I am planning to make a birthday cake for my partners daughter. She is 8 at the end of next month ( i have given myself lots of time to practise and get what i need!)
I have made a few cakes before but a very simple style and design similar to: http://www.kellechu.com/images/gallery/PresentCake_1.jpg
Knowing my partners daughter who loves all things pink and princessy she is going to pick something like this:http://www.icingandthecake.co.uk/images/cake-chil-birth/princess-cake.jpg

I want to be sure i can do it before letting her pick a cake i have no chance of making. From looking on the internet and books, and speaking to several cake making colleagues they say it shouldnt be to difficult to make. Using a pudding bowl to make the sponge for the skirt and sticking a barbie doll in the top to give the torso. By using roll out icing on the skirt and some clever work with the piping bag it should look like one princess with a beautiful dress on

Yes, it would be easier to buy one or get one specially made but i remember the effort my parents went to when i was a child to make some fantastic cakes for me and my sis and i'd like to do that for her birthday (as well as challenging myself to something different)

Am i nuts ??? Anyone know anything about cake making to give me hints or tips?

No actual experience of one so grand but a few observations:

Try a get a cake turner - see here

Build the cake around a hollow tube so Barbie can be removed easily - that way you can prep her and cake as two separate tasks then stick her in after.  Might prevent awkward accidents!!

Don't worry about baking the right shape - use conventional sponge tins and simply cut ever decreasing circles or use a large catering tray instead.

Finally use a Genoise cake recipe.  It's more dense than a standard victoria sponge and cuts and handles well for construction style cakes.  Make in advance and freeze til you are ready to build

Good luck

yeah your nuts LOL

those cakes are fab im sure she will be thrilled no matter how it turns out its nice your putting in so much thought and effort.

good luck !!!!

Cheat n use sponge mixes, then cut the sponges as required.
Use easy to roll icing then cut and shape as required.
Those are the easiest things to do.
I have been known to hire cake tins and decorate with butter icing, teenage ninja turtles was one I did that was quite time consuming, but generally it fine once you get stuck in, even with cheating for sponges (they work much better honest) you will have great feeling of satisfaction.
Good luck.

Karen

You could use the sponge cake mixes as Karen suggests - all you add are eggs!

This website has some fabulous cake tins :

http://www.decuisine.co.uk/cookshop/bakeware/bakeware_for_cakes.html?id=c951b3bddaf853f07565894f899e60d5.1254508476&&referal=/cookshop/bakeware/index.html

- I used to have several of them, but gifted them out when we moved

THank you very much for the suggestions. Making the sponge is the easy bit - i whip up a mean cake, its the decorating that is the issue as its not something i have much experience in, nor do i have the steady hand. Bu im hoping by getting the right tools and some practise i should be fine. A cake turner sounds like a fantastic idea and something i will certainly be getting

Thank you