Hi I’m Ozge, owner of 2cute2bite.Me in İstanbul, TR as well as the popular cake blog. I am an award-winning cake decorator. My work has been featured on Cake Central magazine, Sugar Geek Show fb page and many more. Thanks for downloading my photo tutorial. Happy Caking! ;D
Merhaba ben Özge, İstanbul’da yaşıyorum, 2cute2bite.Me blogunun yazarı ve pasta tasarımcısıyım. Yerel ve uluslararası yarışmalarda birçok ödüle sahibim. Tasarımlarım Cake Central Magazine sayılarında ve birçok facebook sayfasında yayınlandı. “Bu pastayınasıl yaptım?” dosyasını indirip incelediğiniz için teşekkür ederim. Bilgi paylaştıkça güzel. Sevgiler ;D

Hand shaped, torted, ganached Nerf gun 3d cake for a birthday boy who is turning 9
All edible (not the candles) ;D
No supports or dowels are used. Crazy right?!

Step 1: Baking

Used my chocolate mud cake recipe because it is yummy and sturdy, preferred to make milk/dark chocolate ganache mix for filling the layers to get an extra strength.

Chocolate Cake Recipe: (make double recipe for this project)
375 gr All purpose flour 265 gr.
white sugar 60 gr. cocoa (unsweatened)
15 gr. baking powder
170 gr. vegetable oil
190 ml. milk 4 mid sized eggs (room temp)

*whisk eggs and sugar in mixer,
*add oil and milk in the egg mixture.
*mix all dry ingredients aside,
*mix in dry ingridients to the egg mixture.
*bake for 45min at 160C.

Please do not use a box mix, it just won't hold it's shape because of it's spongy texture!

Step 2: Scaled Template

While your cake is baking;
*Depending on the number of servings get a print out of your nerf gun model to your desired scale.
My template is for 15 servings (2cake with 3 layers)
*Get the desired cake board(plate, foam boards...) ready.

Step 3: Cover Your Board

Always cover your board. It' s one way to look pro ;D
And it really unifies with the cake on the same theme...
Also it would be wise to cover your board ahead, so you'll have time for it to settle and dry.

* Get your 500gr white fondant and 50gr black fondant, knead them together and then cover your board (or you can use white fondant , and then airbrush your colour and shades)

* I Used a texture rolling pin to get the steel floor effect.(it's not manditory)
* And airbrushed it with silver and black (to get some highlights and shade)

Step 4: Assemble the Bottom Layer (cake Layer1)

After your cakes are cooled, let them chill in the fridge 1 day,
(if there is carving in the process, i always recommend for you to chill your cakes ;D)

* For the bottom layer; i outlined the template about 1-2cm offset, placed the template in 2 pieces to get the most of the sheet cake.
* After you cut the cake in the gun shape, don't throw away or eat all the scrap pieces just yet, we are going to use them later ;D
* get your ganache and sugar syrup ready on your workspace, and torte your cake into 2 layers.
* wet your 1st layer with syrup and then apply ganache layer with the piping bag
* put the 2nd layer on and ganache the cake and let it chill in the fridge, till you work on your 2nd cake.

Step 5: Assemble the Top Layer (cake Layer2-modelled Gun Part)

After your cakes are cooled, let them chill in the fridge 1 day,

(if there is carving in the process, i always recommend for you to chill your cakes ;D)

* For the top layer; i traced the template, placed it in 2 pieces to get the most of the sheet cake.
* After you cut the cake in the gun shape, don't throw away or eat all the scrap pieces, we are going to use them later ;D
* Make cake clay; by crumbling the scraps into a bowl with little bit of ganache. we are going to use that for the ammo(half cylindrical part) part ;D

* get your ganache ready (for modelling purposes don't torte your cake, just ganache in between-we need the sturdiness for it to hold it's shape) ;)

Step 6: Assemble All Parts

After all ganached cakes are chilled, we are ready to assamble the cake and start decorating. ;)

* Put the 1st bottom layer on your board, carefully -maybe in 2 sections
* Roll out some white fondant, and cover your 1st layer.
* When you are happy with your 1st layer, carefully place the top (gun part) on it.

Now we are ready to decorate ;D

Step 7: Decorating/Details

I find out that the easiest way is to work on complicated designs is to break down and make a list/organize.
Working one section at a time with the same colour and applying the details on is very efficient way.

Step 8: Finishing Touches

When you are happy with decorating your cake, it's time to work on the finishing touches.
The bottom layer being so white annoyed me so i applied black airbrush shading, strokes to get the battle/fight/zombie/apocalypse feel.
Decided use candles and name lettering as a part of the design.

Happy caking! ;D