How to Make a Stand-Up 3D CASTLE CRASHER KNIGHT Cake

This ible will show you how I made a 3D standing up cake of a Castle Crasher Knight, from the Xbox game :D

Both of my boys love playing Castle Crasher and when my oldest turned 7, I surprised him with this cake. They were both very delighted by it.

By following my ible, you will be able to create many stand-up 3D cakes!

Step 1: The Structure

You will need one square OSB and a small rectangular OSB. The square one is the base and the rectangular one is for where the cake will be stacked. The measurement is depending on you (how big your cake to be), but my board was 9 cm x 35 cm. From the measurement you have, that's how you will choose your steel floor flange, bolts, etc (shown on the picture). I got mine from Rona, Canada

I use the small rectangular OSB to mark down where I want the cake to stand and then start securing the floor flange to the base board and to the small rectangular OSB. They need to be exactly perfect lined, otherwise you won't have an equal flat cake. Drill a hole as big as your dowel on the center on the body, cover the body with foil, then push in the dowels.

Step 2: Cake and Buttercream

My 7 yo loves peppermint chocolate for flavors and even though he likes anything sweets, whenever I make cake for him he always requests these combination.

I have this cake brownie pan and find it easier to use rather than baking in a big pan, resulting in a big cake and then I have to cut it into portions of cakes (again, lazy mom), so that's what I use *grins*

One recipe makes 3 cakes, so bake twice! (ignore the white cake, it was for something else). 3 cakes for the body, and the rest I used for the legs!

• 2 1/2 c flour
• 2 c sugar
• 2 tsp Bsoda
• a pinch or two salt
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2 c water

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder In a separate bowl, mix oil, essence and extract, plus water Pour oil mixture into flour mixture and add in vinegar Mix to combine well Pour batter into greased and lined with parchment paper baking pan, bake for 30-35 mins at preheated 350 F Cool on rack

Buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 1 lbs unsalted butter
• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

In a double boiler, heat egg whites and sugar until 160 F, making sure water isn't fully boiled, just simmer. Stirring occasionally. Beat egg whites in low speed over a stand-up mixer, until cool to room temperature. Once egg white is room temperature, bring up speed to high until firm peak forms. Beat in butter a little at a time, keep beating until creamy, beat in extract

Step 3: Making the Head

All you need to have and do is a small cube of styrofoam that you cut as shown, on both sides, making a sharp chin. Then you cover the whole styrofoam with fondant. You can either brush water on the styrofoam so fondant will attach nicely or you can use melted chocolate/ganache (which is my favorite to use but rather pricey for *just* styrofoam).

Step 4: Building the Cake

• cover the metals with aluminum foil to avoid non-food material touching the food material
• from the other chocolate cake that I baked (4 for body so there should be 2 more cakes left), I crumbled them and mixed with some buttercream, just like making cakepop. Once they are mixed nicely, you will get moist crumbs that are easily apply as legs.
• stack the other 4 cakes as bodies, with buttercream between layers. cover the whole cake with buttercream, then fondant, not forgetting to cover the legs with fondant as well!
• start decorating! My son likes the Green Knight, so green was the color I chose.
• the Knight is standing on the earth, so I used crushed cookies for the soil.
• his hands were attached with skewers, pushed into the cake
• same as the head, it was attached to the cake with skewers pushed into the cake
• for the sword, as am a lazy mom, I only made it using hard craft carton ;-)