Pirate ship cake-help a novice please!

[SagelyEggnogging]

DS1 is 5 on Wednesday. He is having a pirate party and I have decided to make him 2 cakes. One is a treasure chest filled with choc coins, dextrose 'jewellery' and I am fairly confident that I can make it without mangling it too much. maybe too optimistic

The other is a pirate ship

I need a recipe for a chocolate sponge which will be easy to work with-firm enough for me to cut it up and stick it together with icing, then load it with masts, paper sails, choc cannonballs and playmobil pirates!

Other than needing a recipe, I also wondered if I could bake the cake say on Monday, decorate on Tuesday, then serve on Wednesday? Will it be stale under 15 feet of icing?

If I put it in the fridge will the condensation wreck it?

God, I have totally overestimated my abilities!! Any advice will be gratefully received

I haven't got a recipe- I always buy my chocolate cake because mine is always dry,but the timescale is fine. And no to the fridge- it spoils the icing.

Google Debbie Brown pirate ship images- fantastic ideas!

Thanks! I nearly ruined my 2 year olds cake yesterday by putting it into the fridge...too many birthdays in too little time!

This is what I am more or less aiming for.

I would use bought cakes, but I am abroad and haven't found large round cakes in the supermarket :(

That looks great! Have you done loads of cakes before- or canni make a bossy suggestion or two?

Sagely, if you make a chocolate madiera you can make it several days ahead, its will last a good week, and defo not fridge.

I would also have a look at the pirate ship cake in the Women's Own birthday cake book.

For the treasure chest, a good tip is to use a piece of cardboard to support the lid. Hth!

I just use standard Victoria sponge mixture for all my birthday cakes.

Aaah, thanks! Seeker I am happy to take bossy suggestions-any suggestions are welcome :)

Good tip for the treasure chest! I am looking forward to making these cakes, and I am sure my DS won't be disappointed whatever I do, but I so don't want to mess it up!

I make cakes a lot but have never attempted 3D or anything more than icing and sprinkles etc.

I think that if you spent a bit of time on carving the cake a bit more boat shaped- not a huge amount, just a bit longer and narrower and a bit pointy at the front and if you put a block of cake at the back to make a platform for the captain to stand on it would improve it hugely with practically no effort at all. Also, I am suspicious of this candles in marshmallows- I bet they fell off the instant the picture was taken! If the candles were in holders, could the playmobil pirate hold them?

And don't forget triangles of grey icing to make sharks fins in the sea!

Sorry, I love doing cakes and can't resist butting in!

Cocktail sticks are v useful to pin bits of cake together before icing (eg the treasure chest lid onto the main bit)

Do check out the Woman's Own pirate ship though - it's actually super easy and very impressive looking!

And so is raw spaghetti!

The only thing i wasnt happy about using raw spagetti when i took some advice about securing a head to a body, i accidently knocked the head off, if i'd stuck to what i normally do i.e cocktail stick, it wouldnt have happened.

They are done!! Thank you so much for all the advice, I will post pictures on my profile this evening.

Dead chuffed with my efforts (far from professional standard, but my 5yr old is thrilled)

Wow sagely, well done-they look brilliant! Glad your DS likes them. I would be thrilled if someone made them for me. (and I'm 32!)