This Treasure Chest Birthday Cake was a fun thing to make. It was my first serious cake ever and it was such fun. Its 3, 9×13″ sheet cakes. I made them the night before.
I put the lid cake on its foil covered cake-cardboard and wrapped it in foil and froze it. Then I baked the 2 bottom layers, wrapped one in foil to freeze and the other on a foil covered piece of cake-cardboard, wrapped in foil to freeze (makes for easier frosting and handling).
The bottom of the treasure chest is 2 Devil’s Food Cakes (Chocolate) with homemade buttercream frosting inside, iced in chocolate buttercream frosting, the bottom layer on a foil covered piece of cake cardboard. The lid is a vanilla sheet cake iced in the chocolate buttercream frosting. It is on a foil covered piece of cake cardboard cut to size. Then I cut 1″ wide strips of rolled-out, white fondant and painted them silver, made the fondant rivets and pressed them on the silver strips and painted them bronze.
Then I laid them on the lid and pressed the ends slightly into the cake. I made a wedge with rice krispies that I frosted with the chocolate frosting on the edges visible and with the white on top to adhere the lid of the cake. The frosting acted like glue to the foil covered board supporting the lid sheet cake. Then I matched up the fondant strips on the bottom front and back.
The “sand” is brown sugar. I used chocolate and gum foil covered coins, candy jewelry, ring pops, pop rocks, gum gold nuggets, etc to fill up the chest and surrounding area. I rolled out the fondant map and used pens with edible ink (in the cake decorating aisle) to draw out the map.
It took a long time to make, but it turned out fantastically! It is totally worth the effort! Good luck.
Sarah,
This cake is awsome! You did a great job!
Your idea of the rice krispie wedge is the best I’ve seen! I hope mine turns out as good as yours, I’ll be making the cake in a couple of days!
very impressed! You did a fantastic job on the cake. It has given me a great idea for my grandson. Thanks!
Great pictures!! They really help explain the process.
I researched this whole site for ideas and am pleased to say that your details gave the best solutions. Yes the rice Krispie wedge is a great idea thanks, I have to do one for my granddaughter this week, I know she only likes the lot of candy that will be in it lol.
Hi. This cake looks great. Where did you find the paint?