My niece Maya was having a carnival birthday party for her seventh birthday and requested a carousel cake. I was inspired by many of the cakes I viewed on coolest-birthday-cakes.com. I purchased some toy horses and glued ribbon roses to them to make them more decorative. I baked two cakes, one vanilla and one chocolate in deep dish pizza pans (each pan used 2 boxes of cake mix) stacking them for the carousel base. I also used the pan to create a rice crispy treat disk with a small mound on top for the tent.
The tent was made from rolled fondant. After rolling a circle I cut a template one-inch larger than the silver scalloped cardboard base that I had purchased for the base of the cake. I used spray food coloring to create the stripes. Finally, I draped the fondant over the rice crispy treat top and topped it with a small circle of fondant for a finishing touch and then a large swirled carnival lolly-pop. I made two white chocolate circles slightly smaller than the lolly-pop and wrote Happy Birthday on one and Maya on the other, adhering them to the lolly-pop with melted chocolate.
I decorated the base of the cake with a border of twizzlers and Maya made red and white chocolate stars with a star mold I had on hand. The cake was assembled with a Wilton scalloped plate and four columns. In the center of the carousel, I inverted a glass filled with gumballs and candy stars surrounding it with curled ribbon and two 7 candles adhered with icing. For the horse’s poles, I inserted lolly-pop sticks into gumdrops and placed one behind each horse.
I placed the cake on a lazy Susan so it could actually spin! It came out great and was a big hit! Maya was so proud because she was able to contribute; she helped bake the cake and make the rice crispy treats and the stars. She also glued the roses to the horses. Maya thought it was the coolest cake ever and so did her guests! It was easy to make and very impressive.
This cake came out great! And used some very crafty ideas to make it! I want one for my birthday!
This really is the coolest carousel cake that I have ever seen! It is super creative- what a fun cake for a 7 year old to blow out! I love that Maya was able to participate in making the cake. I am sure that you were both very excited to show it off. Well done Clare!
What a great concept, could not have looked any better!
What a gorgeous cake and look at the details on it — it shows hard work and such colorful and fun assembly that actually looks like the real thing, just the mini version. Good luck!
Not only was it detailed and amazingly decorated it tasted delicious too! What a talent you have Clare!
That is so creative and couldn’t look more like an actual carousel…AMAZING job!!
OMG! Definately the coolest, most unique cake I’ve seen :)
Wow Clare that is beautiful and amazing!! Love it!