Toilet paper cake

I've been waiting years to make this cake-- I just needed the perfect person (someone with a sense of humor) and the perfect situation (someone old enough where a cake like this is actually funny). I'm happy to say the perfect storm hit this Saturday!!!

With the big 4-0 approaching for one of my (many) cousins, his brothers planned a surprise party for him. I figured a cake would be a great addition to the surprise. And since my cousin is a chill, laid-back guy with a sense of humor, I knew he wouldn't mind getting a cake in the shape of a toilet paper roll.

Crapping the years away...

After taking all my pictures, I realized that I didn't say "Happy Birthday" or "40" anywhere on the creation. Whoops!! So literally 4 minutes before I ran out of the house to go to the surprise party, I whipped up an extra square. I have to say, other than adding the personalized touch, it made the cake board look much less bare and unbalanced.

I love simple last second additions that make a huge difference.

Luckily the birthday boy was both surprised with the party...

.... and entertained with his cake!

As he said during dinner, "No, I cannot spare a square"

And now, time for the obligatory close-up shots with some details on how I made the cake.

I decided to make my cousin barefoot and wearing a wife-beater. Why?!? Because I thought it would be funny (and also a little easier). I love the power bestowed upon a cake decorator... muahahahahaha. But as you can see above, he's got a much better sense of style than his little figurine.

"I'm just chillin' on a roll of toilet paper, strummin' on my guitar"

After cutting out a circle the same diameter as my cake, I used cookie cutters and a knife (with a light touch) to create the ridged pattern on the top of the cake. I also carved a piece ~ 1/4" deep in the center of the cake and filled it with a piece of fondant painted brown. I could have simply plopped a piece of brown fondant on top of the cake to give the impression of the cardboard roll in the center, but the simple act of insetting it in the cake added a greater sense of depth and realism.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: its the smallest touches make the biggest difference in a cake.

Cake optical illusion

Another example of small touches: adding a hint of texture to my toilet paper.

Ridged... for your pleasure?!?

It's hard to see, but by adding the bit of texture to the normally super-smooth fondant it made the fondant look much less harsh. And you'll never guess how I did it!!

For Christmas a friend gave me this gorgeous bowl...

... which just so happened to have an awesome texture on it's backside that looked a little like those flowered patterns on toilet paper.

Thinking outside of the box bowl

A simple press of the fondant with my hand on the bowl bottom and my flat, white fondant was instantly transformed to textured toilet paper.

The last little touch I added was to use a toothpick to create the seams between the squares. (Again, that happened after I took my photos.) I also wish I had a picture of the inside of the cake. Three perfect 8" layers of my Guinness chocolate cake with coffee buttercream filling (swiss meringue style, but with whole eggs instead of simply egg whites). Looked and tasted awesome, if I do say so myself.

So even though it took years before I finally had a chance to create this cake, I have to say it was worth the wait.

Yours in being patient until the time is right,
Jacqueline