The construction of a cake.

A King Kong Cake, that is...

It is a well known fact, if you well know me, that I love to make cake! Not just any cake mind you, major cake! I get a cake idea from my kiddo, look it up on the internet and copy it to the best of my amatuer ability. Next Saturday is Sam's 6th birthday. Tomorrow we go to my mom's for the April birthday extravaganza. I ask Sam, "What kind of cake do you want for your birthday at Abbie's?" He says, "King Kong!" Ok. So here is the construction of the King Kong cake.....

First you need a large cake pan...this cake has some serious layers. This is my "big" cake pan.
This is a "small" cake pan. Pour 3 cake mixes worth of batter into the 1 "big", 2 "small"s and 1 Barbie cake bowl (previously used to make a Barbie cake, which was ok but not a great cake moment!).
Put a couple in the oven at a time. Can't forget that some pans, because of their size and shape, cook at a different time than others. I am happy to say that I didn't forget that!
Meanwhile, only because it's so boring waiting for cakes to bake, and because my house is immaculate, the laundry is done, my kids are prefectly playing together and tonight's dinner is simmering as we speak, I make the icing. (Just kidding! My house is a mess, 1 kid is in her room until it's clean, don't know where the others are, and can you say Burger King for dinner!)Those are actually 3 different tints of gray. Not really, but that sounds like I know what I'm doing!
When the cakes are baked and cooled, I have to cut the 8 inch cake squares down to 6 inch squares to make this thing. I don't have 6 inch pans because you have to special order them! A serrated knife and tape measure can work miracles!
Then cut the monstrous cake into 1 9 inch square and 2 6 inch squares. Oh yes, there is a reason for all those squares.
Make sure you have all the necessary pieces cut and ready to assemble.
Before assembly, though, take a taste test of your handiwork, um, handibake, um, bakework, OK, just take a taste of the cake you cut off of the piece you need!
Taste test on a couple of other unsuspecting characters. The one not pictured still hasn't cleaned her room!! Whatcha gonna do Sam? Slay it??
Oops, almost forgot to get something to put the cake on! A jelly roll pan upside down covered with foil...
Put the base piece down and frost. I love to put waxed paper around the bottom of the cake so I don't frost the pan, too.
Stack the next layers, 1, 2, 3, and frost. Notice that I had 4 6 inch layers made above. Don't notice that I have only put 3 on! Please! It would have been just way too tall, and guess who has to carry it on her lap on the hour long drive down to Sandy tomorrow!?!?! Aah, so 3 layers are placed on the base and frosted.
Then the dome. Now if you were to go on the internet to where I got this cake idea from, you would see that, not only did I not put a 6 inch layer on, I also "left out" (didn't realize I needed)the smaller round layer that goes on top of the 6 inch layers and under the dome. So I won't bother to tell you where to find this lovely on the net. Do you see the top of a building taking shape? Looks a little like a beehive actually.
Aahh, the little details mean so much. Did the little girl there actually finish cleaning her room?? Nope, just a water break.
And the finished product........
All I need is Fay Ray to complete the adventure. It does look a little squished, like the building is cracking under Kong's weight. But, like I said, I'm an amatuer! I love making cakes for my kids, and other unsuspecting little ones. It's fun and even a bit of therapy.

Have a fun and enjoyable Conference weekend everyone!