Elephant Cake: Better Late Than Never

My oldest turned three over a month ago, but I wanted to share with you the cake I made for her birthday. First I asked her what she wanted her theme to be. She at just over two and half asked back "thumb" and in a confused manner held her thumb up and stared at it. She answered "elephant." I can't remember now, but she wanted her "pointer" finger to be another animal. Too cute that girl.

After explaining to her what a theme was she still wanted an elephant to be the focus of her third birthday party. I was very worried that she wouldn't like the elephant when it finally became time, but she told everyone she was very excited about her elephant cake. She would invite everyone she spoke with and told them they could have a piece of the elephant cake too.

This is a picture of the finished product:

It's quite simple really.

To begin I chose my design and if you can see the invitation is on the table there. I made up a large elephant on a piece of my daughters plain white craft paper and let her paint it with water colors. When it was complete I wrote up the information and a joke for the back and had my husband scan, shrink and print.

Next I took my rectangular cake pan and traced it side by side on another piece of large white paper. I drew the elephant on the inside of the large rectangle to make my pattern. I chose my cake mix (Betty Crocker) and baked two cakes. I placed them side by side on this large pizza tray my parents lent me and put my pattern on the cake. I used a bread knife to slowly cut the pieces off from around my shape.
This is what the shape looked like when I was done. Not so pretty yet.

My daughter chose the color purple for her elephant cake days, even weeks ahead of time. I mixed the colors according to the box on the back of my dye. I used two cans of frosting and after thoroughly stirring I applied it to the two sheets of cake. I added a tail from a piece that had been cut off in the shaping process.

I outlined the design of the elephant to match the invitation and viola. You have an elephant. I added in The Happy Birthday sentiments to my daughter and later added the elephant cookies (which took most of the day may I add) as a corner decoration. Scroll back to the top for the completed version of this cake. It was quite yummy too!