3D Cake: No Glasses Required

So yesterday I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try a little harder cake for a change. I thought I would try to make a 3D cake and I had decided on a pirate ship cake. All day Friday I read some tutorials and thought about the way I would construct it and it all made me extremely nervous. The cake wasn't for anyone but I just didn't want to mess it up and more than anything I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I was up for the challenge.

First, I baked the cake and then once it cooled I began shaping it the way I wanted. I stacked it twice with two layers of the same shape then added a triangle piece for the front of the ship and a square piece for the back of the ship. Then I added another piece half the size of the square piece I previously added. This made it a total of 4 layers. I then crumb coated is with icing. I did white icing and looking back I should have mixed it with brown dye for brown icing that would match the brown fondant. That way if any icing were to show through it would unnoticeable.

Next I began cutting fondant in the shape of pieces of wood. I cut lines in each strip and two holes on each end of the strip to make it look like nails. I then began to add them to the cake. You must be patient and not get frustrated because I'm warning you that it does take some time- but the outcome is great!

I then added on the small details such as the railing in the front and back, the anchor on the side and the gold port holes going along the bottom.

Finally, I worked on the sails/masts. I took a wooden dowel and got the husband to saw the sizes I needed for each mast. I made the front mast shorter than the back. I glued a smaller wooden dowel to the front dowel and two to the back dowel. I then slipped some sugar paper (which you can find at Michaels and it's edible) for the sail part. I then just stuck the dowels into the cake and made the sails.

And this is the finished product. I hope you will try this and remember to be patient. It's a big project to tackle but the outcome is incredibly rewarding!