Ladybird cake

[babyOcho]

I am thinking of making a ladybird novelty cake for DD's first birthday.

Any tips on how to??

I've just returned a library book that had a ladybird cake in it. Can't remember the name though sorry.

Bake a basic sponge cake in a bowl for a hemispherical shaped cake. Turn the cake upside down and if you like or brave, slice it into two layers so that you can fill it with jam and butter icing like a Vicky Sponge. Cover the hemisphere with red roll out icing but remember to put a thin layer of buttericing over the sponge so that the icing sticks to it better and crumbs don't leak out of it.

Then do the spots by sticking black roll out icing cut into circles over the red shell. Do the head either by rolling a piece of black fondant and sticking it on the end and then sticking 2 white circles on top or use half a cupcake covered in black icing and stick it..... I'm going on a bit I'd better stop!

I'd make the cake in a pudding basin, cover with buttercream and then red fondant with black fondant spots.

Lots of ideas here

thanks lots of good ideas

Can I use a pyrex bowl to bake the cake??

the recipe i remember was a chocolate cake, with chocolate butter icing, cut in half horizontally with more choc icing.

Slice the top 1/3 of the cake vertically, then cut the remaining 2/3 in half.

That's really not clear - if you click onto the link, just cut where the chocolate icing lines are on the top.

For eyes I use brown and red smarties. Sometimes means I need more than one packet of smarties. Nobly I eat the rest.

Personally I wouldn't bake in a pyrex bowl, not sure how i'd get it out, but suspect there are lots more people in the know on here who will advise you.

link failed - sorry. it's the one in the top right hand corner.

this one

i have used a pyrex bowl before, line it with baking paper, marg on both sides to stop it sticking.

HTH

I too have used pyrex bowls to bake cakes in. Didnt line them but did use plenty of marg to grease it. Whizzed a knife round the inside once done and after a few thumps on the bottom they popped out lovely.

I remember my mum making my sis a Ladybird birthday cake back in the day (20 odd years ago). She used coloured dessicated coconut to cover the ladybird instead of icing

you need to ontact if you have CAT (contact another talker, costs £5 for a year)Littlefish for top tips

If not start a thread with her name and hope she sees it

I often use pyrex bowls for cakes, just grease well.

Hello! Have a look at my profile. There's a picture of a ladybird cake I did for my dd's first birthday.

I made the cake in a pyrex dish to get a gently rounded shape, and then just covered it with jam to make the icing stick, covered the whole lot with coloured rolled out icing.

Have a look - see if it's what you're thinking of doing.

The antennae were made out of liquorice sticks.

Pyrex bowl is fine. I tend to grease it well and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom - make cuts around the edge of the circle to get it to fit IYSWIM - it helps the cake come out.

Personally I would cut layers into it and put fairly generous amounts of buttercream in - too dry otherwise.

Once it is layered and buttercreamed (but before you put a layer of buttercream round the outside) wrap it in clingfilm and put it in the 'fridge for a while - make sure it is all nice and solid before you try and ice it.

Buy ready-coloured icing for ease - red and black are both quite hard - find a local sugarcraft shop if you can.

I agree with all stealthsquiggle's points.

I think I sliced the cake horizontally into three sections and sandwiched it back together with buttercream.

I bought ready-coloured icing.