Giant 3D Peep Cake

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The purpose of this blog post is to allow you to follow us in our thought process as we (my son and I) plan and accomplish this awesome cake!  I have included links to important information that I found along the way. 

It was my son's Blue and Gold Banquet for Cub Scouts this past Saturday.  Each year at the banquet each boy makes a cake to be auctioned off.  The purpose is to raise funds for the boys summer activities.  We were trying to decide what sort of cake to make, my son and I, while I was going though my emails on my phone.  I opened up an email from Hoosier Homemade while chatting with my son and it happened to be her Cupcake Tuesday edition.  In that was a link for a chick cake.  For my son it was love at first site.  It was not within theme but he did not care.  He HAD to make this cake for his auction. Fine, I think, it does not look too hard (mostly round layers).  "Oh but wait, PEEPS, I must make it to look like a peep instead", he said.  GREATTtttttT, LOL.  That does not sound easy at all!!!!!!  But I am not one to back down in a challenge. We set out to plan our peep cake.   

So where to start, where to start.  First I googled Marshmallow Peep Cake.  In fact, I tried so may different search terms like Chick cake, Easter chick cake, 3D chick cake, chick peep cake.  The results ended up being lots of cakes with peeps on top.  Not what Im looking for.  I did find a really cool "How To" on instructables.  It was a step by step process for making a 3D Bunny Cake.  This step by step plan is what I needed to start to form our own plan.  Next I found this picture.   The how to make a 3D Bunny Cake post suggested you make a blue print and that is exactly what purpose this picture served.  I printed it out and taped it to the cabinet above our work station.

We discussed what would be the best cake pans to use.  We ended up with a sheet cake bottom, 9" round was next lined up to the edge, 8" slightly offset (peeps lean backwards) and then the rounded top head again offset.  "Glue" the layers together with the frosting and chill in the fridge for an hour at least to set.

Next get out the bread knife and cut out the V to create a "chin" and another V in the back to form the tail and back.  The rest is fine tuning.  Just keep looking at your picture you have posted somewhere nearby and save those scraps!  Cake Pops will be in your future!!!

Crumb coat the entire cake and insert a chop stick though the head to hold the cake layers together.   Look at it,  does it look like you want?  It's not too late to make changes.  Chill for an hour and whip up your yellow frosting.  

The trickiest part of the entire process was getting the sugar to stick to the frosting on the vertical parts.  I ended up applying a bunch to my hand and slapping it on.  There was lots of excess on the flat surfaces that I ended up brushing off with a pastry brush.  Worked like a charm.  

I think this would be a wonderful idea to bring to big Easter party or event!  Don't you?

Good luck and happy baking!