This year in one of my classes I was required to make a cake for a project. And this class was no baking or foods class. Oh no, this was my Entomology 105 class (aka: bugs class).
Awesome thing about this project = I get to make a cake, and it is going to be judged at a little cake competetion for Purdue’s Bug Bowl.
Bad part about this project = my cake has to look like, or relate to insects. (Just to clarify…It does not have to include insects in the recipe, just relate to them.)
I figured I was responsible for making an awesome cake. I had told some of the people in my group about my blog, and I think they too were expecting something amazing.
My cake is by no means amazing. But, I would say it was cute. It’s just a little lady bug cake that I made with a heart shaped pan to make “the love bug cake.”
It’s not completely finished in any of the pictures I have… But this is what it looked like before adding antenna
This was an easy to make cake. It took a long time, but the work was easy and relaxing. I did make the mistake of starting this at 8 PM…so I was up until about 2 or 3 AM putting on the finishing touches and realizing I had even forgot a few things.
Let me tell you, at 2 AM when you have to be somewhere at 8 AM the next morning, you will not be a happy camper to realize you forgot something.
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The steps for this includes:
- Make the fondant. Clean up, I promise there will be a huge mess.
- Make the cake. And allow to cool fully.
- Make the buttercream (or use the store bought stuff like I did…)
- Roll out the fondant, and cover the cake. Decorate as desired.
I’ll post some of the other cakes submitted at the end of the post!
Ingredients
Cake recipe from JoyofBaking.com
- Marshmallow Fondant
- 1 can of buttercream
- Items to use for the eyes, antennae, and legs (if you desire)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cup sifted cake flour (175 grams)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick of butter, softened (113 grams)
- 1 cups white sugar, divided (200 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Directions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF and butter and flour the cake pan.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks. Don’t discard either one.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat together the butter and 3/4 cups sugar for 3-4 minutes. Add in the yolks 1 at a time. Mix in the vanilla.
- Alternate adding the flour mix and milk, beginning and ending with flour.
- Make a meringue with the egg whites by beating the whites until foamy, then adding in the cream of tartar. Gradually add in the 1/4 cup sugar until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the whites into the cake batter.
- Pour batter into 2 cupcake liners, and pour the rest into the cake pan.
- Bake until a tester comes out clean. (for 2 9 inch cake pans, about 20-25 minutes each and about 10 minutes each for the cupcake).
Allow the cake to cool. Then using the 2 cupcakes make a giant cake ball by crumbling the cupcakes and mixing with a big scoop of icing until it forms a ball. Allow the ball to hard in the fridge.
Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake to do a “crumb coating” or capture all the little crumbs that want to come off.
Allow the frosting to set, then repeat with another thin layer of frosting.
Roll out the fondant, and cover the cake. Carefully smooth out any bubbles or uneven areas. Using another coating of fondant cover the head of the bug. Cut out circles (or in my case hearts) for the spots and continue to decorate how ever you feel appropriate.
This was from the “adult” category. I thought this one of the best of the day! So life-like.
Sorry, I don’t have better pictures. It was a rainy day in one of the older buildings on campus.
This was one of my friend’s cakes..I thought she did a wonderful job with the shape of the ladybug, and the scenery is very cute!
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Love the love bug! You did a great job!
Thanks Nelly!
You did a great job!! Love the other photos as well. I’m SO not a cake maker, and definitely not a cake maker than can create something like that. Well done!!!
Thank you so much!
So cute! A lovely ladybug
Your Love Bug cake is so adorable. My youngest daughter has always loved ladybugs so she would be all over this cake. I am glad that your class did not require you to actually cook with bugs. I have seen those challenges on the Food Network and they usually don’t work out so well.
That is such an adorable cake! What fun…the others look pretty cute too
This is very cute! Love it. : )
So cute. You did a wonderful job. Such a fun excuse to make a cake.
Your cake is amazing! What a talented baker and decorator you are. I luv ladybugs and your love bug cake makes me smile! =)
These are incredible, but I must say – I LOVE THE BUG!
You do fantastic work. I found your site by chance but I’ll definitely be back. I really enjoyed the time I spent here. I hope you have a great weekend. Blessings…Mary
Such a great cake! And how fun you got to bake it for a science course
I didn’t realize you were a Purdue student! My son is a graduate…and is actually up there (from Indy) for the weekend visiting his buddies who are still in grad school. So nice to find a connection~
So what happened with your cake? Did they win prizes or just there for folks to look at? Did you get to eat the cakes at the end?
They awarded prizes to each category, but my cake ended up second in my category to the green caterpillar. I was sad
Just a thought, you know Purdue is right here in Indiana. You should check out The Chocolate Cult for events we do from time to time. We’re going on The Wayne County Chocolate Trail June 3 for example.
I’ll definitely check out events! I’m out of Indiana for the summer, but I will be back mid-August so I’ll check out for fun fall things
Thanks for the heads up!
This is too cute! That could be a vday gift idea too!
Wow… that is awesome! You did an amazing job on this cake… talk about talent!
Love your cake! SO cute. Im glad you chose a pretty bug to create a cake around
Good job!