Hi All...I have been planning out my son's 2nd birthday cake for months now...today I started to bake it and it is not at all working out the way I need it to and I do not know what to do at this point.

I am making an elmo cake sort of like this one I did before but bigger. In the picture, I used the wilton mini bear pan to make the body. So now I tried using the larger bear pan and it frankly, it sucks! I've made 2 of these today and both of them have just crumbled. I don't know why...I've followed the directions to the minute.

Please Please Please...if you have any suggestions on keeping my cake from crumbling OR you can think of another way of forming the body...I will forever be in your debt. I will be absolutely heartbroken if I can't make the cake I have invisioned for all this time.

Thank you!

Ok for whatever reason, I can't seem to figure out how to get he picture to post on my message...please look at my photos and see the elmo cake that I made before you know what I'm talking about.

I seriously could just cry right now

I did one with the Wilton bear pan.... I'll try to upload it here (its not in my photos because I have a bigger one in my photos.)

I made the wilton bear and then carved off everything but head and torso. Then added an 8" round underneath, of course using straws and supports throughout. I think I used marshmallows on toothpicks for arms...that or I may have carved them in, I honestly can't remember!

I use a Duncan Hines yellow combined with a Betty Crocker pound cake to make a nice firm bear...and then cool it upside down for awhile and then in each half per directions.

I made my elmo using a loaf pan and then using a ball pan for the head. The arms were cut out of another loaf (like the kind you use to make bread in). It worked great for me! I also made it a pound cake for the actual body and it helped it be stable. Then just skewer the head to it and begin decorating!! I have a pic in my photos if you want to take a look. I did a Elmo Goes To the Beach party for my daughters first birthday this time last year. I made the ring using a 14" pan and a 6" pan set in the middle to make the ring shape.
If you need anything else, you can PM me.

What kind of cake recipe/mix are you using? Maybe a pound cake or 1/2 pound cake recipe would hold up better. I hope everything works out and the cake turns out just like you've been imagining.

I am sure this is too late, but for future reference, I have attached the directions I found on CC. The construction of my Elmo was from many different pans. I had tried the bear pan in the past, and I hate it too! Please let me know if the attachment doesn't come thru.

P.S. If you want to see my Elmo, look under my photos. He ended up being 8 layers tall.[/img]

I've been using a dh devils food cake mix...I just looked at the box and there is a pound cake recipe on it...should I go with that or should I go out and buy a specific "pound cake" mix???

Thank you so much for looking at this and helping!!!!!

I've never tried the dh pound cake version. The last pound cake I did was a lemon with a white chocolate whipped cream frosting. I had to make boxing gloves out of it and we were eating the scraps before dinner. We almost didnt eat dinner and she almost didnt have the gloves!!
But if your up to making your own pound cake, then I would suggest that. Ive never made a pound cake from a mix before. I usually do a search on food networks site for pound cake and then take it from there. Thats how I came up with the lemon version. I found an orange version that Emeril had and changed it to lemon. The funny thing was when I first did this I was making the batter and I get a phone call from who else, the Food Network!! Telling me that I won tickets to go see..who else...Emeril!! Too weird!

has any one tried the pound cake resipes from the mix? was it it's own mix or have you used the recipe on the side of the dh bix? i have to try to get this part of the cake baked today.

Thank you all!
Monique

The WASC is sturdy enough for sculpting. You can also try the extender recipe here on CC. It's very dense and great for sculpting. You can either use what you have (DH Devil's food) for this recipe. HTH.

Hi--I made the elmo using big teddy bear pan--see pic. The first one broke in 6 pieces--and thanks to CC--I did the second one--not using the core--but stuck butter kniofe in--to cook evenly--and cake turned out wonderful! Let bear cool in the pan--totally! Flip the pan a couple times to totally cool before removing! Also--left the cake in the pan overnight before standing him up. Hope this helps--after this experience--I will not use a core again! Good luck!

Thanks so much for all of your help!! I just wanted to let you all know that I finished the cake and I was pleased with the way it turned out. Please take a look at my pics to see the results. It is the larger of the 2 elmo (on the picnic table with the party hats).

Again, thank you for all of you help! I wouldn't have gotten this job done with out your help!