This Spongebob Cake Will Be A Hit On Bikini Bottom
Making a Spongebob Squarepants layer cake seems destined for a #NailedIt moment. It's a simple enough design, but as I stared at the step-by-step photo breakdown at Duff's Cake Mix in Los Angeles, I was rapidly losing my confidence.
"It's a little trickier than some of our other cake designs," said corporate manager Courtney Frederiksen, gesturing to the wall of cactus, unicorn, and snowman cakes, "but you've got this. Trust me."
Duff's Cake Mix - named after the Ace of Cakes himself, Duff Goldman - is a shop that gives the rest of us the chance to play pastry chef, letting you choose from a wall of predetermined designs (or create your own from scratch) and supplying you with everything you need to make it happen. There are 1/4-cup packs of fondant individually wrapped in silver packages, little tubs of buttercream in every color of the rainbow, and a wall of cookie cutters, rollers, toppings, and any other supply you could imagine.
Grabbing the laminated Spongebob tutorial, I took a tray and walked, cafeteria lunch line-style, down the aisle of goods, stocking up on the suggested fondant colors to recreate He Who Lives In A Pineapple Under The Sea.
First, You've Got To Dissect The Sponge.
Like a wine & painting class, the Duff's Cake Mix team breaks each design into very basic shapes: If you can roll a snake and use a cookie cutter to stamp a circle, you can conquer Spongebob. His eyes are just four circles in varying sizes - two large white ones, two small blue ones, two pea-sized black pupils, and two tiny white circles for that gleam in his eyes - with four rectangles for eyelashes.
Second, Work In Some Color.
Frederiksen shared a pro move when it comes to the 'Bob: His freckles are a light orange-y brown. She pinched a little red fondant and had me mix it with black, adding dimension to the more subtle details of his face. The same color was used to outline his chin. It wasn't as jarring as black freckles, and since the shop supplies you with every color under the sun, you might as well go all out.
Third, Don't Neglect The Details.
The tiniest pinch of black fondant, rolled into the classic yellow, created the darker circles that dotted Spongebob's face, giving him that porous look. This was really the finishing touch that took him from bucktooth-cartoon-smiley-face to "OMG, I know him!" Kids started walking up to take pictures of it, which was truly the ultimate seal of approval (especially since, only minutes ago, one had deemed my work, 'uh, interesting').
You can try it for yourself - or any number of other designs - at Duff's Cake Mix in West Hollywood or Pasadena, CA. For an even more in-depth look at the shop, check out our tour video.
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