Experienced cake-icers; over here please!

[mistressploppy]

I just need a bit of advice please!

DS is going to be 2yo next week and I'm making a George (from Peppa Pig) cake. I've made a template and I think he'll be made of two basic round layer sponge cakes, with ears made of off-cuts and arms and legs of icing - a bit like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.nataliescreativecakes.com/USERIMAGES/DSC00885.JPG&imgrefurl=www.nataliescreativecakes.com/page7.htm&h=675&w=900&sz=116&tbnid=U3ENzCSrFIZvkM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgeorge%2Bpig%2Bcake%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=george+pig+cake&docid=16uiDhNopVPCnM&sa=X&ei=wC2YTo7rJMqx8QPXz5nGBQ&ved=0CD4Q9QEwAw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this

I have a few queries - would buttercream icing work? I have bought ready-to-pipe icing stuff in pink and blue - here to do the edge bits/fiddly bits.
Would jam in the middle be ok??
What do I use to stick the bits of cake together side by side - icing?
Do I need to put sugar syrup on the cake before icing it?

Any other expert tips? I'm panicking a bit as I don't have time to do a proper trial run (I have made the sponge cake before but not tried the icing)

Thanks cakies!

Sticking out bits are going to have to be fondant - and cut out and left to dry a bit if they are going to stick out of the cake like Peppa's do on your link.

You need buttercream to cover the carved and assembled cakes so that you have one complete george-shaped cake before you start decorating - then stick it in the 'fridge for a while so that it is nice and firm. The cake in your link is entirely covered with fondant - if you don't like that, fair enough, but it is not going to look the same....

Jam in the middle will be fine.

Other tips - get the cakes sandwiched and good and cold before you cut the shapes, for cleaner edges and less crumbs.

Brilliant, thanks Squiggle. I don't mind if it looks a bit fuzzy, as buttercream would look, but is fondant easier to work with, do you think? I can just buy it ready made, can't I ?

Thanks very much for the tips about the chilling-before-cutting. So whether I do buttercream or fondant icing, it still needs a first coat of buttercream before I ice it proper, with coloured stuff?

I believe the initial coat of buttercream is optional if you are going to finish it with buttercream. I find fondant a lot easier to work with (and yes, you buy it ready-made - and if you can find a cake decorating shop, ready coloured), but that is because I am crap at real icing I haven't really done much with buttercream.