Lego Cake Tutorial

I made this Lego cake for my co-worker’s son.  He loves the Lego Movie, so I was asked to make a cake based on a picture that my co-worker found on the internet, with some minor alterations.  The cake itself was chocolate with chocolate frosting with an eight-inch bottom tier and a six-inch top tier.  I ended up ordering a mold set for theLegos and the Lego man from Amazon for $10, but if I were to make this cake over again, I would not use the molds... I ended up doing more work as a result of the molds not working exactly as I had planned.

To start, I  made the topper and the cake board several days in advance (since I was planning on going camping for a few days!).  I used a 12-inch square Masonite cake board and placed a green piece of scrapbook paper over it.  Then I went online to download a free Lego font.  I printed "Cash is Awesome" on white paper, cut it out, glued it to a piece of yellow paper, and then cut it out again.  Then I glued the words onto the scrapbook paper and covered the whole board with clear contact paper.  (I love this method of covering cake boards because it's quick and it saves time and money!)

For the topper, I mixed my fondant with some Tylose powder so that it would harden.  Then I pressed the various colors into the mold.  When I removed the man from the mold, I didn't like the way it looked, so I ended up cutting the arms, legs, shirt, and head apart and fixing them up before reattaching them.  If I were to do this over again, I would probably just cut out a trapezoid for the shirt, and a rectangle for the pants.  Then I would cut a slit to separate the legs and make indentations/bends in the legs with the side of a paintbrush.  I would roll the head out in my hands and flatten the top and bottom, and then add a small circle of fondant to the top of the head, and a slightly larger circle for the neck.  Then I would roll two small cylinders of fondant in my hands for the arms.  The hands are just small strips of yellow fondant curved into a C shape and attached with piping gel.  The eyes and mouth were made from tiny pieces of black fondant, with a dot of white fondant on each eye.  I put a bamboo skewer up through the guy, put a candle in his hand, and laid him flat to dry.  When he was dry, I sprayed him with edible glaze to give him a "plastic-y" look.

When the cake was cooled, filled, and frosted, I covered the bottom tier with white fondant and the top tier with green fondant.  After measuring the height of my cake, I realized that my Legos would not be exactly the right height, so I added a strip of green fondant around the base with my clay extruder.

To make the Legos, I originally tried using the mold, but it was too deep, so I cut the textured portion out and used it to make impressions on a rolled piece of fondant.  Then I cut each "Lego" from the strip of fondant and attached them to the cake with piping gel, starting at the bottom.  If I were to make this cake again, I would probably just cut out Lego-sized strips of fondant and use a frosting tip to cut out dots to add to the strips.

Once I covered the bottom tier, I decided to add another strip of fondant, with the clay extruder, above the Legos.

I began the top tier with the 5.  I used the same Lego font to print out the number 5 onto a piece of cardstock.  Then I cut it out and used it as template to cut out a piece of white fondant.  I put the white 5 onto a piece of rolled-out yellow fondant and cut out around it.  I used my clay extruder to add a thin strip of black fondant around the white, then I attached it to a red square of fondant and attached the whole thing to the top tier.

Next, I cut dots from a strip of green fondant using a frosting tip and attached them to the top tier with some piping gel.  Though this part was extremely tedious, it helped to brush the piping gel onto a section and then add several dots at a time.

Lastly, I added another extruded strip of green fondant around the base of the top tier, sprayed the whole cake with edible glaze, and added the topper.  On a last-minute whim, I decided to add some candles.  I cut four squares of fondant and used a frosting tip to make dots for the tops.  Then I pressed candles down into them and attached them to the cake board with piping gel.

Here is the finished product:

Dragon Cake Tutorial

I have seen tons of dragon cakes online, but I couldn't seem to find a tutorial for the type of dragon cake that I wanted to make.  I was looking for something 3-D, but not too complicated.  I found a picture of just the cake I was looking for on icemaidencakes.com but, alas, no tutorial.  Oh well... it was a good excuse for me to create another tutorial. :-)

For this cake, I used a 12x18 inch (half sheet cake) pan with three chocolate cake mixes.  I put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan and then baked the cake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.  While it was baking, I taped a few pieces of cardstock together to create my outline and then I cut it out.  I also prepared my cake board.  Instead of covering the board with fondant, I used black wrapping paper and covered it with clear contact paper.  This enabled me to work directly on the board, instead of completing the cake on a piece of cardboard and then transferring it to the cake board.

When the cake was cool, I placed my outline on top and used a serrated knife to cut out the basic shape of my dragon.  Then I removed all of the scraps and rounded the edges of the dragon while it was still in the pan.  Once it had the shape that I wanted, I transferred it to the cake board.  I covered it with a coating of chocolate frosting (which I had slightly melted in the microwave for smoother application).  Then I rolled out some red fondant and covered the body of the dragon.

