Introduction: Pirate Cake

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You can make an awesome pirate cake!

I saw lots of these on Pinterest, but they were all done with fondant, which I just can't seem to master

I can, however, pipe onto a flat surface. I can't pipe onto the side of a cake, but I came up with a method that allowed me to make a special cake for my sister-in-laws 50th birthday.

if you follow these steps, you can make a nice cake too!

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Gather Your Supplies

  1. you need three sheet cakes (any flavor)
  2. frosting (lots of it)
  3. white almond bark
  4. brown almond bark
  5. crows (basically black licorice dots candies to be the cannons) (definitely optional)
  6. wax paper
  7. piping bags
  8. ruler
  9. knife
  10. frosting knife
  11. BBQ sticks
  12. something to cut the sticks with
  13. glass of water
  14. freezer
  15. smoothing flat to keep the cake on that is easy to pick up and move while working on the cake and can also go in the freezer
  16. microware
  17. pretzel logs (for the masts)

Step 2: Cut and Stack the Cake

This is the first place you can use your creativity

You can make this any shape you want and as big or small as you want

We had about 23 people to feed. Chose to make the bottom two layers are large as I could from a full 9x11 sheet cake. I think added one triangle up front in the bow, and three layers in the back stair stepped up.

A lot of the cakes I saw pictures up has really fancy cuts and curves to them. I was not that skilled and skipped that. I worked out just fine and looked great without all the hassle and frustration. As we say in my house "we are not making a piano!", so give yourself a break and don't over do it.

Be sure and frost between each layer as you stack. If you end up with any gaps on the sides, just stick a bunch of frosting into the gap to even it out.

Then stick it I the freezer and let the frosting harden and hold your boats shape.

It is very fragile right now, so move it carefully.

As soon as it is hard, you can pull it out for the next step

Step 3: Add Pegs for Support and Crumb Coat the Cake

Poke the sticks into the cake where needed to keep it from toppling over.

I have lost my share of cakes to tipping over either before being cut or halfway cut, so be sure and add the sticks!

The crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting all around the cake.

One trick I have learned it to continually dip the frosting knife into water. it helps is side along the frosting and give it a smooth coat. Some practice might be needed.

Personally, I think the boat looks better not perfectly smooth, as it is a wooden boat and boats are not perfectly smooth!

Step 4: Pipe Out the Decorations

I like to work with Almond Bark as it is easy to get a hold of, cheap, and tastes good!

Follow your package instructions on melting, as you can easily burn it and it doesn't taste good when it is burnt.

I put the cubes in a disposable piping bag and melt them direction in them.

Leave the tip uncut, so you don't make a mess

After each round in the microwave (according to the instructions) squeeze the almond bark to help mix the warm and cold spots together for more even melting.

I like to put the pastry bag in a cup to keep the open end in the air and make less mess

Once it is all melted you are ready to start piping

Step 5: Come Up With a Plan

Decide where you want rails, flags, etc...

  1. I wanted railing all the way around the edge except for the lowest deck
  2. I wanted three sets of flags/masts
  3. I wanted rope ladders up to the top of the masts
  4. I wanted cannon portals on each side
  5. I wanted window shutters on the sides

you can decide to do something different to fit your occasion or to mimic a certain boat

Once you have a plan, measure out the approximate size of the pieces and begin to pipe onto wax paper

It will pop right off once cooled down

Make your pieces a little long as it is easy to trip the pieces down, but not very easy to make them bigger

Step 6: Pipe Out the Decorations

Once you have a plan, measure out the approximate size of the pieces and begin to pipe onto wax paper


It will pop right off once cooled down Make your pieces a little long as it is easy to trip the pieces down, but not very easy to make them bigger

make a few extra of each piece in case one breaks

If you don't like one, make another and then eat the mistake :)

Step 7: Make Your Flags

Flags are made in almost the same manner

I like them to be a little more square, so I draw them out on the back side of the wax paper.

Start by outlining the flags with the almond bark, then fill them in. When the harden, you can turn them over and they will be smooth.

Step 8: Embellish the Flags

For the Jolly Roger (should you choose to have one) use brown almost bark and pipe it onto each side of the little flag. Let it harden completely before turning over. You can place this in the freezer to help speed up the hardening process

This was for a 50th birthday party so I also wrote a large 50 on one of the flags. You can leave it blank or write whatever message(s) you want.

Step 9: Attach Flags to Masts

The basic concept to attach the flags to the pretzel is to pipe on almond bark, attach the flag.

Turn the flag over once hardened and add more almost bark along the seems

Step 10: Assemble the Boat

Take the boat out of the freezer. If you want/need another coat of frosting, do it now, and put it back in the freezer until it has hardened back up.

If the cake and the almond bark are both cold from the freezer, it attaches really well to the cake. Pipe on sme fresh warm almost bark where you attach the items and use it as glue. The cold contact between the cold boat and the cold decorations, hardens the warm almost back up pretty fast.

Stick the masts into the cake. be sure not to push in too far. I had to use the tip of a knife and cut small holes to insert the masts into as the cake was pretty frozen.

Stick a partial pretzel into the bow of the boat too.

Step 11: Wow Your Friends

Once it is assembled, keep it in the freezer until you are ready to cut and serve it.

5 minutes on the counter before serving will be perfect to cutting.

My boat is missing the steering wheel, which no one but me noticed. I am sure you will have some unique features about your boat too, but no one but you will notice, so enjoy the cake!