Funky Polka-dot Birthday Cake

So what do you get your best friend who has everything for her 22nd birthday? You make an awesome cake that reflects her personality! This was my first attempt at any sort of cake decorating beyond frosting and piping bags. I wanted to create a cake that was beautiful but untraditional. No swags or sugar roses here!

Step 1 Materials and ingredients

Okay, so this is the trade-off: If I'm just baking a cake without any fancy decorations, then by all means, I will start from scratch, probably a Nigella recipe. But, if I'm spending all this time on the outside, I cheat and use a cake mix. They taste just fine and I don't feel that I have to turn my "Domestic Goddess" license :-)

-two boxes of your favorite cake mix (I like the dark chocolate fudge one, tastes almost like bittersweet chocolate.)

-a 6" round cake tin and a 8" cake tin

-a can of plain white frosting (this is for the crumb layer)

-filling (I used whipped cream and cherries; only after did I realize this was a stupid idea because the cream absorbs into the cake after a day- so try something that can last- like more frosting, or jelly.)

-mini marshmallow fondant (Try this recipe- this tastes ridiculously good and is much cheaper than using that boxed fondant. However, it does take a bit of work, but you will feel amazingly productive afterwards. Mini marshmallow fondant recipe

-food coloring (gel tints- you can find these by the cake decorating section, I got my 4-pack at Wal-Mart, or you could try speciality stores as well. ***If you use the liquid drop kind, you will have to use a lot to achieve this dark color and you could mess up the texture of the fondant.)

-vodka (for the shiny tie-dye effect on the fondant)

-a pastry brush

-a wooden dowel (for support)

-an offset spatula

-a scraper

-cooling racks

-parchment paper

-toothpicks

-mixer

-rolling pin

-pizza cutter or knife

-Circle cookie cutters or small cup (I used the metal sauce cup that the toothpicks are sitting in)

Comments

[ladysaane]

is there anything that can be substituted in place of vodka for the fondant? :)

[babybluesiberian]

Gin, clear rum, or any other clear high alcohol content liqueur.

[tbcross]

I love this ible thanks!

[PKTraceur]

This really helped explain fondant to me. Hopefully I can make something as good as this by 101109.

[harkejuice]

wow, that looks great, kinda like two purple polka-dotted yoyos but more delicious and less yoyo-ey

[GorillazMiko]

Ahhh, a delicious cake posted on my birthday. Nice job!

[naedhi]

Happy Birthday! Thanks!