Next, I covered the head with chocolate frosting and added strips of fondant around the cheek, above the eye, and around the nostril to exaggerate these areas.  Then I rolled out some red fondant and covered the head.  I used my ball tool to make the indentations for the eye, the smile, and the nostril.  Some of the fondant from the head overlapped the body, but I didn't bother to remove it because I knew that it would be covered by the scales.

I created the belly next by rolling out a strip of yellow fondant and cutting it into sections.  Then I overlapped the sections to create a new strip.  I cut the strip to fit on the front/chest of the dragon, and I attached it with piping gel.  I repeated this process to create the wider section of the belly that twists around the dragon.  Then I used a small amount of black fondant to create an elongated ball for the eye.

I used the same yellow fondant for the hair/mane and the tail.  I used a pizza cutter to cut flame-shaped segments, and then I scored them with the back of my knife.  I attached these pieces to the head and tail with a bit of piping gel.  Once the pieces were arranged the way that I wanted them, I used some edible gold paint and painted all of the yellow pieces.  (It ended up needing three coats... An airbrush would've been handy!)

Next I added the scales, which seemed to take FOREVER!  I used a frosting tip to cut out the scales.  I used the smaller end for the scales near the end of the tail and around the base of the legs, and I used the wider end for the rest of the scales.  I started at the tail and worked my way upward, overlapping the scales.  I used piping gel to attach the scales to the body.

Once all of the scales were attached (hours later), I added some tylose powder (to help the fondant harden) to the remainder of the red fondant and created the arms and legs.  I don't really have a tutorial for this part - I'm not much of a sculptor, so I just did the best that I could.  I used the back of my knife to create creases in the hands/feet, and I used a small frosting tip to give them some texture.  I used an edible marker to color the claws black.  I had a difficult time deciding where to attach them, since the dragon was supposed to look twisted.  After looking at some pictures of Chinese dragons, I noticed that there was a lot of variation in arm/leg placement, so I decided that it didn't really matter too much. :-)

The last thing I did was add some detail to the face.  I cut some small triangles of white fondant for the teeth, and I added a wavy strip of red fondant above the eyebrow.  I also painted some piping gel on the eye to make it shiny.

Here is the finished product:

Half-Birthday Cartoon Cake

As a tradition, my sister and I have always enjoyed celebrating half-birthdays.  We never do anything major for half-birthdays, but we at least acknowledge them, and sometimes we make each other little cakes.  This year, instead of making a mini cake, I decided to make a half-cake for my sister's half-birthday.  In my head, I was sort of picturing the "un-birthday" cake from Disney's Alice in Wonderland, so that was my inspiration for this cake.

To start, I prepared a cake mix according to the directions on the box, poured it into two six-inch pans, and baked it for 40 minutes.  When the cake had cooled, I cut each layer in half.  I only ended up using three of the halves.  Once they were filled, stacked, and frosted, I covered the cake with fondant.  

Initially, I thought that I would cover the whole cake with one piece of fondant, but I ended up changing my mind at the last minute.  I rolled out a strip of fondant (about 4 1/4 inches tall and 19 inches long) onto a piece of parchment paper.  Then I cut the parchment paper to be the same size as the fondant strip, lifted the whole thing up and stuck it to the cake so that it went all the way around, meeting in one of the corners.  Then I peeled away the parchment paper.  This left a little bit of excess fondant on the top (since the cake was only 4 inches tall) so I folded it down onto the top of the cake. 

Next, I used half of a cardboard cake circle to cut a semi-circular piece of fondant to cover the top of the cake.  (It didn't need to line up perfectly, since I knew it was going to be covered with white fondant later.)

I used my clay extruder (with the biggest circle disc) to extrude the white strips of fondant for the "frosting" that looks like it is oozing out of the cake.  I attached it to the cake in a random wavy pattern, pressing it up/down with my fingers as I stuck it to the cake with piping gel.  The clay extruder isn't really necessary for this part - you could roll it out in your hands instead, since it doesn't need to be a consistent thickness throughout.

For the top section of white "frosting," I rolled it out in my hands, intentionally making the thickness inconsistent.  Then I attached it around the top edge of the cake with piping gel.

For the back (flat side) of the cake, I used a flat disc in my clay extruder to make the lines.  Again, the clay extruder isn't completely necessary; you could roll out and cut straight strips of fondant.  I also added an additional strip of pink fondant on the top edge of the cake.

To make the "whipped cream" that the cherries are sitting on, I rolled out strips of fondant in my hands and coiled them up.  For the cherries, I used pre-made red fondant (Wilton Decorator Preferred), made a ball by rolling it in my hands, and then poked a hole in the top with the top of a paintbrush.  For the stem, I used a small amount of brown fondant, rolled it in my hands until it was really thin, and attached to the cherries with a dab of piping gel.

