This is to show you how I made a 3D ponny/horse cake. Recipe is provided but no baking steps pictures, as this is only to show you the structure and how it was done, briefly, just so you get the idea how to :)

You can use this structure to make other 3d animals too!

Step 1: Method

For the RCMP horse on the picture, I use:

cupcakes with ganache for the legs and head

double choc chocolate cake with SMBC (swiss meringue) buttercream, for the body and neck

mixture of cupcake with Twinkies, for the dirt/soil

OSB (sterling board)

aluminum foil

chocolate wafer/melting chocolate

wood dowels for cake

nails/screws/hammer/electric drill

aluminum foil

white fondant

food color

food paint brush

cutter, cookie cutter, plunger, etc

I am not fond of carving and sculpting cake as am not artistic, so I used my rectangular pan for the body, which with the same measurement of the pan, I cut the OSB to the same size. You will need rectangular osb for the body, a bigger trapezium shaped osb for the neck, and a smaller trapezium shaped osb for the head.

The square cake board is also OSB which I double covered with aluminum foil.

Drill 4 holes for 4 dowels, which will be the legs, making sure the hole size is not too big, dowel must be tight and secured on the cake board.

Either with nail or screw, attach the body, neck and head. Cover the whole thing with aluminum foil or melted chocolate. The idea is to not let the non edible material to the cakes.

Once covered, place your cake on body of the board (I have layers on the cake which I stack them with buttercream. You can use ganache too if you like!)

For the head and the leg, I mash the cupcakes and mix it with ganache then start "attaching" and shaping the crumbs to the dowels and board.

Cover the whole cake with light ganache and then fondant. I colored the horse with mixing gel and liquid food color plus vodka (you can use airbrush if you like).

Start decorating your horse with the eyes, hair, etc.

For the soil, I crumble more cupcakes mixed with Twinkies.

Have fun~

Double Chocolate Cake:

3 oz semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee

3 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or you can make yourself by adding vinegar to regular milk)

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 F

Grease pans. Line bottoms with wax paper and grease the paper as well

Chop chocolate and combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.

Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool cakes completely in pans on racks.