Help! I've been tasked with making a platypus cake by DS

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

How the heck do I get the shape?

Shall I bake a loaf cake and a round cake and attempt some kind of cut and shut job?

[AjasLipstick]

Have you google imaged "Platypus cake"?

I have and the results are NOT promising. There's not one good one out there!

I'd convince the child to have a different cake! Or I'd make a round cake, decorate it to look like a pond...and pop a plastic platypus on top!

[ThePricklySheep]

I’d do two circles and cut. You need a template first.

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

Google indeed is very disappointing...

I looked for a cake topper and all I could find were platypuses in love for wedding cakes - wtf?

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

We've got a toy platypus, I could use that as a sort of template...

[SherbertDip]

Check out "platypus birthday cakes" on Pinterest some great cakes on there

[Imchlibob]

I would just focus on a head sticking out of water - much easier.

A round flat cake with blue icing for water and some green fondant water weeds.

A small second cake in a Pyrex pudding bowl for the head, iced with brown chocolate butter icing and use a fork for a fur effect. Then you just need to craft a duck-bill shape to attach to the front. For carving fiddly shapes like this I recommend buying a madeira cake and chilling it - it's a dense structure that holds its shape well when carved. You'd end up discarding most of the loaf but you can use the unneeded pieces for a trifle.

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

Chocolate buttercream - check
Black fondant for bill and feet - check
Round cake tins - check
I'll buy a Madeira cake as back up but I'd prefer to bake my own. That ways even if it looks terrible it'll still taste delicious!

[Iwasjustabouttosaythat]

Are you going to use chocolate flakes for it’s fur?

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

Ooh maybe....I like the idea of buying lots of flakes and just eating them..

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

So...best chocolate cake recipes. Do any of you have a fail safe go to recipe I can pinch please?

[PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks]

Good luck!

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

I'll post a picture if you all pro is not to send it to nailedit.com

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

Thanks!

[Should1stayorshould1go]

but a platypus has a sort of cobbled together/designed by comittee look anyway, so probably will adapt well to cake

[Imchlibob]

I recommend the "inmates cake" recipe in the Green & Black's recipe book - it's good and dense so holds shape well.

Do you or a friend have the book? Practically every kitchen I have ever been in has it but I don't know if it's universal.

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

Thanks. I don't have the book but a quick Google search helped me find a link to it on another Mumsnet thread!

[twinkletoedelephant]

Google Perry the platypus cakes ;)

My twins were VERY into phinies and Ferb and both had cuddly perrys

[MyMuffLooksLikeABeard]

Perry is a no-go for us!