I am planning on making this for my sons birthday next weekend. Has anyone used this with succes or failure? I am going to to a trial cake this weekend in case I have to change plans midstream! Any comments or advice are very much appreciated!

Renae

Where did you find a pan from Build a bear?

It is a pan from Nordicware or Williams Sonoma...It is a 3D pan and you decorate it to look like a build a bear toy.

I have used the pan several times. I love NordicWare pans. I use the recipes that are on the pan itself. I have the acorn mini cake pan and the maple ginger cake is to die for (but I digress)

Great idea for a trial run. The recipe on the box does NOT make enough cake to rise above the rim of the cake pan, therefore, you can not level to get a straight top to frost the two sides together. You end up with a gap.

So, my advice is to use a cake extender recipe or double the cake ingredients and use the rest of the batter for cupcakes.

Not being as smart as you are I just went ahead and made the cake from directions on the box. Ended up with a gap between the two halves. Went into a mini panic because it was for a baby shower the next day. Then suddenly remember all the cakes I made in the 80's that were covered with star tip. Made chocolate buttercream frosting and just covered him with the star tip. Tied a blue grosgrain ribbon around his neck. Got to the shower, the colors of everything were blue and brown! I never have that luck.

The next one I made, I made sure I put in enough batter and then I did the sugar coating and put a little fondant bib on it.

Before you bake it you may want to check out the Williams Sonoma website. The last time I checked they had a video showing how to bake and decorate the bear. There were also a lot of comments from people who have used the pan.

Have fun with your new pan-the cake is adorable.