Rapunzel tower birthday cake

[fruitscone]

I would like to make birthday a cake to appeal to my 5 yo DD. I was thinking something fairytale-ish and originally Sleeping Beauty but I think that looks too hard. Now I am wondering about doing Rapunzel's tower (lying flat on the board). If I do this:

• what type of cake will hold up best and do I decorate it fresh (ie bake it the day before birthday) or it is better to bake it a day or two early
• what kind of icing
• how to decorate

I think I can bake OK, but I have never done this kind of project before (so potential for a cock up I fear). Does this sound too ambitious and if so, any other (idiot-proof) ideas for a soppy fairy mad / princess mad girly girl?! Thnx

you could do a princess cake by making the cake in a bowl as the skirt then sticking a barbie in it - do you know what I mean? Rapunzel you could do upright - search for castle cakes and just do the tower bit? And you could cheat - ie make the cake pretty solid and then cut up a separate cake for people to actually eat. Will see if I can find some links to show what I mean

princess cake castle cake

There's a cake on my profile, which was a haunted tower. It's very easy to make - I promise!

I used empty cans to make the cake, then stuck them together with butter cream. Didn't need to be too neat or solid, because when I wrapped the fondant icing around it, it held it all together. The icing needs to be reasonably thick and if you haven't used it before, it's really, really easy.

You could perhaps put a Barbie head and shoulders on the top and decorate with flowers, rather than ghosts!

(Hope it's on there, I haven't actually checked! )

It is there. It's the last one.

Thanks for these ideas - they are a big help. I had thought about the Barbie one but read on here about someone's not working out and thought maybe not!

But wow I love the castle cake and your tower cake Maureen (your cakes on your profile are works of art by the way, so I'm not sure whether to believe you when you say it's easy!)

Lots of food for thought here. Must go and investigate fondant icing in my local supermarket (I am abroad) - it is the stuff that is ready rolled isn't it?

thanks again - quite looking forward to this now instead of dreading it!