need graduation cake ideas?
try a star studded mortar-board cake.
An easy graduation cake idea that's perfect for any graduation day celebration.
Graduation cake ideas run the gamut from store-bought sheet cakes all way to wedding style extravaganzas. And while it's true that graduation cakes are part of a very special celebration, they most definitely should be all about the fun too!
This simple, stylish version is topped with a mortar-board to represent your grad's great achievement. And you'll add lots of fun when you spell out any message you like on the star-shaped sugar cookies aurrounding the tiers of the cake.
It's a fun design that's perfect for any graduation celebration from an end of kindergarten party to grandma finally completing that degree she always wanted, at age 87!.
techniques used
You'll only need a few basic techniques to complete graduation cake ideas like this one. I've linked all the appropriate tutorials below, to make it easy to brush up on anything you may not be familiar with.
To complete your graduation party planning...
Along with some great graduation cake ideas, you'll need a few party supplies and you're all set.
Be sure to check out these perfect, co-ordinating party supplies
what you'll need:
The size, cake flavors and fillings shown below for graduation cake ideas are just suggestions. You can make any adjustments you need to fit the number of people you'll be serving. All the step-by-step instructions will work for any size cake.
- one each, filled, 6", 8" and 10" round cakes - these ones are Perfect Carrot Cake, filled with Chai Spice Cheesecake Filling
- Chai Spice Cheesecake frosting
- 1 cup vanilla cookie crumbs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped peanuts or cashews
- Forest Green gel paste food color or other appropriate choice for your school colors
- Black Candy Writer
- 1 package of store-bought sugar cookie dough
- 6" sucker sticks
- one recipe royal icing
- one piece thick, rope style, black licorice
- 1/4" cake dowels
- cake board or plate
here's how to do it...
Ok, so you've found some great graduation cake ideas. Now what?
Not to worry - I'll walk you through it and in no time at all your graduation cakes done.
Bake your cakes using your favorite recipe. Tort and fill the cakes, assembling each tier seperately on a cake circle.
Crumb coat the cakes and refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight, until the crumb coat and filling are very firm.
1. When the crumb coat and filling are firm, top coat each of the tiers with buttercream
Mix together the chopped nuts, brown sugar and cookie crumbs, and apply all around the sides of each tier with a small spoon or spatula.
Stack the three tiers, inserting 5-7 1/4" cake dowels in each of the bottom two tiers, for support.
2. Roll out the sugar cookie dough and cut out four large stars for class of 2008 (or whatever year it is). Then cut out however many small stars you need to spell out your message - in this case it was 12.
You'll also need three 3" x 2" rectangles and a 5" x 5" square. These will form the mortar-board, later.
Bake according to package directions and, while the cookies are cooling, insert a tooth pick into each of the small stars and a 6" sucker stick in to each of the large stars.
3. Fill a decorating bag fitted with a #10 round tip (or similar) with the green royal icing. Cover one side of each of the large star cookies, the three 3" x 2" rectangles and the 5" x 5" square pieces with the icing.
Repeat with white royal icing for all the small star cookies. Set all the royal iced pieces aside to dry.
When all the pieces are dry, use a black candywriter to add your message. Use the bigger stars for 'class of 2008' etc. and the smaller stars to spell out congratulations or whatever other message you like.
4. To make the mortar-board cap, start by standing two of the 2" x 3" peices on their side, in a 'v' shape, and glue together by piping a little left-over royal icing down the seam. Support the sides with small food cans until dry.
Complete the triangle base for the cap by adding a third side and gluing with more royal icing. Support with food cans while drying.
When the base is dry, pipe a line of royal icing around the top edge of the triangle and add the 5" x 5" square. Set aside to dry.
5. Insert the star cookies around the top edge of the bottom two tiers to spell out your message.
6. Place the mortar-board cap towards the front of the cake and secure with buttercream.
Cut a piece of thick licorice about 3" long and snip the end a few times, to create tassels. Place the licorice so that one end is on the center of the cap and the other hangs over the side of the mortar-board. Secure with royal icing.
Insert the large stars behind the mortar-board cap, varying the heights for interest.
7. Sprinkle more of the cookie crumb mixture around the base of the cake to finish.
Yahoo! We're done with these graduation cake ideas. Now go get your camera and start clicking so you can show off your cake pictures here.
how to host the perfect graduation party
Got some great graduation cake ideas?
Check.
Now all you need to complete your party planning are some fabulous, co-ordinating party supplies.
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