Castle Cake

So let's say you get adventurous in your baking and decorating attempts.

Let's say you see a picture and think you just might be able to pull that off.

Let's say that the picture is actually part of a video, with what someone felt was step-by-step instructions.

You may just be tempted to make a castle cake for a little princesses 4th birthday.

Let's say you actually succeed, and make one little 4 year old incredibly happy at her princess party.

Here's how I did it:

I made several cakes in a square cake pan (one cake mix ended up making 2 squares).  After they cooled some, I cut the rounded portion off of the top to be sure they were flat on both the top and bottom (is it just my cakes that have a severe rise in the middle?)

When I had all of the squares made (you'll need 5 total), I layered strips of waxed paper around the bottom edges of the bottom layer, then assembled the base of the castle, using white icing to 'glue' together the squares (I used 4 squares for the base).

After stacking all of the square layers, I frosted the entire base.

With the remaining square, I cut it into 4 equal pieces, and made a smaller stack on the top of the base in the middle.  I used the same process of using icing to 'glue' together the pieces, and then frosted the entire thing.

I then placed it all in the refrigerator to cool and allow the icing to harden up a little.

I then turned my attention to the turrets.

I used waffle sugar cones,

coated them with a thin layer of icing,

then rolled them in red sugar sprinkles.

I then put the turrets on the four corners of the base and in the middle of the 'castle' structure. 

I used gel icing to define the door and castle edges.

I then added pink and purple M&M's (thankfully, Easter is right around the corner and getting M&M's in girly princess colors was pretty easy!)

and defined the tops of the castle 'walls' with the M&M's.

As you can see from the above picture, my 'ceiling' was a little crooked.  Oh well!

It was a castle fit for a princess....and her little friends!