edge of your cake by using an icing bag with a medium round tip.

Around the edge of your cake, place your finished lightsabers, alternating between Rey and Kylo’s lightsabers. For Kylo’s lightsaber with the side blades, place your small pretzel pieces in the desired location. Then, using your black icing that you previously set aside, cover the bare pretzel stick in black to make the blade, as well as adding a small amount on the inside of each small blade to connect the sides to the main piece.

Cover the bare pretzel rods on Rey’s lightsaber in black icing to create a blade.

As a finishing touch, sprinkle a mixture of red and blue sanding sugar on top of the cake (and around the bottom edge, if desired).

Then, to give your cake a little height, add small icing shapes around the top edge.

And there you have it, the SEVENTH recipe in my Star Wars baking challenge. Phew — that’s a lot of Star Wars baking!

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 Cake 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
—> R2-D2 and C-3PO Tatooine Sunset Cake Inspired by A New Hope
—> AT-AT Hoth Cream Pie Inspired by The Empire Strikes Back
—> Endor Forest Cake Inspired by Return of the Jedi
—> Mandalorian Pumpkin Pie Inspired by Disney+’s The Mandalorian