How to Fake a Barbie Birthday Cake

Right before my daughter turned three, she was eyeing up a Barbie cake at our bakery with a pretty steep price tag.  The obvious solution was to bake one myself but I had no confidence in my ability to bake a cake that size that wouldn't turn out burnt on the outside and soupy in the middle. Instead, I made it out of Rice Krispie treats and supplied enough cupcakes so nobody would know I faked it.


To make the "cake", I sprayed the inside of my Pampered Chef Classic Batter Bowl.  Then I squished a paper towel tube a little, covered it in waxed paper, and sprayed that too.  I held the paper towel tube in the center of the bowl while my husband poured in a double batch of warm Rice Krispies.  (We didn't use all of it.) Take it from me - it's important to hold it straight up, so your Barbie doesn't look like she's had one too many celebratory cocktails. I let the whole thing cool down, removed the paper towel tube and inverted it onto a cake platter.

The clutter littering the counter is entirely optional.

I left it sit overnight before adding the Barbie and frosting it. The cake at the store was decorated to look like Barbie's skirt, but since my daughter loves Barbie mermaids, I decided to add a pink fondant tail. The seashells are made from Wilton's candy melts and a candy form. (I got the molds from Michael's for around $2 and the directions to make the candies are on the package.)

I put the cake stand on a large platter and surrounded it with cupcakes topped with more the seashell candies and some plastic rings from the dollar store.  

My daughter seemed delighted with it at her birthday party, but now when we're at the store and walk by that stupid Barbie cake display, my daughter says "Momma, the one you assembled so lovingly just for me is way better than that one can I have that for my birthday next year?"