Elephant and Wagon Cake with Buttercream Ruffles!- Video
In this two part cake Elephant and Wagon Cake decorating video, you will learn to create an adorable cake topper of an elephant in a wagon, along with a fabulous ruffled buttercream technique!
Whether you're interested in learning how to create the perfect topper for baby showers and young birthdays, OR how to pipe a unique vintage style buttercream ruffle, this video has something for you!
Part One: Learn to create our elephant and wagon cake topper!
Part Two: Decorating with unique buttercream ruffles!
Materials:
For the topper:
Rice cereal treat- we used a 22g. size
Fondant with tylose powder kneaded into it (or gum paste)
Templates for the sides of the wagon (optional)
Small circle cutter for wheels (we used a large piping tip)
Coloring Gel: We used Americolor super black, Teal, Deep Pink, Electric Green
Pink Petal Dust (optional) - Watermelon is the shade that we used
Pearl Dust (ours was ultra super pearl)
Americolor Black Coloring Pen (optional) for eyes
Floral wire for balloons in a sturdy gage (20 gauge for example)
Misc.: Sharp knife,
Part Two: Buttercream Effects
Medium consistency buttercream/frosting
Piping tip 70 (this is a leaf tip)
Cake boards to boost the cake while piping (I used 4 stacked and wrapped 8" cardboards). Optional, but I find that it helps to get a good angle as you make your way to the bottom of the tier.
More Baby Shower Cakes!
We have so many more baby shower cakes to share with you! You can find a collection of our favorites here: Baby Shower Cakes! Here are just a few more of our favorites:
Gum Paste Baby Shoes Cake Topper
This cake and topper is so adorable. I just love to learn new ideas from you Melissa! :) Since you put the bottom tier in fridge to chill before moving to pedestal, I am assuming you used a "non crusting" buttercream??? Does it matter what buttercream you use as long as it is medium consistency?? I am anxious to try to make this cake. Thanks!
Thank you all so much!
@Denise, we used our "Fluffy" vanilla buttercream recipe which is part shortening & part butter. This is a crusting recipe. We almost always use crusting buttercreams but still I prefer to chill my cakes before stacking or moving to the pedestal, covering with fondant, etc. While crusting buttercreams do develop a crust, they can still be easily dented when handling the tiers & so I do this to play it safe! ;0) - Any frosting that holds its shape nicely to piping should work well with this technique!
This weekend I just played with some leftover frozen cake, the whipped meringue icing that was used for the fluffy flowers (since it has a long shelf life) and a practice run stacking 6" and 8" tiers. I decided to pipe the vertical ruffles on the larger tier just for fun. This is a very easy way to make a stunning cake!
Thanks Melissa for sharing this technique...Can't wait to make another cake with these pretty ruffles!
Dene, I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for the feedback!
Hi, Melissa. Which brand is your silver turning table?
Hi Joelma, It is an Ateco turntable, here is a link . I can't believe that is is $100. now. Melissa has had hers about 10 years, she actually uses her Wilton plastic turntable more frequently than the silver Ateco one.
Hi´
How long in advance can I make the cake topper?
Thank you
BR/Kristina
Hi Kristina, The cake topper can be made months in advance. After if is completed, just keep it out of sunlight or fluorescent lighting as this will fade the colors. Also, if you store it in a box it should NOT be airtight because the topper could soften if it is not dry through and through.
Is this a cake that you would transport and then place on a pedestal? I was thinking for a bridal luncheon but not sure how it would look after transporting and then moving to the pedestal. Any suggestions?
Hi Colleen, I would place the finished cake on a cake base (whether cake drum or a few stacked cardboard cake circles wrapped or prepped however you like)-- and then place that onto the pedestal when you arrive. Since you know you'll be placing on a pedestal later, you can just choose a size cake base that is just a little larger than the size of the cake, but small enough to fit onto the pedestal.
Did you just secure your cake topper with a little buttercream?
Hi Victoria, The wagon with the elephant does not have buttercream under the wheels. There are support straws under each wheel, because it is somewhat heavy. It is just sitting on the top tier. If you were traveling with the cake, it would be placed on top once you are at the party site.