My 2 year old wanted a “bucking Bull” cake for his 3rd birthday. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find anything like he wanted. He and I spent hours looking at “cow” cakes on line and nothing was what he wanted. So, his father and I put our heads together.
We found a picture of my husband fighting bulls and blew up the picture of the bull and rider on the computer. Then we cut out the image and sized it to a regular 13×9 sheet cake pan. I am VERY new at this so I don’t have a lot of fancy pans or tools. (After this I will be taking some classes!)
Once we knew the template would fit the cake I traced it out on wax paper. Made 2 scratch 13×9 choc cakes and froze them, don’t freeze them, just refrigerate! I made real choc butter cream icing, don’t recommend that either, it has to stay refrigerated and when it is not set it melts and won’t stay in any shape that you pipe on the cake.
I iced the first layer with the choc frosting and refrigerated. I took the other frozen cake out and placed the template on top to cut out the bull and rider. Cutting a frozen cake is no easy task! Once it was cut and all my details were in place, I iced it with the same butter cream icing and stuck it back in the fridge. I saved all the cake I trimmed off as I would need it for later assembly.
I rolled out choc fondant and covered the bull, tucking all the curves and tight spots was a challenge but worth it. Then we covered it with wax paper and flipped it over on to the sheet cake. It took two people and 2 spatulas! I added extra cake under the bulls tail and the cowboys head. I iced it while my mother in law held the bull tail and cowboy.
We colored and cut out the cowboy from fondant and put him on. I traced the cowboy off the picture, didn’t use great detail just the basics. Voila! Bucking bull cake!
This is the coolest bucking bull cake!! You did an awesome job on this. So original! LOVE it!
No one would guess you were new to cake-decorating. The finished result looks fantastic! To avoid the “melting buttercream” issue, next time look for a good “crusting buttercream” recipe. It will taste less buttery because it will likely incorporate butter-flavored shortening instead, but you won’t have to keep it refrigerated all the time.
Add 1/2- 1 Tbsp of meringue powder to buttercream. Don’t have to worry about melting, plus you can do so much more with it. Be careful which buttercream recipe you us, Italian is much softer, as is Swiss. Adding just a bit meringue powder gives a beautiful foundation-so smooth. Just a trick to share!!
you did a great job on the bull cake my 6 year old rides the peewee bulls and has a birthday coming up very soon. He wants a cake like that but there ain’t no way I can make that but wanted to tell you that it looks great. Brandi-TN
Dana,
Would you be interested in sharing your cut out? I want to make this cake for my son’s 3rd birthday. He wakes up every morning wanting to watch Ty Murray clips. He would be SO excited about this cake. You did an awesome job.
Thanks,
Natasha
I just love a pattern of this cake for my grandson’s 3rd birthday!!!! He loves Little Yellow Jacket! I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME.
Love the cake!! My 3yr old daughter loves bulls so Ive been trying ti find a mold for her bday.