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Rocket Raccoon cake (with bonus Groot) |
This year Dave has been really, really excited about the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy film, and since I enjoyed the comics, too, I thought it might be cool to do a cakey version of two of his favourite characters: Rocket Raccoon and Groot.
Check out the trailer--doesn't this look awesome!
The star of the trailer has got to be Rocket Raccoon. Now, I appreciate that not everyone reads comics, but how can anyone not instantly fall in love with the idea of an intelligent, talking raccoon who has a penchant for heavy weaponry? He's also more than a little sarcastic--a raccoon after my own heart. C'mon, his best buddy Groot is an intelligent tree! Together (okay, with the rest of their team), they've saved the universe a couple of times. You're welcome.
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Rocket Raccoon & Groot, a commission for Dave. (Dave Wachter, 2010) |
Dave loved his cake. I think it's fair to say that he was flabbergasted when Lucas and I heaved it onto the table in front of him! It took him a while to cut it as he just wanted to keep looking at it, but cake is for eating so Rocket Raccoon was eventually decapitated and scoffed.
This was such a fun cake to make! The only trouble is that it has raised Lucas's expectations for his own birthday cake, so I'm half-expecting him to ask for a Transformers cake that can actually transform... at least I've got until October to plan the next extravaganza!
Cake Notes
Should you ever want to make an almost life-sized raccoon cake, here are a few notes! This was a three-stage cake; sculpting the head, baking the cakes, and finally construction/decoration.
I started on Monday with the head which I made out of Rice Krispie treats--marshmallows melted with a little butter, and Rice Krispies stirred in--smooshed together to create the right shape and size. Once it had set in the fridge, I covered it in a thin layer of fondant and then started adding small sections of fondant in ivory, several shades of brown fondant (light, medium, dark) to create the dark markings around his eyes. I used a blunt knife, actually one of Lucas's weaning cutlery set, to slash and flick at the fondant to create a fur texture. It's hard to describe, so watch this amazing video by Elisa Strauss.
The cake itself was built out of three chocolate cakes; a deep 8" round and two deep 7" rounds. I cut internal boards out of foam core to roughly the shape I thought the body would be once carved and used those between the smaller rounds. For support I used hollow plastic dowels which would easily take all the weight pressing down on the base layer.
I used salted caramel buttercream to fill each of the layers. You can buy a little bottle of natural concentrated salted caramel flavouring at Waitrose (just caramel, water and salt) which worked beautifully. It doesn't have a long shelf life once opened, so I'm tossing the rest in hot chocolate and pretending I'm at Starbucks!
You've done it again! My birthday is in October too, do you think Lucas would mind sharing whatever masterpiece you make next? :)
ReplyDeletexx
How do you feel about a Godzilla movie tie-in cake, Chelsea? That's what he's leaning towards today. (I am terrified.) And thank-you!!
DeleteAngela this is amazing! :) I can't believe you make these!
ReplyDeletewww.gingerbreadsmiles.co.uk
xox
I can't quite believe it either, Danni! Thank-you!
DeleteThis looks amazing! I'm so amazed by what people can do with cakes, I'm already satisfied with an okay-buttercream on top of my cupcakes. Great job! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Saskia! I went above and beyond with Lucas's first birthday cake, and since then I've had to go bigger and better every year :)
DeleteThe eyes are awesome! Not sure how you've captured 'quiet, saviour of the world, determination' but bravo, an icing triumph. Your boys are lucky, lucky fellows.
ReplyDeleteM x
I wanted to make the face fiercer, but Lucas insisted that he should be smiling. I think the eyes follow on from that :) Thanks, M! xx
DeleteThis is FREAKING AWESOME! You are a seriously talented lady! (Come and make me a cake please?) ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Rosie! I'd love to make you a cake if you lived closer :)
DeleteIt's awesome! You've done such an amazing job! x
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Rhi!!
DeleteOH MY GOSH! It looks amazing, almost too good to eat - but I bet it tastes yummy too! <3
ReplyDeleteJennie xo | sailorjennie.com
We managed to bring ourselves to eat it--there's just one slice left for Lucas. (Admittedly it is a bit of a mammoth slice!)
DeleteThat cake is amazing! You have so much more patience than me, I love the baking bit but never have the concentration to do the decorating bit properly. Shame my birthday's not til December! ;-) xx
ReplyDeleteThis is insane. You are ridiculously talented and deserve your own TV show!
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