How to make an r2d2 cake

Also available the 3-D yoda cake tutorial here. A small tutorial so other moms don't have to reinvent the wheel. You too, can make this R2D2 cake and probably do a better job than I did as this project did not receive my undivided attention. I was in no state for culinary perfection, I accomplished this while talking on the phone (as my friends Tamlynn and Lisette can attest), homeschooling my 7 yr old, holding my 3 mo old (in a sling) and keeping my 2 yr from destroying the house.

First I used 1 1/2 batches of my standard wedding cake recipe aka Shelah's best birthday cake recipe (which is really a poundcake) It is good because it is solid, heavy and doesn't crack and supremely tasty (my food phrase of the week). I divided the batter into 4- 6" rounds and 1 bowl with a 6" diameter, and 2 mini loaf pans. (I believe every kitchen should have the William Sonoma set of 11 glass nesting bowls!) Baked them according to recipe directions, wrapped in saran while hot, froze them. Pulled out the freezer 20 min prior to assembly. The day before I also made 1 1/2 batches of buttercream frosting and a batch of marshmallow fondant (using 2-10.5 oz bags and 6 cups of pdwr sugar) and stored them in the fridge. Create a cake base using a small metal mini pie plate and a 6" white saucer from my cupboard. Simply hot glue the metal pie pan (upside down) to the base of the saucer.

1. Frost 3-6" cakes and stack on top of each other and stack on the base(put frosting on the base so it sticks). Place the bowl shaped cake on top and frost. I stuck a bamboo skewer through the enitre assembly to secure from sliding.

2. Even loaf pans to make a flat rectangle and shape into leg shapes. Frost them.

3. Then roll out a rectangle of fondant to wrap around the metal pie pan base to make the center leg (calculate to match the size or your given base- use those HS geometry skills) then roll out fondant rectangle to cover cylinder part of r2d2 and roll out fondant and cover legs.

4. Color part of fondant gray with wilton colors. Roll out to ensure right size- drape the 6 in bowl you cooked with fondant in cut a smooth edge. Then Place circle on dome. Mix wilton silver dust with lemon extract brush over dome to make silver. Create various grills, and r2d2 droid parts and repeat silvering (use a drop of water on back of fondant to make fondant adhere to fondant)

5. Color some fondant blue using wilton colors (again make various necessary shapes- helps to have an r2d2 action figure for general reference- i did not make mine entirely accurate- i didn't have that much time or energy) create various shapes and adhere to fondant. red m&M for red light. Viola R2D2 is done

6. I made a mini cake 6" for "candles and easy party cutting". Frost with buttercream- decorate with leftover fondant to coordinate w/ r2d2.

Yield 1 R2d2 cake and 1 small cake for easy serving and candles. (you can see a close up a shot on my cake blog) Good luck!

PS If this helped you or you have in tips- do post in the comments)