To make the candle, I rolled a log of white fondant in my hands and poked a skewer through it, leaving a small piece of the skewer sticking out of the top for the flame.  Then I used the clay extruder to make a long strip of blue fondant and rolled it around the white part, attaching it with a little bit of piping gel.  I made the flame by putting a small amount of golden yellow food coloring into a little chunk of fondant.  I didn't mix it completely, because I wanted it to have a marbled effect.  I balled it up in my hands, and then stuck it onto the top of the skewer.  Then I pinched and twisted the top of the flame until it had the shape that I wanted.  I used a tiny piece of white fondant to make a wax droplet and attached it to the side/top of the candle with piping gel.  Then I stuck the skewer/candle into the cake.  I also sprayed it with some edible glaze to make it shinier so that it would look more like wax.


The last thing that I did was attach some confetti sprinkles to various parts of the cake using a little bit of piping gel. (Have I mentioned how much I love confetti sprinkles?)   And that's it!  

Happy 25 1/2 birthday, Tonya! :-)

Lemon-Blueberry Mini Bundt Cake Recipe

On this dreary, rainy summer day, I thought we could use something sweet to brighten our day... not to mention the fact that I have been looking for something to do with all of the blueberries that my husband has picked this week.  I scoured the internet, looking for blueberry cake recipes, and I ended up stumbling upon several lemon-blueberry cake recipes (perfect, since I LOVE lemon!).  Unfortunately, no single recipe seemed to be exactly what I was looking for, so I ended up combining three different recipes, and making a few additional alterations of my own.  Here is the recipe that I ended up with:

Lemon-Blueberry Mini Bundt Cakes

(Makes about 20 mini bundt cakes)

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C vanilla yogurt (or plain yogurt)

1 C sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 C fresh blueberries

Lemon Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 C lemon juice

1/4 C sugar

Glaze Ingredients:

3/4 C confectionery sugar

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease and flour mini bundt cake pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients while whisking.  Then slowly add vegetable oil.  Once all ingredients are incorporated, fold in blueberries.  Pour batter into mini bundt cake pan (a large cookie dough/cupcake scoop works well for this) and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. 

While the cakes are baking, make the lemon glaze by combining 1/4 C lemon juice and 1/4 C sugar in a small saucepan and cooking on medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear.  Set aside.

When the cakes are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.  Once the cakes are cool enough to be removed without breaking, (but still warm) place them on a wire rack over a cookie sheet or wax paper and use a baking brush or a spoon to cover the cakes with the lemon sauce.  (The cakes will soak this up like a sponge!)

While the cakes continue to cool, prepare the glaze by mixing the 3/4 C confectionery sugar, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. maple syrup together until smooth.  Set aside.

When the cakes have cooled completely, add a few fresh blueberries to the center, and drizzle the glaze over the tops of the cakes.

Enjoy!

*Inspiration for this recipe came from the following sources:

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/mini-lemon-bundt-cakes/

http://www.thedragonskitchen.com/2008/07/dragons-lemon-blueberry-cake.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-cake-recipe.html

Minnie Mouse Cake Tutorial

I made this Minnie Mouse cake to look like a cake from Benedetta Rienzo Cakes that someone showed me.  The bottom tier was 10 inches, the middle tier was 8 inches, and the top tier was 6 inches.  

Materials:
* 24-oz box of Wilton Decorator Preferred Fondant - Black
* 24-oz box of Wilton Rolled Fondant - Hot Pink
* 5-lb box of Wilton Decorator Preferred Fondant - White
* 14-inch cake board (decorated however you prefer)
* Tappits Funky Alphabet cutters
* Mickey Mouse cookie cutter (or use two different sized circle cutters)
* Piping gel, edible glue, water (or whatever you prefer to use to glue fondant together)
* Cardboard cake circles, dowels, and whatever tools you prefer to use to stack cakes
* Small piece of cardboard and some skewers or toothpicks for the ears
* Clay extruder or long ruler for the black ribbon

This cake had several components that I was able to make in advance, which turned out to be very beneficial for me because I ended up coming down with viral labyrinthitis (a problem with my inner ear that caused me to feel dizzy and nauseous), which almost prevented me from completing this cake.  If I hadn't made portions of it in advance, there is no way that I would have completed it in time.

A few days prior to baking and assembling this cake, I made the ears, the little balls of fondant, and all of the bows (the big bow on top, the medium-sized bow on the bottom tier, and the five little bows for the middle tier).  

