Quick Cakes

Returning to work at the zoo has limited the time I have available for decorating cakes, but I still found the time to try a couple of simple ideas.

First I wanted to try a cake that looked like this one:

My brother's birthday was at the end of April, but he's not really a cake guy, so I made gluten-free rice crispy treats and pressed them into a cake pan. Then I added a layer of chocolate frosting.

I used a little icing to glue Hershey's chocolate squares to the sides of the rice crispy treat.

While chatting with my brother one day shortly before his birthday, I discovered that his favorite gummy candy is the same as mine: Haribo gummy bears! He mentioned a type of gummy bear called "Techno Bears" that aren't available here in the U.S., but I discovered they ARE available on Amazon here.

This type of gummy is only available in a 5-pound bag! So I had no choice except to order one.

After they arrived, I simply filled the top of the cake with these shiny, fruity little bears for the finished product.

Nothing too fancy, but it tasted pretty good. I don't recommend leaving the cake for more than a day though, because the frosting will soak into the rice crispy treats and render them a little less than crispy.

My next endeavor was a Mother's Day cake in the shape of a butterfly. I started with a gluten-free yellow cake baked as an 8-inch round cake. I sliced the cake directly down the center and then flipped the halves over so the curved sides met each other.

I bought some little mints, which I know my mom enjoys, and lined the cake with them in a simple pattern.

Lastly, I needed to practice my roses anyway, so I added a few in different colors and sizes to finish the presentation.

Even though the cakes weren't as elaborate as my previous cakes, they were good alternatives when time is short. And, they tasted great!