I am doing a baby shower cake for a baby boy. The Mother has requested something to go with her theme of Eric Carle author of "Very Hungry Caterpiller", "Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see" and others. She saw a cake I did before that had different colored fondant dots on the bottom tier and requested those with blue icing. I will paint them to resemble the watercolor dots that I see in the book.

I desperately need help on what else to do. My experience level is a tad above beginner. I'm not a great artist but can mold things with a pattern or something to follow. I did the fondant baby bootie on a previous cake (came out really well) so don't want to duplicate. Will it look gross to have bugs (i.e. caterpiller) on the cake? How do I make this look "babyish)? Should I try and incorporate elements from his other books? Need a focal point for the top.

The bottom tier will be 12 inch WASC yellow cake with vanilla buttercream filling(boring but MTB request) the top tier will be WASC cake with vanilla caramel latte filling.

Cake is due Friday so need to start tomorrow. Thanks for your help!

I have a Debbie Brown book which has a book worm cake and this came to mind as I read your post. It's the 50 easy party cakes book. You probably could figure it out from the picture but rather than a worm make it look like the hungry caterpiller
http://www.debbiebrownscakes.co.uk/50_easy_party_cakes/pages/hungry_bookworm_jpg.htm

There are also alot of elements like strawberries, watermelon, plums etc that can be incorporated into the cake design. Eric carle has an easily recognized style and if you use his books for inspiration on colors and design it should be really good. My thought would be a square with elements from the book handpainted around the sides and the caterpiller bursting through the top simular to the worm burting out of the book. Maybe a leaf would be painted on top of the cake where he went though as in the book when he eats through a leaf. I'll be excited to see what you come up with...this book has a special place in my heart.

I've seen several on here that are so adorable. Maybe look through the galleries & find one you're able to copy according to your skill level? Good luck.

I guess what I am struggling with is that nothing is saying "Baby Shower" to me. I can replicate some images from the book but it just seems like a cake about a book.

Keep the ideas coming, please!

Have you looked through the many pages of Google Images for some ideas?

http://www.google.com.au/images?q=baby+shower+hungry+caterpillar+cake&hl=en&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=20

Bluehue

Could you do a nursery with a crib and then have a couple of his books sitting on a table next to it?

Well, this turned out to be the cake from Hell! The top layer got smushed when I stacked it and I had to remove all the fondant, reapply the buttercream and fondant decorations. I didn't have a clear plan for the 2nd layer sides and was making it up as I went along.

Here is the final product of my Eric Carle inspired Baby Shower cake

OK, I guess I don't know how to post a pic. Will keep trying.

Trying again...

another angle...

very nice

For being a "tad above beginner", that is an awesome cake! I bet she was very pleased! Keep up the great work!

I think your cake is amazing!

how cute is that!!

That's great! How did you do the dots? Did you paint them?

I did a Very Hungry Caterpillar once out of a few bundt cakes cut to reflect the shape of the caterpillar.