Cake Decorating - Attempt 1

My friend had a birthday last month, and, being free at the weekend, I decided to bake and decorate a cake for her. 

I didn't want it to be just any cake; we both love Despicable Me and so, inspired by Bakerella's Cake Pops, I decided to fashion a cake in the shape of a minion. 

You all know that I'm not the best at cake decorating. However, I'm always up for a challenge and the chance to improve. I drew out a simple sketch of what I wanted the cake to look like and got my sister (who is more precise) to transfer it onto baking paper, which I pinned with cocktail sticks onto the sponge cake. 

The sponge is a simple all-in-one mixture, to make a light and fluffy vanilla cake. There's no need to split and fill it with anything - there'll be enough icing on the top anyway! Depending on time, you can make the icing yourself or do as I did and buy it from the supermarket (cue gasp). In my opinion I had enough to worry about with the decoration so I wanted it to be as hassle-free as possible!

Start with a rectangular sponge cake. Lay out the template on top and pin down with cocktail sticks.

Cut out with a sharp knife.

Mix up two sets of icing - yellow and blue. (Use a darker blue if you can find it!) Just don't get it on your fingers...

Spread the yellow icing about two thirds of the way down the cake. Cover all sides, cleaning your knife regularly in hot water to avoid crumbs in the icing.

Shape two of the off cuts into rectangles with rounded edges. Frost these as well.

Fill in the bottom third of the cake with blue icing.

Carefully ice on dungarees straps. Use chocolate buttons covered in icing for the buttons. Attach the arms using cocktail sticks to secure it to the sides.

Use grey icing or tinfoil for the head strap. Cover a rich tea biscuit (or similar) in white icing and place on the strap. Coat a chocolate button in brown or black icing and pipe a white circle in the centre. Place this in the centre of the biscuit.

Finally, outline everything with a brown or black icing pen and pipe on a smile. Use liquorice strips for hair and arrange them at the top.

Stand back and admire your creation!