I want to make an iggle piggle cake for my dd's birthday

[lucysmam]

Any cake-makers out there able to offer some advice?

I have a vague idea that I could make a large, square cake in a tin that I have and then cut it into the shape of Iggle. But, what sort of cake carves well? Also, if I want to put some buttercream or similar in the middle, would you advise doing this before or after cutting it into shape?

Also, what sort of icing would you use for the blue colur? Ready to roll stuff with blue colouring? Or something else?

And, do you know where I could get natural food colourings? As I have visions of blue icing making the kids who we will have bounce off the walls & ceiling. Although I'm not too bothered about that, it's only one day so won't kill them (I hope)

Any advice anyone could offer would be fab. Thank-you

Lovely cakes GreenMonkies and AHMcFly
I definitely prefer the home made look

that's a good idea - tumeric and saffron are very strong so I think that might work - will try it next time as have some in the cupboard, might make it taste a bit strange. I think the home-made ones all look way nicer than the bought ones and, even though I swear never again every year, I think they will appreciate the effort when they are older. I do now looking back at the ones my mum made. I also get a sense of satisfaction out of it too, though I am always up too late the night before.

Another option is to do one of those photo cakes from Tescos or Sainsburys. Take a picture of Iggle Piggle in and get them to transfer it on. I dread to think what is in the ink but it is only a thin layer on top, less than putting colouring through the whole icing I'd say, and you can easily peel it off the bits you feed your child and let the other kids parents deal with the consequences

Great cakes Jas - love the second one. I like homemade-looking cakes too - it's kind of the point imo. Although i was when my icing all ran off!

great cakes!

Well, thanks all, I will read all this in a mo when I'm sat with a cuppa. There's loads here & I'm amazed at first glance at the suggestions for colours.

JohnsonsShampoo, I quite like the blanket idea, would make the grown ups chuckle if nothing else

MatBackFeck, I am really surprised there are sooo many different ways of avoiding using colours with e-numbers in them. I didn't know about beetles & red food colouring . . . yuk yuk yukkity yuk . If you see this, yes I would be interested in the site you used please.

Leoness I nearly sprayed my cuppa on the computer reading your comment about makka pakka looking like a big boob from behind! I do however think the night garden landscape would be a good one to try & would save me faffing about trying to cut Iggle out of the cake or being stuck for how to do blue icing.

AnybodyHome, that's the sort of thing I was originally thinking about doing although I am quite keen on the landscape idea with figures on but will have to have a look around for some cheap enough before I actually set my heart on that I think

great, I'm now going to make an igglepiggle cake for DD's 2nd b-day. also prefer the home made looking ones, they're much more fun.