Hello all!!
I am new to cake making and have only made a couple so far. I find that I really enjoy doing the decorations.

I want to do a hello kitty cake that resembles this cake
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1675978.html

I know that she used fondant and gum paste but i want to use buttercream. I live in Texas and the weather is supposed to be 84 with hopefully low to no humidity. I want the cake flavors to be white, chocolate, and strawberry. I want both tiers to be the same flavors. I am expecting about 30 people.

Please let me know what the best recipes to use for the cakes and buttercream. Also, what cake sizes should I use, and how tall each cake should be prior to stacking?

I really appreciate you taking the time to look and your ideas!!!
Thanks!!!

Wow. You're ambitious. Honestly the cake recipes are the least of your worries.. Use the doctored box mix WASC recipe, it's firm and spongy. Maybe make a 1 layer Hello Kitty shaped cake instead? Wow.

What is your experince level with icing and stacking? If you have no experience stacking, your daughter's party with 30 guest in Texas heat is not the time to experiment. Your buttercream depends if your party is indoor our outdoor. What do you normally use? If it's worked in the past, it will probably work now. I echo lauren in the statement that this cake is ambitious (probably too ambitious) based upon the questions you asked. I hate to say it, but if you don't know the answer to those questions yourself, then I'd choose a more basic cake. It would be sad to work on a cake for 2 days and have it fall over, melt or simply fail at or before the party.

This cake would actually be pretty simple. Have you ever stacked a cake before? I live in CA so it gets pretty hot here but not much humidity. I use two pounds powdered sugar, 1 1/2 cups hi ratio shortening, one stick of salted butter, two tablespoons clear vanilla and 1/3 cup water. Whip until light and fluffy and adjust liquids if needed. Sometimes I add a little extra water. Hi ratio shortening is more stable than regular shortening. As for size it just depends on what look you are going for. You could use a 10 and 6 inch pan and get enough servings or if you wanted to go a little large a 10 and 7 or 8. You could also frost your cake in ganache and then cover in fondant. As for the kitty you could make a large sugar cookie and decorate it for a topper. You might even be able to find a Hello Kitty cookie cutter. As for the rest the strips would be simple. Just use a ruler and a pizza cutter. Just make sure to dowel your cake. Have fun. Had to post this. I saved this picture because I thought it was adorable. http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1812800

I would do two layers for each with a filling. If you don't want to make the kitty purchase a toy. I found a marshmallow Hello Kitty on a stick at a cake store and it turned out really well.

Do you have a Walgreens nearby? I went and bought a marshmallow sucker pop for the top of my daughter's cake. It just took some stress of that part off of my plate. Here is a picture of it. Just so you can see, but it was seriously the easiest part....a little over a dollar at Walgreens.
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1816731

I use the enhanced mix for the cake you can use variations of flavors with it

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/6948/enhanced-mix-recipe


alot of ppl have luck with the sugar shack recipe. . . .(i have). if your really interested in cake decorating then get her dvd she is the bomb at helping you get the edges down.

http://www.sugaredproductions.com

look into a support system for your cake...are you gonna use straws, dowels, etc. the forums here are a great help

make sure your give yourself plenty of time and allow yourself a practice cake or two

it is ambitious but its not impossible....it might not come out like you expect but im sure your daughter will love whatever you do....HTH

Im sorry i posted the wrong cake recipe
http://cakecentral.com/recipes/1953/super-enhanced-cake-formula

Lauren, I made the WASC recipe last night and added pureed strawberries to it. It was really tasty and would hold up to fondant and even stacking because of the thickness. I am thinking that I may also substitute the sour cream for flavored yogurt to give it more of the strawberry taste.

