Monday, May 11, 2015

Minecraft Cake for Busy Parents

Ok, I realize this is NOT Pinterest worthy; however, this for those of us who don't do fondant, don't have time to bake a cake big enough for the party, and whose children LOVE Minecraft!!!

You will need to purchase:
  • 1 - cake from Costco
  • 1 - case of mini water bottles
  • 1 - bag of shredded coconut
  • 1 - tube of green food coloring (you might already have this on hand)
  • 1 - can of cake icing for writing (I used Betty Crocker White Cake Icing)
  • A variety of Minecraft figurines which your child will keep as part of his/her birthday present (I purchased the Minecraft Animal 6-pack and also used a Steve backpack clip which we already owned. There are LOTS of choices out there.)
  • Don't forget the ice cream! I purchased a pack of little ice cream cups from Wal-Mart. 

Simply follow these steps:


Step 1: Order a cake from Costco at least two days ahead of time, and request that they frost it in chocolate with NO DECORATIONS and TRIM ONLY ALONG THE BOTTOM (or no trim at all). When you pick it up, it will look like this:


Step 2: Pulse a bunch of Oreos in a food processor until you have lots and lots of crumbs (remove the cream filling first, if you don't want white specks in your 'dirt'). 

Step 3: Scrunch up a paper towel and slightly dampen it. Press the damp part of the paper towel into the crumbs to gather them for placement on the side of the cake. (You will have more crumbs than this photo shows...I must have taken this after touching the side of the cake.)


Step 4: Gently press the crumbs into the side of the cake, and repeat these steps (3 & 4) until you've gone all the way around the cake. It will look something like this:


Keep going, and it will eventually look like this:


Remember, we're not going for 100% coverage here.
We're going for texture and impression.
It actually looks pretty cool having a variety of chunk sizes. 

Step 5: In a large baggie (or bowl with lid), combine shredded coconut with a few drops of green food coloring. Shake until the coconut is coated. If it's too light, add more food coloring and shake. 

Step 6: Once you have the desired color of "grass," you will carefully distribute the coconut onto the cake where you want grass. I decided to put my grass all on one side, because I wanted to write "Happy Birthday!" on the other side. (NOTE: If you prefer not to have green fingers for the rest of the day, I highly recommend wearing thin gloves for this part or figuring out a creative way NOT to touch the coconut. Maybe it would be better to let the coconut dry overnight?! But who has time for that?)


Step 7: Write your birthday greeting.

Step 8: Add Minecraft figurines which can be purchased at many retailers including Target and Wal-Mart. 


It might not look like much, but the kids LOVED it! It really looks cool when you're hoping for a Minecraft cake. Plus, it's pretty unique. Nobody else will have a cake like this! 

This is just a bonus idea. I wasn't planning to do this, but once I had the tablecloth down, I couldn't resist turning it into a Creeper.

Supplies were all purchased at the Dollar Tree:

  • 1 - green table cloth
  • 1 - pack of black napkins
  • 1 - pack of green plates
  • 1 - pack of clear forks & spoons




He was a happy kiddo!