This is my MOST favorite cake TO DATE! Like in all my years of doing this I love love LOVE how he turned out. I just wish the pictures of the video did it real justice. Seriously he was SO cute (and then we ate him, he was also delicious). I was also the most scared about this cake for quite a few reasons, I wasn’t sure if it would even make it to the party table!
So meet Gruff, the adorable Neverbeast and hero of the latest Tinker Bell movie! We had a BALL making fun themed treats for our Tinker Bell and the Neverbeast viewing party last weekend. You guys know I love my themed food, so the main characters, or plot item (like the rocks and storm clouds) got a food item, but I was stumped for what to do for Gruff.
NO WAY did I want to make a carved cake… right? I mean I’m good, REALLY good, at what I do. But I NEVER attempted an animal or character before… After watching the movie to get ready for the party I knew a cake would be perfect if I could pull it off. SOOOO I sketched up what I’d want to do… and I went for it! And I’m so happy I did.
I ALSO videoed the whole thing, I originally thought I’d do it as a full tutorial… but no one watches 2 hour long youtube videos so I opted for time lapse (if enough people are interested in a step by step course let me know, I could edit the video and put it on atly)
Here is a list the supplies and tools I use in this cake decorating video:
- Two 12 inch square, dense, cakes (2 inches tall) good for carving, pound cakes work great
- Ganache
- Long, Sharp, Strong serrated knife (I like the Cutco Santoku-Style 10″ Slicer)
- small frosting spatula
- tapered spatula
- Fondant
- Edible black airbrush paint
- paint brushes – any will do just don’t cross contaminate with anything non edible
- Fondant/gumpaste extruder (or a clay extruder you ONLY use for cake decorating)
- vodka or other clear alcohol (like clear vanilla)
- Fondant/gumpaste tools (I like Wilton or Ateco)
- Scriber Needle
- toothpicks
- revolving cake stand (when using a cake plate)
- shelf turntable (to use with a cake stand)
I’m seriously so in love with his cute little body, the arms and leg’s and tummy? He looks like a stuffed animal I just want to cuddle with. I can’t get over how well it all came together. I was super nervous about the painting. I mean once you put black paint on a white cake your done… there is NO going back, and I was worried it would be too STRONG and just look like lines, not fur.
To try to avoid that I did all the texturing before I painted, painted with a semi dry brush (to feather more) and then GENIUS struck. I took a paper towel, got it damp with the alcohol and patted the paint (careful not to simply spread it around more). It didn’t take the black away, but it did take the harshness away, it left it more subtle and toned down and honestly more furry looking!
For his nose I used about 30 toothpicks held together to make all the little dimples. And I bought myself a new tool… a Scriber needle. SERIOUSLY where has it BEEN all my life, I used it for so much and I can tell it’s going to become a cake decorating staple for me (just be careful, it’s SHARP, as my palm discovered… ouch).
What is your favorite part? (I know this is like begging for praise but really, I know what I love about it, I love hearing what other people are drawn to).
Tinker Bell and the Neverbeast posts:
[riview showtitle=always tags=tinker-bell size=150x150 lightbox=0]
Ashley
Oh my gosh!!!! I am in love with this cake!!! I just watched the movie, and it is by far, the best of the Tinkerbell movies out there. I am so impressed with the details of the cake, you are extremely talented!! 🙂
Ashlee
thank you so much! it’s such a cute movie, and thank you, I seriously thought it would be a fail, but he turned out so cute!
Stacey
WOW!! Our soon to be 5 year old has changed her mind & now wants this cake! Tutorial is amazing help, not sure if mine will be quite as polished or epic as this one though 🙂
Ashlee
ohhhhh send me pictures! I’d love to see!
Stacey
I did it – ended up a bit rushed as we had a bereavement in the family, but kids loved it. Not quite as good as yours though! Have you got an email or a way for me to post pics? ☺
Ashlee
YES!!! Please email me back! I’d love love LOVE to see it!!!
Kelly
So I stumbled across your gruff cake while trying to find ideas on a Neverbeast family dinner. I have NEVER carved a cake and have never worked with fondant (hello cracks!), but I was inspired by you tutorial video and thought why not. I had zero of the tools needed. But I sat down with your video at hand and made my kids a fairly decent looking gruff cake! Not nearly as impressive as yours, but not bad for a first timer. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful how to video
Ashlee
YAY! that is the best thing I’ve ever heard! I love it and I’d love to see it email me or tag me online!! (BTW cracks in your fondant are usually from lower quality fondant, what brand do you use?)
