This year Twinkle Toes asked for a “Caroline” themed birthday party! While I was looking through the books for ideas and inspiration I decided that “Caroline’s Bonnet” might make a fun cake for my new “ten-ager!” I really didn’t know how I was going to pull if off when I got started… and at one point it looked more like a “frosted Kidney Bean” instead of a cake… but in the end I thought it turned out pretty and the birthday girl loved her cake when she saw it in the morning!
Caroline’s Bonnet Cake
Supplies:
Cake Batter (I used one yellow cake mix)
White Frosting mixed with a little Chocolate Frosting to create a “straw” color
White, Pink and Green Marshmallow Fondant
Large Marshmallow
Pink Sprinkles
I just used a one box of Yellow Cake Mix for the cakes, dividing the batter between my two pans. I cut a rounded corner out of the cake to fit the two cakes together in a (somewhat) bean bonnet shape and put a layer of frosting over the whole cake.
While the frosting was setting in the freezer I started looking for decorating supplies. I had picked up a box of white fondant (which is going back to JoAnns), but just couldn’t bring myself to use it. We don’t like the taste, and I hate spending the money on something that is going to just be peeled off and thrown away. At swimming lessons this summer a friend of mine suggested trying out homemade marshmallow fondant. She said I would be surprised at how easy it was and told me that everyone will love it! She was right!!! (Just look at those kids scrapping the sides of the bowl for any scraps… Even my husband loved it!)
I used this recipe as a guide. I only had a 10 oz bag of marshmallows in the cupboard, so I modified the recipe accordingly. After melting the marshmallows in the microwave I mixed in some powdered sugar to form a sticky dough and transfered it to my kitchenaid. I lost track of how much powdered sugar I used, but I basically just kept adding one cup at a time, kneading it with a hook attachment, until it was no longer sticky. I seperated it into three balls before kneading in some gel food coloring in pink and green.
The recipe said to wrap the fondant tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night, but I didn’t have time for that. It probably would have been much easier to work with, but I was just going for “pretty” not “perfect” and it all worked out. 🙂 I created my “ribbon” by rolling a slice of green and two slices of pink fondant onto a wide strip of white fondant.
After pulling the cake out of the freezer for the final layer of frosting, I mixed a little chocolate frosting into my can of white frosting to create a “straw” color and added lines using the end of the butter knife to resemble a straw bonnet. I then began adding the “ribbon” of marshmallow fondant…
… and a fondant “bow” as well. I would have preferred using mini-marshmallows to create flowers on the side of the bonnet, but using what I had in the cupboard, opted for one “stacker” marshmallow cut into small triangles and dipped in pink sprinkles.
Lydia straightened and tugged on the brim of her bonnet. “It is a very bright today,” she complained.
“I like it.” Caroline tipped her head back so that she could feel the June sunshine on her face. The winters in northern New York were long and cold. Caroline didn’t see what harm it did to enjoy the sunshine while they had it.
“Young ladies must protect their skin from the sun,” Lydia said.
I cannot tell you how often I checked your blog to see these photos! They are wonderful, as is your family! Thank you for sharing your talents and your life with all of us! God bless you! Bernadette 🙂
lol I'll start working on the rest of the pictures from her birthday soon. It has just been so incredibly busy the past few weeks! Thank you! 🙂
I am excited to try that fondant recipe. Thanks for sharing it! I love the picture of her looking at her cake. Her hair is so pretty!
Happy Birthday!
I love seeing the birthday cakes you create! You have such wonderful ideas!
Marshmallow Fondant?!? Brilliant!!! I am so going to give that a try! Your cake turned out awesome! Can't wait to see the rest of the party pics!
Faith wants to know how Twinkle Toes got her "boing boing" curls? And the cake is gorgeous — lots of work!
Jessica~ Caroline's Bonnet Cake is amazing. You are so talented! The photo of Twinkle Toes with her Birth Day cake is so sweet and I love her ringlets! How did you curl her long tresses? I had very long hair when I was a little girl and my Mother always set my hair in "rags" (long rolled up lengths of a white cloth sheet cut into lengths shaped into a curler. My hair was curled around the rolled "rag" and another torn length of sheet was wrapped around the hair and tied on the top and the bottom of the rag curler to keep the hair in place. Then I would sleep in these "rags" and the next morning for Mass my mom took out the rags and I had long ringlets which lasted for a few days. This was a ritual every Saturday afternoon after my Mom shampooed my long hair.) So now I have dated myself… The photo of your daughter's beautiful hair brought this precious memory back to me. I am looking forward to viewing the Caroline theme birthday party. I just know it was very special for your daughter. Sincerely, Debbie
The cake is beautiful!
I thought you may be interested in the following link. It is a free downloadable virtues program from the Dominican sisters in Nashville; my son's godmother is a sister there. It combines virtues with saints that portray the virtue and has a three year cycle with variations from Pre-K through 8th grade. I have not used it yet–just glanced through it, but it looks great so far. Anyway I thought I would share in case you would enjoy it also. http://nashvilledominican.org/apostolate/Evangelization_and_CatechesisThanks and God bless!
Thank you, Barbara! I just used a little 1/2 inch curling iron to curl some of her (thick thick thick) hair 🙂
What sweet memories! Thank you for sharing! Someday I am going to have to try out curling the girls' hair with rags! I actually have a white sheet in a bag of items to donate that I should pull out to cut up into rags!
Thank you! I have seen that before, but had forgotten about it. It does look like such a great program!
What a very nice cake! And what a great talent and patience you have for doing this kind of work.
I pray that Our Lady of Fatima bless you and your family.
Manuela
What a lovely cake! I'm laughing at myself right now; when you said Caroline-themed, I thought you meant Caroline from the "Little House" books. Your blog is wonderful!
It would be just as appropriate for that Caroline too! And thank you! 🙂