Coolest Pirate Ship Cake

I made this pirate ship cake for my son’s 3rd birthday. It was well received for looks and taste!

I used a 9″ square tin with a 6 egg mixture:

175g self raising flour

50g coco powder (I used Bournville, for plain cake use 50g of selfraising flour instead)

225G sugar

225g stork soft margarine

2tsp baking powder

2 drops vanilla essence

4 eggs

Mix altogether, should drop off wooden spoon when tapped. Bake for 45mins at about 160c (depending on oven, mine a fan so had it on 140C for slightly longer). I just upped the mixture to suit 6 eggs.

Once I had filled the cake with jam and buttercream I put it in the fridge to chill before cutting the cake into two approx 6″ and 3″ strips. Then cut one end of the 6″ rectangle to form a bow, with the two triangle shapes I cut off, I put them on top to make the bow shape at the front taller. Then with the smaller rectangle cut enough off to form the raised deck at the back, (using buttercream to secure), the rest of which was cut again to make the treasure chest and lid, and a rudder. Back in the fridge to chill.

I made a buttercream/sugar icing with coco powder and melted chocolate and covered the cake and treasure chest. Chilling where necessary.

I used curly whirly bars for on top of the bow and sides of the cake, a plain thin choc bar for the plank, M&M’s for the decoration around the bottom, Maltesers for cannon balls and Rollos for pirate bounty! I also used Rollos for cannons on the bow and stuck the candles in them to avoid a flaming pirate ship!

I used chop sticks for the masts and a cocktail stick at the front, printed out jolly roger flags from the internet then frayed the edges for the pirate look!

I coloured buttercream ( buttersugar) icing blue and covered the cake board, the crushed up a digestive biscuit for the sand, and used coconut for the surf around the bow and sand. Golden choc coins in the treasure chest along with sugar jelly sweets.

I used a yellow writing icing to decorate the ship and add an anchor and padlock for the treasure chest!

I had a lot of fun making this cake and my son thought it was fab!