It’s easy create this realistic pumpkin cake. Carve, frost and fondant cover a cake. Then use an airbrush to make it look real.
While I don’t have time to decorate right now (I’m just hoping to get to making some costumes!) I do LOVE October and in honor of this wonderful month and my favorite season (fall)
I just had to share one of my all time favorite cakes. It’s from back in the day when I had maybe one blog reader so it won’t be too familiar to you all so I hope you enjoy it.
I actually made it for Thanksgiving dinner 2 years ago. If I made it for Halloween I’d make it a Jack O’ Lantern! Wouldn’t that be SO cute!
I might just have to do that! This was my first airbrushing ever. It was also an all-nighter for me, but most of my cakes are!!
I hand carved the cake, covered it ganache then Orange fondant. Then I started airbrushing away!!! I was so nervous. But I love love LOVE the end result! I added a green marbled fondant stem and airbrushed it as well.
When I showed it to my Uncle the next day he actually grabbed the stem and pulled! AHHHH! He thought it was a ceramic container and that the dessert was inside!
We ended up using it as our centerpiece for the meal! This was the first time I used Ganache under fondant instead of buttercream. Changed my life!
It’s my favorite way to do it. It holds in the moisture AND it doesn’t squish out all over the place when you put the fondant on. So happy October and early Halloween festivities!
Heather (@slclunches)
This cake looks amazing. I can’t believe that it’s a real cake. Beautiful!
Ashlee
Thank you! I really love this cake and how well it turned out!
Amanda @ Every Crafty Endeavor
Your cake is totally awesome! What talent you have! I love it – are you going to the GNO on Thursday? If so, I will see you there!!
Ashlee
Thank you! And I WILL be heading to GNO! I’m SO excited! I’ve never been to The Chocolate, have you?
Stephanie
That cake is awesome! I wish I had an airbrush machine – it looks SO good!!
Thanks for sharing again!!
Ashlee
Thanks! It’s a really fun toy! I haven’t used it as often as I THOUGHT I would, but I love having it!
Sandy Toe
I cannot believe that is a cake…I kept looking at it!
sandy toe
Ashlee
Thanks! I’m not always in love with my cakes, but this one was different! I love love LOVE how well this one turned out!
Cheapskate4Life
This is amazing! You should send this to Cake Wrecks for their Sunday Sweets feature! Every Sunday they feature amazing beautiful cakes from various decorators & I think this should be included!
Ashlee
Thank you! I’d love to be featured there someday! Just as long as I don’t ever end up on a wreck page! Ha! I actually based this cake off a fall/pumpkin wedding cake I saw featured on Sunday Sweets around 3 years ago!
Lorie
That cake is amazing!! I love it. Thanks for linking up to Show and Tell Saturday!!
Ashlee
Thanks for hosting! I started hosting my own party because it’s just so much fun to see everyones amazing crafts!
Lizibeth @ thePathLessTraveled
that thing is just GORGEOUS!!!
what flavor was the cake?
Ashlee
Chocolate of course! Does dessert even count if it’s not chocolate? My motto has always been “if it’s not chocolate, what’s the point”. And I have a TO DIE for Chocolate cake. I have great cakes in other flavors, but this one is over the top AMAZING! I guess I could have gone with my pumpkin cake, but since I also made a few pumpkin pies I didn’t think it was neccessary! I also made a few lemon pies, pecan pies, and of course chocolate pies for the gathering!
Allie
Wow! It looks amazing! I have never done ganache rather than buttercream but it makes Absolute sense! WIll be trying this for upcoming fourth birthday… You should come link this up to my Making It With Allie party! It ends shortly but will be open again later this week. I would love to have you add your projects! They are lovely!
Allie
AllieMakes.Blogspot.com
Ashlee
Thanks! I love working with Ganache. It’s so much better for under fondant. You put it on and let it dry, then if there is any place that’s no perfect just rub your finger over it. The little heat from your finger melts the bad spot. So it seals in the cake and moister, and it’s a smooth, strong support for fondant. LOVE it! BTW I absolutely LOVE your candy corn dress! Was that all done with a serger? I’ve got to get myself one of those! AMAZING!
Southern Fried Gal
Oh.My.Word! Girl – that is gorgeous. I can’t believe it is a cake! You are one talented gal!
Ashlee
Thank you! I really should have taken a picture once it was cut into to “prove” it! It totally surprised everyone there! Oh, and I love those HUGE black urns by your door! Did you get them like that, or paint them?
Amie Irwin
I love the pumpkin cake.. it looks SOOO real.. amazing.. hope you post a tutorial!
Ashlee
I’m glad you like it! I actually made it almost 2 years ago for Thanksgiving, WAY before craft blog’s and tutorials had entered my life! I didn’t even think to take pictures of the process. But I just started with an 8 inch round cake 6 inches tall and just started carving away. Then covered it with Ganache then fondant. Then airbrushed it and voila!
Shayna @ Texas Monkey
This is amazing just beautiful! I’d love for you to link up with my Pumpkin theme link up party this week.
http://texasmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/10/all-aoubt-you-monday-link-up-party.html
Ashlee
thanks for the invitation! I linked up!
Ami Allison
OK….that is a cake!?! SERIOUSLY!? WOW!! That is AWESOME!!! It looks like a ceramic pumpkin you would find at pottery barn!! Oh. Em. Gee. Awesome job girl!!!
Ashlee
Thank you! I’ve been meaning to do it again this year, maybe that jack o lantern this time!
Birgit K.
That is one awesome looking pumpkin! And seriously it has GANACHE in it too! I think that might just make it the perfect cake 🙂
Ashlee
I thought so! It turned out better than I expected, and it was SUPER tasty too! I really LOVED how it turned out!
Nestygirl
That is so beautiful! It really doesn’t look like a cake!
I’m visiting from Making the World Cuter. Have a great week!
Ashlee
thanks! I still can’t believe I didn’t take a picture once it was cut!
Miki
Your cakes are amazing!
Ashlee
Thank so much! I really enjoy making them.
Satakieli
Oh. My. Goodness.
What a stunning cake!
Ashlee
thank you very much! Your pear and dark chocolate crumble looks just DELICIOUS! I am in love with all things dark chocolate!
Al
Look out cake boss – there is a new boss in town
Ashlee
You are TOO sweet! Wouldn’t that be so much fun, to get to make fun cakes ALL the time? And I love your pillows! I hadn’t looked too much into designing my own textiles, but now I’m going to check out the companies you use and look into it!
Sunny's Life in Rehab
Woman, I simply DEMAND a tutorial! This is so seriously amazing, I honestly thought it was ceramic!
Ashlee
I’ll have to make another one, since back when I made this I never considered a tutorial! It’s our pet pig’s birthday this month (on the 31st) though so maybe I’ll be able to throw one together in honor of him!
Jessica Sorensen
This is crazy good. I wish I was any good at cake decorating.
Ashlee
Thanks! Those High top cupcakes look great! They are on my list of things to do soon! I wish I was good a photography so I guess we all have something more we wish we could do! I bet you’d be better than you think at cake decorating, you obviously have a good eye!
Tammy @ Not Just Paper and Glue
It definitely fooled me. I thought it was a ceramic piece as well. It is so real looking. You are awesome!
Ashlee
I’m tickled every time I hear that! It really was so much fun to create!