Santa Claus Cake Made by Panettone and Fondant

I've made this Christmas cake for the christmas party at my son's nursery school.
Santa Claus is made by panettone (a traditional buttery, vanilla-flavoured Christmas bread-like cake of Milan, tall and rounded in shape) covered by sugar fondant, plastic chocolate, and cupcake frosting. Let's see how.

Step 1: Shape Panettone.

First you must cut the right shape for you Santa. You need 1 and an half panettone.
Take the first and cut the upper crust, if you find it in your own panettone.
Then cut a head shaped piece of panettone from the second one, and put it over the first, stickin' it up with some jam (apricot or peach jam are the best, they don't leave any strange taste to the cake) and a straw (see the picture).

Step 2: Cover With Fondant

Cover totally your panettone with whipped cream, a fine blanket only.
Then color the fondant and cover your Santa: first a big red rectangle for the jacket.
Then make a little fondant triangle and put it in nose place, then make a little pink fondant rectangle for the face. Cover entire face (with the little triangle in the middle) then press with your finger in the eye place, so it will take the shape.
Make some white stripes to put  on the sleeves and in the front of the jacket.

Step 3: The Hat

Now we must build the hat.
Make a red big triangle sheet, round it on a glass and shape the Santa's hat.
With white fondant roll a little snake and put at the hat's base, and a little ball for the upper pon-pon.
Lay the point on a support.
Wait 5-6 hours to dry it.

Step 4: The Beard, Arms, Bag

Form arms with marshmallows covered with fondant, stickin' them at the body with water and toothpicks.
Fill your sac-a-poche with the cupcakes frosting (icing sugar, butter, vanilla)  and shape the beard and the hair.

Mix:
100gr melted black chocolate
1 spoon water
2 spoons honey
icing sugar

work it into dough, then shape the bag, and fill it with candies.

Draw the eyes or shape them with fondant, color cheeks.
Adjust details, form hands, put on the hat.

You've finished!

Comments

[sharlzz]

cute

[canida]

This guy is so cute!  A work of art.  Beautiful job.

[smav]

thanks a lot !!! I've spent 'only' 7 hardly worked hours in this cake ;)

[canida]

Wow!  That's a labor of love.  I hope the kids at the nursery school appreciated all of your hard work.

This is also why I find working with fondant a bit intimidating. ;)

[smav]

ahah...anyway was funny work :)
they loved the cake... imagine their little  sparkling eyes when I picked up the knife for cutting it!

I think that working with fondant makes me really satisfied..
and only practice leads to perfection!
Next Christmas I'll make again this cake, and I'm sure It will take me half the time.

Let's try it, maybe in a little version of it..you'll find funny! :)..

And thanks for all your compliments!