Do you love Super Mario?
Veruca Salt made not one, but two character birthday cakes last weekend. Pocahontas wanted a Super Mario mushroom cake, the special
This cake was reasonably easy to construct - butter cake cut to size and then decorated with tinted vienna cream frosting. The white parts were fresh whipped cream and the eyes were cut from a licorice strap.
Whilst I can take no credit for the mushroom cake (I mainly acted as colour consultant), I did have a small hand in the R2D2 cake, specifically requested by Rolfe, a Star Wars tragic.
I'd been very nervous about the logistics of creating an R2D2 cake, especially after seeing chocolatesuze's commendable effort -- particularly impressive considering she'd never even seen the movie!.
We used four layers of butter cake, the body was a double layer, and the head cut from another double layer. A photocopied picture of R2D2 was a handy cutting template. Some trimming was required to ensure everything lined up height-wise. We used fresh whipped cream for the white areas and tinted vienna cream everywhere else. The black outlines were done with licorice, cut into long lengths of "string".
I convinced Veruca to create a 3D eye-piece by cutting a cylinder from the leftover cake and covering it with grey frosting and then a circle of licorice.
The twentysomething-year-olds were like little kids at the sight of their cakes. I think it only goes to show you can never be too old to have a character cake!
If it were your birthday tomorrow, what character/novelty cake would you choose?
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Is it going to be very geeky if I point out that it's a power up mushroom and not a 1up mushroom?
ReplyDeleteStill very impressive and I'm sure it tasted delicious :D
Oh wow, those are so cool! I want a slice of that! Haha! Tasty tasty! I am not sure which character I would choose! Maybe toad!
ReplyDeleteBuffy the Vampire Slayer? Maybe a tombstone and a stake?
ReplyDeleteSomething but cheesy but oh so cool.
Very impressive cakes btw.
I did a 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' out of cupcakes for my 1 year old and it turned out great. I used 3 different greens in gel colouring to get the mottled/striped effect for the Vienna cream.
Haha! Those cakes are so cool! And I'm amazed they were requested by twentysomethings.
ReplyDeleteI would choose a Nintendo Gamecube console or a camera shaped novelty cake. :) Nice and square.
Great cakes :)
ReplyDeleteI did an R2D2 cake once, I was very surprised at how well it turned out, must dig out a pic of it and add it to my Flickr cakes set.
My pick for a character cake for me would be Serenity - the ship from Firefly.
Well done your R2D2 cakes looks very comprable to Chocolatesuze!! If it was my birthday tomorrow I would put in an order for one of those "swimming pool" cakes like they had in the older versions of the Australian Womens weekly cookbooks. I so loved those when I was little and never remember getting one. (no need for tissues I am a big girl now!!) LOL
ReplyDeleteI know I am going to sound super nerdy but the 1up mushroom actually has a green and white cap while the red and white one is just a super mushroom that either makes Mario grow big or replenish health BUT they are such awesome cakesss! I wish I got character cakes for my Bday :(
ReplyDeleteI would choose a 3d Sephiroth :D!
Hi Jess - Not at all, your accurate memory is applauded! I'll correct it now, and yes it was delicious. Novelty cakes are always tasty!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon - A toad would be fun! Would he come with a toadstool?
Hi Aussiehen - Wow, a Very Hungry Caterpillar cupcake sounds like so much fun. I loved that book as a kid - surprise surprise :) It's a great idea though!
Hi K - Both those cakes sound great. A camera one would be fun as well, especially with a licorice strap neck cord :)
Hi Mim - Ooh I've love to see your R2D2 cake. Leave another comment with a link of you do upload it!
Hi Anon - lol. I think everyone remembered (and secretly lusted after) the swimming pool cake! I never had a novelty cake either.
Hi FFichiban - You're not the first person to make the correction, but thank you. I love online editing!
ps. I had to google Sephiroth to find out what it was!
I've been playing with my old photos tonight and found a few of my cake creations from years gone by.
ReplyDeleteHere's the R2D2 one.
I love your R2D2. I saw this baby dressed as Yoda at the Star Wars exhibition at the Powerhouse. He had a little green suit and his hood had Yoda ears on it. Very cute.
ReplyDeleteMiss Two liked the robot cake.
ReplyDeleteCan I get a Wonderwoman Cake for my next birthday?
Hehe cute. I'm a Star Wars novice having never seen a film but I do recognise R2E2. As for the mushroom, the error would have completely gone over my head and I would've said "Oooh cute toadstool cake!" :P I would have to go for a handbag cake-either that or Veronica from The Archies :)
ReplyDeleteOMG, I piped the middle parts on R2D2 all crooked.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your help on the cakes. The 3D eye made all the difference.
Love aussiehen's idea. I desperately need a small child so I can try this one out.
When I was little (ok, I was 16)- I had to have a 2 tiered white cream cake with blue piped swans from BKK. Mum had to go all the way to Cabramatta to get it.
Now, my character cake would have to be Yoshii -little duck from Super Mario or Pingu the penguin.
PS - Go Mim, Firefly rocks!
Hi Mim - It looks great! You're quite the cake maker. You must be very popular around birthday time!
ReplyDeleteHi Arwen - Oh how cute. Kids look adorable in every outfit don't they?
Hi Divemummy - So you want a picture of you? lol.
Hi Lorraine - omg, you haven't seen Star Wars either? I'm not a huge fan but I love the original the best. And lol @ Veronica! That's a flashback!
Hi Veruca Salt - Forget the small child. I reckon everyone would love a Hungry Caterpillar cupcake!
Is there a photo of this swan cake? Blue swans? Wow.
Yep, I think I want an Astroboy cake.
Photos of my 'Very Hungary Caterpillar' cake here if anyone wants a look.
ReplyDeleteBe gentle; it's the first character/novelty cake I've ever made.
OMG Veruca Salt & her two layered swan cake hmmmm... Sweet sixteen i would have been 10, no wonder why its abit of a blur... Who would have known Cabra was the centre of asian foodies back then. Can i make a second request for cake? Has to be a cute pig or pikachu! oh yeh ive got Rolfe's mum onto your blog & she was drooling over the piggy for chinese new year. Think her monitor had smellogram!
ReplyDelete* Ex Pocohontas* haha
Hi Aussiehen - I can't seem to access the photo as it says the photo album is private? No biggie, and don't worry - cakes are not about appearance but the amount of love that's gone in!
ReplyDeleteHi Pocahontas - A second cake? I think that Veruca Salt is waiting for hers! And lol @ Rolfe's mum! I wish food blogs had sample buttons!