Fourthwife, the party is going to be inside. I have never stacked a cake before, so I believe, my daughters party would be the perfect time to experiment for the following reasons: 1. I will be at home so if anything happens, I will have all the tools I need to fix it; 2. this is only family and friends so they will be the ones to give me their honest opinions about my decoratings skills. I would rather experiment with people that will give me honest opinions rather than other people giving me a bad name because I brought a nasty, horrible looking cake to their event. Get me drift???? This cake may be ambitious but I like the challenge!!!!!! Lastly, I can answer all these questions for myself but, from what I understand, the purpose of a forum is to get others opinions. Thanks!!!

Sweettreat, thanks for the information. It is the kind of information I was looking for. I finally found a cake supply store in my area that sells high- ratio shortening. I have heard so many great things about it. I am going to do a 1/2 batch tonight just to try different flavors like strawberry and chocolate. I will keep you posted on how they come out. Thanks a bunch for the rest of your suggestions.

ClassyMommy, your cake was really cute. I saved it to my favorites. I did not think to get something like that from Walgreens. I will stop on my way home from work to see what I can find. What size pans did you use for your cakes?

Feliciangel, I am going to dowel the cake. I have read lots of great things about sugarshacks buttercream. This could be worth a shot also. Thanks for posting the other information. I am going to take a look at it.

We just discussed strawberry cakes in this thread:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6957395&sid=c002681a841e7f025a2742c1354de846

Hello Kitty fondant tutorial:

http://www.minjina-kuhinjica.com/fondam-i-gum-pasta/figurice-od-fondana/hello-kitty/

lill, I think this is a great time for you to expand your cake horizons. Don't worry if you've never done a cake like this before. That's how we all learn and I know you will do great.

Thanks imagenthatnj, thanks for the info. I am going to check them out now.

Tastyart, I really appreciate your inspiration.

Hi My very first "really decorated" cake was the Hello Kitty Cake that I made for my grandaughter. It was the first time using fondant, first time making Indydebs buttercream, first time bow and first time stacking. You can definitely give it a go! I did lots of research online and on cc for stacking, making the bow and so forth. I've been having problems attaching pics, but the cake is in my pics if you want to see it. I'm new at all of this also.
Kathy

That does not look like a first time to me. That is a really pretty cake. I am sure my daughter would love something like that. What size pans did you use?

It was a first time cake. I shocked myself too.lol. I used 8" for the bottom and 6" for the top.

Pretty cake iluvpeeks. I would never think it was a first for a lot of things like you say.

Thanks. I really enjoy my new "hobby". I followed alot of the tutorials on cc, youtube, and I also watched Edna's tutorials. She's fabulous. She really explains things really well. I watched that viva towel thing I don't know how many times. lol
Kathy

Iluvpeeks, we are doing the same thing. I have watched all of Edna's tutorials and also tutorials by SeriousCakes on youtube. Both of them are awesome!!!

Aren't they great! Edna explains things so you understand. I was always one to try anything, especially when it comes to "crafty" or artistic things.
I also wanted to tell you that I made the Hello Kitty figure with my cricut cake. Same with the flowers. The curly ribbons were really easy too. If you roll and cut fondant/gumpaste mixture, than cut into thin strips, than wrap around a plastic straw, and leave out to get hard. Very easy.

Im glad you got more ideas.

you can do the hello kitty out of gumpaste still...print out a hello kitty on paper like a stencil and cut it out. then use an exacto knife or a pointy knife(i've even used scissors) on the gumpaste...I did it before to cut out a LA for a dodger cake...do it in layers...then cut out the bow i would eyeball the nose and eyes and glue them on with a lil water ..today's Monday if you have everything you need like the color and gumpaste then start tomorrow and it should dry

one of those wilton ribbon cutters is a great tool...helped out alot when cutting the strips.
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=BA23EDC2-802D-F658-0457DE1C665B1CA4

here is a cake chart...i go by column C
http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm

Ive also tried indydebs bc...its good if its really hot and humid.
oh and edna and seriouscakes tutorials are the best...gotta love those ladies for sharing the knowledge



make sure you upload some pics.

Felicia
Thats a great idea for cutting out characters, and logos.
Thanks
Kathy