I am in so much love with this cake.  It is so simple yet super cute!  This cake was really easy to make since I was able to prep all the cars, trains and airplane topper in advance.  I really wanted to print some cutters for all the shapes, but it didn’t work out in time.  Instead I drew templates for each design, cut them out of paper, and traced them out of thinly rolled fondant.  I like adding a little tylose powder to my fondant decorations to help them harden really nicely.

Here is a closer look at the choo-choo train that I cut out of fondant.  I let the pieces dry in advance so that they are popping out of the cake just a touch.  It gives the cake a bit of a 3D look which adds interest.  I used different sized piping tips to create all the round circles of the wheels and the steam.  I use both sides of the round piping tips, this gives me so much variety!

I love these little cars so I made them drive all the way around the cake.  I need to make a cutter for these since I know I will want to make them again! 

The plane scene on the top of the cake really brings the cake to life!  It’s only a single tier cake but it has amazing presentation because the airplane, clouds, and birthday banner are just filling up the empty space on top.  I attached the plane to one lollipop stick and the banner to a second stick.  I arranged them so they look like they are attached to each other, but keeping them separate was safer for transport.  I added hand cut clouds to the bottoms of the sticks to hide the sticks as well as make the plane appear to be flying over the clouds. Happy 1st Birthday Benji!

Update: This cake has been so popular! See my second version here. The second version includes all the cutter information so you can make your own! Here is the two tier version with more cutter information for you.

I love getting requests for theme cakes I have never done.  When I first started making cakes many years ago, topsy turvy cakes were all the rage.  They were so trendy that I started hating them.  Now they are requested, but a lot less often.  I haven’t actually made one in so long that I don’t even have a post about it!  I’m not even sure I have a photo! When I got an order for an Alice in Wonderland cake, you better believe this was going to be a topsy turvy cake.  Abby’s sister asked for a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake for her 2nd birthday, and a Frozen cake for her 3rd.  I love that the two sisters have such different interests and personalities!

I started making this cake by decorating the cake board.  I cut squares of black and white fondant and glued them to a cake board in a checkered pattern.  I love how the black and white graphic makes the whole cake pop out of the cake board.

The Cheshire Cat was a really important part of the cake.  I cut all the pieces out of fondant and pieced them together.  I used a black food coloring marker to add the outlines and black details.  Once I added the face to the cake, something was missing, so I added some paws and immediately, the cat was done!

For the top tier I used a mint green fondant and then lightened it up to create the harlequin pattern.  I cut all the diamonds by hand and placed them one by one on the cake. Then I attached heart shaped candies to all the corners. 

No Alice in Wonderland cake would be complete without a tea cup!  I took one of my own tea cups and shaped a piece of fondant inside.  I let it dry for a few days so it would hold the shape.  I formed the handle, base, and saucer separately and assembled after each piece was dry.  I painted the tea cup details with gold luster dust mixed with vodka and a fine paintbrush.  Since Abby is celebrating her 2nd birthday, I put a number 2 on a playing card with hearts, reminiscent of the Queen of Hearts.  The cake was still missing some whimsy so I added these ribbon roses and hearts on swirled cloth covered wire.  Happy Birthday Abby!  Hope it was wonderful!