Boards Showpiece Boards Charcuterie Cake (The Cake That Isn't)
Showpiece Boards
Charcuterie Cake (The Cake That Isn't)
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It looks like a towering slice of birthday cake, with frosting, sprinkles and a cherry on top. Then you cut into it.
- Serves
- 12–15
- Board
- 48 × 24 in
- Prep
- 2 hours
- Cost
- $100–$130
- Level
- 4 of 5
Get the full plan Shopping list with amounts, placement and timeline.
The book it's in
Build it exactly, with the book
This board is in Charcuterie Lab: Impossible Boards, with 24 more showpiece boards. The book has the full shopping list, the layout, all eight build steps with the trick that makes the shape work, and easy, budget and luxe versions.
Why it works
The sponge is cheese slabs and the jam is salami: stacked layers of orange and white cheddar with thin salami between them, chilled so the layers hold. Cream cheese and feta make the frosting.
Salami roses, cubed cheese and fruit fill the board around the slice. It's the board for birthdays where someone doesn't like sweets, and the moment you cut it is the show.
Timeline
- Day beforeCut the cheese slabs, stack and glue the "cake," wrap it tightly and chill it overnight. Make the whipped feta frosting.
- 3 hours beforeFrost the cake, add the sprinkles and the cherry, and return it to the fridge.
- + 2 more stepsThe rest of the timeline and the step-by-step placement are in the full plan.
Questions
What is a charcuterie cake?
A savory 'cake' built from layers of cheese and salami, frosted with cream cheese, that looks like a slice of birthday cake until you cut it.
How do the layers stay together?
A little cream cheese glues each layer, and an hour in the fridge firms it up before frosting. The book has the full method.
Can I make it ahead?
Build and chill the cake the day before, and frost it on the day. Keep meat, cheese and cut fruit out no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. For a long party, build half, keep the refill in the fridge and top it up halfway through.
More boards
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Showpiece Boards
Dragon Charcuterie Board (The Dragon's Hoard)
Serves 12–15 · $110–$140
4 of 5
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Showpiece Boards
Giant Octopus Charcuterie Board
Serves 12–15 · $120–$150
3 of 5
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Showpiece Boards
Monarch Butterfly Charcuterie Board
Serves 12–15 · $100–$130
3 of 5
Want more ideas? Read Birthday Charcuterie Board: How to Scale, Crowd-Please, and Still Make It Interesting or Themed Charcuterie Board Ideas: 25 Shaped Boards That Make Guests Ask “How?”.