It's so frustrating when you make something that you're proud of... and don't get the opportunity to take a decent photo of the final product! Such is the case with this Sailor Moon themed cake and cupcakes. By the time I had finished, the sun was set and I was rushing to get ready for our friend's birthday dinner in Washington D.C. Most of these images were taken in a dimly lit Brazilian restaurant via our cell phones. Ah well!
The birthday girl is a huge Sailor Moon fanatic - she grew up on the show! Her loving husband decided to surprise her with a cake honoring this obsession. We had a few clandestine text messages, one covert Skype session, and a shared Pinterest board - but we nailed down the plan! : ) Chocolate cake with raspberry filling and swiss buttercream! The perfect combination of sweetness and sass, just like his wife!
What made this project so time consuming was the twelve unique fondant cupcake toppers (courtesy of Peachy Bunny Bake's tutorial). I used a frilled cookie cutter for the base canvas for all the toppers. Then, I made the core Sailor Scouts respective bows. These were tiny bits of fondant with lots of different colors but the end result was worth it. I used some Wilton Dab-and-Glue to make sure everything held it's shape.
My favorite part of these Sailor Scout toppers was a little personal touch - a tiny heart in the middle! I thought it was a cute accent that helped make these toppers pop. It's cutesy but hey, this is for a chick whose catch phrase is: "For love and justice, the pretty Guardian in a sailor suit, Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"
My favorite part of these Sailor Scout toppers was a little personal touch - a tiny heart in the middle! I thought it was a cute accent that helped make these toppers pop. It's cutesy but hey, this is for a chick whose catch phrase is: "For love and justice, the pretty Guardian in a sailor suit, Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"
The other representations included a crescent moon, Sailor Moon's wand,
her "meatball" styled hair buns, Tuxedo Mask's rose, Luna the cat, and a
heart. My husband, per usual, jumped into the fray and made the Luna topper pictured below! Thanks babe! There are apparently a couple other Sailor Scouts from later shows but I didn't have enough time to figure out the whole crew.
I tried to replicate the same process used on the cupcake toppers bows on the 6-inch round Sailor
Moon cake. Unfortunately, the fondant would not harden fast enough and the shape wilted. I didn't want to buy tons of fondant so I colored small increments of pre-made white fondant; I suspect it was too wet from all the red dye to firm up. I settled with a one
dimensional bow which didn't come out too shabby.
Again, I sincerely apologize for the lack of pictures for this post but I couldn't resist sharing. This was so much fun to make and totally worth the decorating marathon! We got the official seal of approval when the birthday girl saw her cake and started doing her signature, "ugly-cry." Baking isn't just about the tasty treats - it's a form of expression and this cake screams, "We love you, Flor!"
Again, I sincerely apologize for the lack of pictures for this post but I couldn't resist sharing. This was so much fun to make and totally worth the decorating marathon! We got the official seal of approval when the birthday girl saw her cake and started doing her signature, "ugly-cry." Baking isn't just about the tasty treats - it's a form of expression and this cake screams, "We love you, Flor!"
Sailor Moon Cake and Cupcakes
makes one 6-inch round cake (2 layers) and 24 cupcakes
Chocolate Cake from The Stay at Home Chef
Raspberry Filling from A Beautiful Plate
Swiss Buttercream from Smitten Kitchen
White Fondant by Wilton (available at most craft stores)
Wilton Icing Colors
For the cupcake tutorial, check out Peachy Bunny Bakes!
If you want to make a 3-D bow for the main cake, try this tutorial for bows on Craftsy.
If you want to make a 3-D bow for the main cake, try this tutorial for bows on Craftsy.