This is the homemade ladybug 3rd birthday cake idea I made for my granddaughter. I got my ideas from this site and from CakeCentral.com.
The bottom tier is three 10 inch layers of chocolate fudge cake (all cakes were Betty Crocker cake mixes). The next tier is three 8 inch layers of yellow cake. The top is also chocolate fudge cake baked in the Wilton (approx 6″ diameter) sports ball pan.
All cakes were given a crumb coat of homemade buttercream icing (made from the Wilton recipe for high humidity on their website), stacked and chilled. They were then given another coat of buttercream before being covered in homemade marshmallow fondant (also from a recipe I found online), and then stacked for the final decorating.
All decorations are from homemade marshmallow fondant, except I trimmed the bottom edges with real ribbon that was attached at the back with double stick tape. I also used wire for the ladybug antennae, with a ball of fondant at the tip. The head was formed completely of fondant. Dowels were inserted in each tier to support the tier above it and there was a long center dowel to hold the whole thing together.
I also made Ladybug cookies from the Wilton recipe for Vanilla-Sugar cookies and they were also decorated with fondant. Wilton gel colorings were used to tint the fondant.
Would love to discuss how to make this cake in more detail from the maker. How did she get it so shiny?
The shine was actually not intentional…I refrigerated this cake, which I don’t think you are supposed to do with fondant covered cakes, and the warmth outside of refrigerator caused it to shine. I believe I have actually seen them steaming fondant covered cakes on the cake shows to make them shine.
Hopefully I can re-create this and do it justice. :)
BTW, I grew up in Kearney MO, now in ST. Louis MO
Good luck! Isn’t that a coincidence…my husband grew up in Kearney too! Hope your cake turns out awesome!
This cake caught my attention instantly. Excellent job.
I was looking through to get inspired for my daughters 5th birthday cake and was blown away by your cake.
Cheers!
Jo – New Zealand