To start, I used a 3.5-inch cookie cutter to trace two circles onto a piece of cardboard.  Then I cut out the cardboard circles and cut the bottoms of the circles to make it so that the ears would sit flat on the top of the cake.  Then I stuck my wooden skewers up through the center of each of the circles.  Next, I rolled out some black fondant and used the same cookie cutter to cut four circles (two for each ear - back and front).  I brushed some piping gel onto the cardboard to attach the fondant circles to each side, and then smoothed out the seams around the edge of each ear where the fondant from front and the back met.

 Next, I created the big bow.  If you would like to see how I make my bows, please check out my tutorial on my Princess Cake blog.  I ended up needing to make this bow a little bit bigger than I thought it should be because I collapsed the bottom of the bow so that the "knot" would be sitting directly on top of the cake.  Once I got the loops of the bow the way that I wanted them, I put some rolled up paper towels in the center to help them keep their shape while they dried, and then I attached each of the loops to an ear with piping gel.  Then I added the knot.  Lastly, I rolled out some white fondant and cut out circles for the polka dots using a frosting tip.  I attached the dots with a little bit of piping gel.

 The next piece that I made was the medium-sized black bow.  I used the same process; I just made it about half the size of the bigger bow.  Then I made the little bows, which was much simpler.  For each little bow, I used three half-inch squares of pink fondant.  For two of the squares, I took the top and bottom corners from the same side and pinched them together to make triangles (to look like the loops of the bow).  Then I put the pinched sides of each triangle facing each other.  Then I used the third square as the knot.  I folded it almost in half, so that one of the edges stuck out a little bit farther than the other, and wrapped it around where the triangles met.  It probably sounds more difficult than it actually is... In the picture below, you can see the first two squares that were pinched to make triangles, and the third square that was folded and wrapped around the center. (It's probably easier to see than to explain!)  I ended up making far more of these than I needed; I only ended up needing five.

Here is a photo of everything drying: 

I also decided to make the balls in advance - while sitting on the couch watching TV. :-)  These don't need to be done in advance, but you never know when you might have a setback (like getting sick) while working on a cake, so I always prefer to do as much in advance as possible.  I ended up making about 40 balls of each color. 

The last piece that I did in advance, was prepare the cake board.  I considered covering it with white fondant, but since I knew that the skirt would end up covering the majority of the board, I decided to use paper with clear vinyl contact paper over it.  I also found some pink tape with white polka dots, so I ended up using that instead of ribbon to go around the edge.

Two days later, when I was finally able to get myself off of the couch, I baked the cake, iced it, covered it with fondant, stacked it, and decorated it.  Needless to say, that was a long day/night!  I usually like to bake/frost/cover/stack my cake one day, and decorate the next day, but it just didn't work out that way.  I covered the bottom tier with white fondant, the middle tier with pink fondant, and the top tier with white fondant.  Then I stacked them and began decorating.

I prefer to work from the top down.  I'm not sure why, but it just seems to make sense.  So to start, I added the ears and bow.  I wasn't sure how stable this topper would be, since it ended up being kind of heavy due to the amount of fondant that I used for the ears, but it ended up being sturdy with no additional reinforcement.  I also added a white rope border with my clay extruder - this part wasn't really necessary, but it looked like it needed a bit more dimension.

Next, I added the polka dots to the top tier.  I used a 1.5-inch cutter for the dots.  I used the same cutter for the half-dot border (I just cut each dot in half).  I used the same cutter for the half-dot border on the middle tier.  Then I added the balls around each tier, attaching each one with a liberal amount of piping gel because those little buggers just kept trying to roll away!  Then I used my Mickey Mouse cutter to cut the heads for the middle tier (two different sized round cutters would have done the trick, as well), then I added a little bow to each head.  There ended up being five heads in all.  Next, I rolled out some white fondant and used a sharp knife to cut out the number 1 (since I didn't have any cutters that were that size).  It ended up being about three inches high.

The bottom tier was my favorite part to work on.  I was really looking forward to making the skirt (although, that excitement didn't last long since it was about 10:00 PM at that point).  I started by using a sewing tool to make little holes all around the circumference of the bottom tier (so that I could use it as a height reference).  To make the skirt, I cut several two-inch squares (around 35 in all, but I only made four at a time), folded one side into the middle (to make the pleat), and then brushed a layer of piping gel onto the top side of the square to attach it to the cake.  Then I used the next square to overlap the previous square.

I used my clay extruder to create the ribbon that went around the top of the skirt, and then attached the black bow, with a bit of piping gel, where the ends of the ribbon met.  

The last piece that I added was the name.  This was my first time using my Tappits cutter, and it is definitely going to take some getting used to.  What worked best for me was rolling out the fondant very thin, allowing it to harden for about ten minutes, and then dusting corn starch on the cutters before using them.  Even though it was a bit of a hassle, I really do like the font.

Here is the finished product: (I even added some pink striped wrapping paper to my backdrop!)