A whale of a cake!

A little over a month ago, I received yet another referral -  Nekia, a friend of a friend who had heard about my cakes. She needed a cake for her son Kenneth's first birthday and at first, she sent a picture of a 3D whale cake. After looking at the cake itself, which was surrounded by fondant waves on a huge cake board, I told her that I could do it, but there would be a lot of waste from the fondant waves, which would comprise most of the cost. I then suggested a two-tiered cake with a smaller 3D whale on top that would be made out of rice krispies treats. Everything would be edible - less waste! She loved that idea, and after agreeing on the cake flavor and size needed, I set to work.

First I made a batch of rice krispies treats - my kids got to help with this one too! I pressed most of them into a pan for them to eat later, and took a couple handfuls to mold into the shape of a whale. I had only one problem with it - the tail. I took a piece of spaghetti and stuck it in the tail to hold it up, but it kept falling down. Then I put it in the fridge and that helped, but when I started frosting it and then covering it with fondant, the tail began to sag again. So this time I stuck a toothpick inside, and that did the trick. Then I added a few wires to the top with drops of gumpaste for the whale's spray. I had to explain to Nekia when she picked it up that there were a couple of reinforcements in there and to be careful when slicing it up!

The cake itself was lots of fun - I figured with the ocean design of the cake, what better cake than a blue and white marble! I filled and frosted it with blue buttercream, so when cut into, it looked like the ocean. The cake itself was a two-tiered cake with two smash cakes. One was for the party itself, and one was for a photography session before the party started.

For the decorations, I have my friend Ann to thank yet again. When I met her to pick up the cake pans she was lending me for the wedding, I mentioned this cake to her and she told me about a new product from Wilton - a silcone fondant mold for under-the-sea shapes. It included molds for waves, seaweed and starfish, so the only things I had to free-hand were the fish and the turtles. It was perfect!



I love the way the cake turned out, and I hope Kenneth did too! Thanks Nekia for thinking of me for your son's special day!