Ninjago Cake - Kevin's 4

Nothing calls for celebration like a "birthday" does.  This is the only occasion, event, tradition that I follow religiously.  Especially when it comes to my little ones, my excitement rivals theirs!

My son Kevin turned 4 last month.  Last year, I made my very first venture into making a fondant decorated cake - Pocoyo themed - and he loved it.  So I was sure the cake was going to be the highlight again.  His birthday fell on Memorial Day this year so we all spent the day with him - no work, no school.

My plan for the day - decorations, cake, new clothes (it is an Indian tradition), his favorite candies, balloons, presents, flowers and lots of hugs, kisses and love!

I took my older one, Krish, and Kevin to bed the night before, waited till Kevin fell asleep and stepped out to the garage to smuggle all the stuff from the car.  I came back and thought - Krish is bound to be awake because he knew my plans.  He and I are so alike - we enjoy the process as much as the outcome.  I thought it would be only fair to let him have his share of the fun.

I tip-toed into the bedroom and just as I thought, he was waiting for me to come get him - he knows me too well!  We commenced on our tasks.  We brought out the boxes and rummaged in it.  Whatever decorations, party ware, I buy, I save them till they completely fall apart.  The decorations we chose to put up in the living room this year were from Krish's 3 year birthday party, and some from his 5 year birthday party.  I try my best to be economical and environmentally responsible in anyway I can.

Krish said I should hang one of these right by the bedroom door so Kevin will see it first thing when he walked out.  Man was he right!  Kevin walked out, saw this and his mouth opened so wide in surprise and joy!

The only new decorations I got were two dollar store helium balloons - they are super, I tell you.

Once the decorations were done, presents wrapped up and placed in strategic locations, we sat down to make the fondant decorations.  I had just put in the cake to bake in the oven.

I watched a lot of interesting videos on youtube.  The following ones inspired me:

Ninjago Lego Fondant Cake How to make by Piece of Cake by Ilse
Behind the Scenes: Lego Cupcake Ninjas | Cupcake Jemma

I followed the idea in this mainly:

How to make fondant Lego Ninjago figure / Jak zrobić figurkę Lego Ninjago

I am extremely grateful for technology and to these people who share so freely, their expertise and ideas.  You can learn anything you fancy, sitting right at home, by your own schedule, at your own pace, without a cost.

Here is my take on it:

Needless to say, Kevin loved it.  He never eats cake, so it is all about playing with it!

He enjoyed and appreciated all the things we made to make his day special.

Recipes:

Chocolate Cake Recipe
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Fondant:

Wilton Primary Colors Fondant
Wilton Natural Skin Tone Fondant - I used only a little black, but these colors are always useful.

I used a black food marker that my friend, Surabhi, gave me.  If I hadn't had that I would have bought the food paint and brush like in the video.

Try it. :)

My 2-year-old Son's Pocoyo Theme Birthday Cake

This was not even on my bucket list.  But two years ago, a friend of mine showed me some impressive cakes including this:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4795527502377&set=pcb.742452699176708&type=3&theater

I love to learn and I love to learn things that I love. I had taken a cake decorating class way back in 2008. I was keen on baking cakes and decorating, but the simple task of cleaning up the decorating tips, for some reason - though it is not a surprise that such a reason should exist for somebody with obsessive compulsive inclinations like me - daunted and overwhelmed me!

But these cakes were made of fondant and seemed like I may not have to clean decorating tips after all. My interest was piqued. I liked the challenge. So it immediately went on my list. This was in 2014.

I researched. I was not keen on going for classes, because time was sparse; I had had my second son only a few months ago. But thanks to the internet and the multitude of resources, I did not even have to step out of the house to equip and prepare myself.

For me everything starts with a mental process, before the physical realization of it.

The picture on Facebook posted by Manashi Deshpande of her "Under the Sea" Cake and Cupcakes was both the inspiration and the goal, or at least the like of it.

I am immensely grateful to Craftsy and the instructors who put up their comprehensive lessons for free.

I discovered Basic Fondant Techniques with Elisa Strauss, a free mini-class on Craftsy - http://www.craftsy.com/lecture/free-mini-fondant-techniques/2618.html. My then 4-year old son would insist on watching this instead of his current favorite cartoon series. We cuddled up next to each other and together we devoured the class videos.

Fabulous Party Cakes and Cupcakes by Carol Deacon that I checked out from the library lay on the table beside my couch - for 12 weeks - the maximum time I could borrow the book at a stretch. I thumbed through it once, but its presence there filled me with a warm feeling of anticipation. My son even picked out the cakes he wanted me to make from this book. But his interest moved on. So did time. But the seed was sown.

This year, I decided I would bake a Pocoyo theme birthday cake for my second son's 2nd year birthday. Without further thought, I headed to Michael's and went ahead and bought the supplies.

Wilton Decorator Preferred Fondant - White, Primary Multipack and Natural Multipack
Wilton 40-pc Alphabet Number Cutout
Cake tins and a bunch of cookie cutters,

I went and borrowed the same book from the library. Just looking at it felt like puzzle pieces were falling in place.

These two videos for Pocoyo Fondant Cake helped immensely.  Thank you, Tartafantasia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h_U2LzwkhE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oJeQFdi0Qk

One night, I made the characters in fondant. The night before my son's birthday, I baked the cake and made the frosting and put it all together.

From start to finish, the process flowed like peace.

Chocolate Cake : http://foodess.com/recipes/moist-chocolate-cake/
Chocolate Frosting : http://foodess.com/recipes/fluffy-chocolate-frosting/

Pocoyo

Elly

Pato

Loula

Sleepy Bird

Pocoyo Theme 2nd Year Birthday Cake

It made my day when my 2-year old squealed in delight, patted, showed-off and called out the names all the characters. I loved watching my sons pick apart ears, letters and heart and pop them into their mouths. I loved watching them poke the cake, swipe the frosting that oozed out and lick it off their pointer fingers. All this, way before we got ready to cut the cake.

And as a lagniappe, a cake in his favorite heart shape with his favorite Magic School Bus topper made with fondant for the loving, lovable big brother, Krish. He rolled out and cut out the hearts from fondant and decorated the cake himself.

Heart Shaped Magic School Bus Theme Cake

Go for your dreams! Derive joy, give joy.