Please help.. DGD's birthday cake request..

[C.Ann]

I just talked to DGD on the phone.. She'll be 10 next week and wants to celebrate her birthday up here at the lake the following Saturday or Sunday..

She wants to help me make the cake, but has two requests..

#1 - She would like it to be an ice cream cake (the ice cream between layers)..

# - She wants me to help her decorate the cake so it looks like a beach scene!!

With all the baking I have done over the years, I have never attempted an "ice cream cake" - and I don't have a clue how to decorate the cake so it looks like a "beach scene"..

Any suggestions?

She really wants the two of us to do this together..

Thanks!

 

[wowsmom]

I haven't tried this myself, but I've heard you can soften some ice cream then line a cake pan with saran wrap, then put the softened ice cream into the pan and refreeze. That way, the ice cream will be the same shape/size as the cake.

As far as a beach scene...maybe use graham cracker crumbs to represent the sand? You might also check the Family Fun website for ideas - they usually have a lot of cool cakes.

 

[tw1nsmom]

Here are two ideas for cake decorations:

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50183

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50151

And here's a recipe for an ice cream brownie cake

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=15547

Can you tell I love the family fun website? They have great cake ideas. I think making an ice cream cake would be pretty easy. You just have to give yourself enough time for the ice cream to soften and then freeze up again.

 

[C.Ann]

I haven't tried this myself, but I've heard you can soften some ice cream then line a cake pan with saran wrap, then put the softened ice cream into the pan and refreeze. That way, the ice cream will be the same shape/size as the cake.

As far as a beach scene...maybe use graham cracker crumbs to represent the sand? You might also check the Family Fun website for ideas - they usually have a lot of cool cakes.

---------------------

This is too funny.. She suggested to me graham cracker crumbs for the sand.. LOL

Better watch out - she's getting smarter than me and may end up "out baking" me soon..

 

[tw1nsmom]

Ooh! I just found this one too! http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50528

It's not strictly a beach scene, but I think it may work.

 

[C.Ann]

Here are two ideas for cake decorations:

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50183

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50151

And here's a recipe for an ice cream brownie cake

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=15547

Can you tell I love the family fun website? They have great cake ideas. I think making an ice cream cake would be pretty easy. You just have to give yourself enough time for the ice cream to soften and then freeze up again.

----------------------------

I like the second cake - decoration wise - and the recipe for the brownie cake sounds really good.. But where to find decorations for the cake? There are no suitable stores up here - unless I make that 22-mile trip to the Dollar Store.. I was going to go there this week or next for some fall/Halloween decorations.. Wonder what I could find there?

 

[diznygirl]

I wonder what the grocery store would have for cake decorating in it's baking aisle? You could use golfish crackers for fish in the water. You might have to go get a tropical drink at a bar to get that paper umbrella.

If your grocery does decorated cakes - we have purchased just the decorations from them.

 

[tw1nsmom]

I think you could find just about everything at the dollar store. If that didn't work out could you have your DD and DGD bring the decorations with them? It looks like you would need some little dolls. Does your DGD have any Polly Pockets you could wash and use? A couple of little palm trees.... You could use plastic or try to make some with pretzel rods and squishes/cut green gumdrops. A paper drink umbrella...Gummy fish...You could skip the shark if they're hard to find....graham crackers.....All the different types of candy the instructions call for...and rock or shell candy. Shell chocolates are actually really easy to make. I got my chocolate molds at Michaels crafts in Clifton Park. I don't know if they still have shell molds, but you could call. You just get white candy melts (white chocolate), melt them in the microwave, pour them in the molds, and cool. When they're done you pop them out and you have white chocolate shells. Like I said, maybe they could bring the supplies up with them.

 

[lovesmurfs]

How fun!

In terms of decorations, you could get Swedish Goldfish. They also make gummy octopuses (octopi?).

Laffy Taffy also works well. You need to warm it up a little, and then flatten it out (been a while, but I seem to remember rolling it out between wax paper sheets). Could also use fruit rollups. Cut out to shapes -- you could make a beach umbrella, seaweed, or a boat out of it. Pretzel stick for the mast?

Have a great time!

 

[lovetoscrap]

The biggest challenge you are going to have is decorating it without the ice cream melting. You will either need to decorate very quickly or allow time to keep stopping and put it back in the freezer. You want the ice cream to be quite frozen when you are decorating.

