I posted recently that I will be doing a doll cake for my dd's b-day party this coming Saturday the 20th. Okay so I have it ALL in my head what I want the cake to look like (watch it look NOTHING like I planned) sigh.... anyways I decided since this is my third cake I should make it easy on myself since I have never made a doll cake too, so I got the wilton buttercream icing, fondant to do some cute flowers, and a 11x13 cake pan, Okay here is my "idea" I want to make the doll cake (I am using the full sized Pampered chef bowl) I "want" to place her on a full sheet cake (11x13) there It will have happy b-day and her name and will be decorated, now I have noticed that some add some ingredients to box cakes to make them thicker? Should I do this since I am placing the doll on top of the cake? Next should I use something to place her? I am afriad she will crush the cake? Will this happen? If it would what do I need to buy so it won't. Or will making the cake thicker hold her on top with out buying anything special to put through the cake to hold her up. What is the best way to put her on top with out making a mess and or tipping /dropping her! I think I have taken on way too much for myself lol..But I have this all invisioned and it would look so pretty So any thoughts and suggestions will be welcomed

1. Add a box of instant pudding (4 serving size) to each box of cake mix to help make the cake a little more sturdy.

2. Add 1 tablespoon meringue powder to each box of cake mix to make the cakes rise a little higher (the cake will stay dense but by adding pudding they don't rise as much).

3. You'll need to dowel rod the sheet cake to keep the doll cake from crushing the cake underneath. I'd say 4 dowels should be enough.

4. Make sure you put the doll cake on a cardboard or foamcore circle cut to the same size as the cake.

5. If the cake has to be transported anywhere by car, drive a dowel through the doll cake down into the sheet cake to add some stability and keep it from sliding around.

Anything else I can answer and/or help with please let me know.

Chris

Okay so I am not sure what a dowel rod is so I searched it and I am still confused on how to use it? Sorry I have never tried to make a cake that is tiered before...

A dowel rod is a piece of round wood that you cut to the same height as the cake underneath the doll cake. You can find them at any crafts store. I'd go with the 1/4" size. You need to trim them with a pair of pruning shears or a knife that you use ONLY for cake decorating. There's an artile on here somwhere on how to build a tired cake that will probagbly give better information and step by step instructions since htey can be kind of lengthy to post here.

Chris

I've made 3 of the Pampered Chef doll cakes. On one, I put her on top of a round cake pan, just a big larger than the PC cake. She did not crush the cake below. The other 2, I made 2 cakes and sliced off about 3 inches off to add length to the cake. I did not secure her in anyway. I used a real Barbie wrapped in plastic wrap also. I just hollowed out the middle. I think her feet may have gone through the bottom a bit. I iced the round pan as normal and placed her on top, then iced the skirt and over her bodice area.

She is pretty secure in the cake. If you place her on top of an already iced cake, it should be ok. The cake comes out dense in the PC bowl anyway, so I don't think you need to do anything different to the batter, nor the large sheet cake.

If you need to see samples of mine, please PM me your email address and I will scan them to you.

The dowels will prevent the doll cake from sinking into the other cake. If you are not transporting, you will not need the center dowel. Just cut the dowels (some people use straws, I use balloon sticks or the white lollipop sticks) and place them in a circle and one in the center of where the cake will sit. To do this, insert your dowel into the base cake to determine the cut. Cut 4 or 5 dowels the same size and place into the base cake. Put a circle cardboard under your doll which is the same size and place on the cake where the dowels have been inserted. If the party is at home and you don't want to use dowels, wait until just before the party to put the doll cake in place so it won't have much time to settle into the other cake and remove the doll cake before cutting. Hope this helps.

I have made several doll cakes using a full size barbie. When I made them, I used the Pampered Chef bowl as well and added an additional round cake to the bottom because the doll was too tall for the height of the bowl. Because of this, I don't think you could do the dowl thing bcause your doll would stick up too far above the cake made in the Pampered Chef bowl.

As SkisInOkinawa did, I also wrapped the doll in saran, hollowed out the middle and used icing to stabilize her. I them refridgerated the cake to secure the icing around the doll before I stared decorating.

For the Doll cake I have in my pictures, I made the skirt from a bowl , I added a pudding mix, an extra egg and used milk instead of water and it was a perfect denseness. I put the doll on a round cake board and I use the straws that are made by Rubbermaid for their Juice containers for dowels as they are more sturdy than regular straws and easier to use for me than wood dowels ( Walmart sells a knock off brand of these that are real cheap).