Christi
This is seriously amazing. I have a 19 month old daughter and got her this movie for Easter. My friend came over and we gorged on ice cream and watched it (perks of having kids too young to know what’s going on), so I ended up stumbling across your site while Googling the Neverbeast. Anyway, this is remarkable. I’ve dabbled in cakes in the past, but was never brave enough to try carving. I think I might try this!
Ashlee
Thank you so much! and I hope you do! cake carving is SOOOO much fun and it’s addicting!
Alexa
I really want to do this for my daughters 2nd birthday party cause it’s awesome and so cute! But I was wondering if you could send me the cake and ganache recipes you used and could you tell me if you froze the cake and ganache before carving???
Ashlee
I don’t share cake recipes, sorry, as they are my business. At some point I’ll hopefully have a cookbook where I can share those! As for ganache you can find my recipe here Ganache Recipe and yes, like I mention in the video I do carve with the cake frozen, but slightly thawed
Stephanie Croft
This cake was very challenging. I made this cake for a very special little girl! She loved it and it came out better than I expected. Your tutorial video was awesome!! Thanks!
Ashlee
you are so welcome! i’d love you to email me a picture! I love seeing everyone’s work!
Stephanie
Hi Ashlee!
Love, love, love this cake. I found your tutorial over pinterest (thank goodness!) and knew without a doubt this is what I needed for my daughters birthday cake. She has been talking about a “tinkerbell and Neverbeast birthday” since the first time her little 3 year old eyes landed on the movie. I was wondering if you can get the same results (or as close as any first timer to cake carving can get) by using a buttercream icing? My daughter hates chocolate. I typically work with a frozen cake and have noticed that the buttercream can get quite hard as it quickly cools on the cake. Any hints/pointers you can give me would be sooo greatly appreciated.
Ashlee
I’d suggest white chocolate ganache. I never EVER use buttercream under fondant, ESP a carved cake, it’s too soft, it “leaks” (so even if it hardens on the frozen cake it will actually be worse when the cake thaws and “condenses” – I suggest not frosting until the cake is thawed in any case, condensation will ruin the fondant) and you just can’t get the stability from buttercream you need for carved cakes.
Etta Britt
Hello. Do you sell your cakes? If so, are you able to ship?
Ashlee
I do sell cakes, I don’t sell cakes that are copyrighted characters, just make those for my own kids and share the tutorials. And sadly I don’t ship, I can’t garuntee they would arrive in the condition I send them and I’m simply not set up for shipping, I’m so sorry!
Michelle
Hi there, what are your thoughts about me using RKT(rise crispy treat) instead of cake for the carving and moulding? Just want to use it as a topper and not a “cake”… any tip’s…?
Thanx***
Ashlee
I don’t bother with rice krispy treats, my specialty is cake carving so I rarely use RKT. I find it more frustrating than cake personally, and I only use it when I need something to be very lightweight. it tend to shrink and not be as reliable so I try not to use it unless I have to, and I don’t carve it, just shape it how I want it. That said, if your comfortable with RKT go for it! It’s not going to cut as nicely as cake, so it might be rougher and less detailed, and it might take a LOT more ganache to make smooth, but work with what your comfortable with.
Jenn
I love the YouTube video … You did an amazing job on this cake!! I was going to attempt this myself but carving terrifies me lol … I saw that you mentioned you might make a tutorial … I’m just wondering if you actually did.
Ashlee
you mean the full tutorial? I never did, since no one ever asked for the full 12 hour version, HA, it would seriously take so long!
Melanie Hernandez
How much do you charge for a cake like that. My daughter would love that for her birthday. She loves the movie
Ashlee
I don’t sell copyrighted character cakes, thus the free tutorial! But my carved cakes start at $400 and go up depending on size and details.
Maria
Wow, your attention to detail is incredible! I just watched the Tinkerbell movie and came across your cake while searching to see if anyone had made a crochet pattern for Gruff. Such amazing work; it looks just like him! Like others, you entice me to try making cakes like this.
Ashlee
awww thank you so very much!