I would probably put the ice cream on the base layer of cake and put that in the freezer. Then just decorate the top layer and then put it very carefully on the ice cream layer either just before serving if no other decoration is needed or put it on and then quickly finish decorating the sides.

I do recommend that you let the cake sit out for a bit--15 minutes or so-- to soften the ice cream and the cake before serving.

Enjoy and post photos when you make it! I made a chocolate cake with an ice cream center to take to DD's school last year and she and the kids and staff loved it!

 

[clarabelle]

I have done a beach scene where the people were teddy grahams and they had little gummy rings as life preservers

 

[HunnyPots]

Freeze the cake layers over night. Soften the ice cream and spread between the layers. Work quickly! Get the whole thing back into the freezer for a few hours so the ice cream will set up. I would use a whipped frosting instead of buttercream. Just mix a half cup of powdered sugar to one container of cool whip. Color if you wish. Have all your decorations ready to go so you can decorate very fast! Back in the freezer again to let it set up. Its not difficult to do but it is time consuming! Good luck!

 

[C.Ann]

Freeze the cake layers over night. Soften the ice cream and spread between the layers. Work quickly! Get the whole thing back into the freezer for a few hours so the ice cream will set up. I would use a whipped frosting instead of buttercream. Just mix a half cup of powdered sugar to one container of cool whip. Color if you wish. Have all your decorations ready to go so you can decorate very fast! Back in the freezer again to let it set up. Its not difficult to do but it is time consuming! Good luck!

--------------------------------------

Thanks! Just hope we can work fast enough - LOL.. But what the heck - it's her birthday and if this is what she wants to do, who cares if it ends up a little mushy?? She'll have a ball..

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

---------------------

This is too funny.. She suggested to me graham cracker crumbs for the sand.. LOL

Better watch out - she's getting smarter than me and may end up "out baking" me soon..

That is so funny It surprises me what these girls know. The things my 10 year old cousin has talked to me about are very surprising. I know this one is smarter than me.

I have also seen people use brown sugar for sand. I decorate cakes, but it has been a long time, so I don't have any other suggestions. I would have a hard time doing an ice cream cake, since I am so slow anyway.

Have fun, that is all that matters. And Happy Early Birthday to her

Suzanne

 

[HunnyPots]

Oh - and vanilla wafer crumbs make a whiter sand! Have fun!

 

[flying_babyb]

On that note, walmart sells paper umbrellas, as doe hobby lobby and michels.

 

[lowie]

how about using ice cream sandwiches for the ice cream layer, you can layer them while they are rock solid frozen and buy some time for the decorating?

 

[Tinijocaro]

I make ice cream cakes for all our birthdays. Nice to customize to each birthday person's tastes. One likes a mint cho. chip i.c. cake, another likes cappachino chunk cake...so many options!

 

[kristilew]

A cute side dish - we always make blue jello in clear plastic cups, and halfway through the hardening process add gummy sharks and octopi. Just before serving, whip cream makes great waves.

I've also seen cakes where a little bit is hollowed out and the jello is put into the hollow to make the water.

 

[laurie31]

DD wanted an ice cream cake last year. She wanted a round cake (like a "normal" cake) decorated like a flower.

I baked the cake in the usual way, then filled one of the cake pans with ice cream and froze it overnight. When I was ready to decorate, I stacked the layers as if it were a three layer cake, with the ice cream being in the middle. I had the icing ready to go, and it didn't take that long to decorate. Then I popped it back in the freezer where it stayed until the party.

It turned out very well and I was surprised that it DIDN'T turn into a big melted goopy mess when it was served - lol. DO let it sit out as another poster suggested, or slicing it will be an impossible task!


For a beach cake, you might want a rectangle instead of a circle, but the principle is the same. Fill the pan you baked the cake in with ice cream, so it will be the same size.

I made a beach cake years ago, and I used brown sugar for the beach. Yummy. Although the graham crackers would likely be a healthier choice! LOL For the water, keep a little white icing aside (don't color it blue) and at the end, make "waves" with the white. Put small amounts around and put a knife on them and lift up, making them "poofy." Have fun! And don't forget to make pictures while you're doing it! It will be a memory your DGD treasures, I'm sure!