R2-D2 Cake

This is a step by step of how I created a detailed R2-D2 cake for a little girls Star Wars party!! I won't bother with cake recipes or icing recipes because anyone who wants to make this will have their preferred cake recipe and that is perfectly ok as long as the cake is a heavier pound cake. If you will to make this with a light sponge cake then i would recommend supporting the cake with dowels. Well I hope you enjoy this and here we go!!!

Step 1: Materials Needed

Here is what i used to make the R2 D2 cake. You can use your preferred brand but will not need any special equipment for this cake.

4 lbs of white fondant

Navy Blue food colouring

Red Food Colouring

Silver Lustre Dust

Black Fondant for covering the board

14" Cake board

Vodka

Paint Brush

X-Acto or sharp craft knife

Offset Spatula for frosting, or knife if you want

4 x 10" vanilla pound cakes that are 4" high

1 pound cake that is baked in a stainless steel bowl with 10" diameter

2 lbs of vanilla buttercream or your favourite flavour

1 lb of rice crispy treats

Step 2: Time to Construct

Take your favourite cake layers and then start to layer buttercream. If you are afraid they might slide then feel free to dowel the cake or even use long straws to hold them together. User a thin layer of buttercream and place the dome on top. Apply a thin layer of buttercream and coat the entire cake. Place this in the fridge and let it set so it is easier to to put the fondant on top.

Roll the fondant out so that it is big enough to cover the cake. You can use a measuring tape or just use the length of your rolling pin so you can judge. Do not use too much icing sugar sugar when rolling out as it will cause the fondant to look cloudy and prevent it from sticking to the cake easily.

Coat the cake and trim the bottom to be even with the bottom of the cake.

Set aside and start work on all the detail work

Step 3: Detail Work and Trim

Get all the coloured fondant ready. Black, Navy Blue, and a small piece of red. About a pound of fondant will be sufficient for the entire cake.

Use the Templates I used to cut all the pieces for the cake. You may have to enlarge the size of the pattern when you print depending on the size of your cake. Then cut out all the pieces separately to use them as templates for the fondant.

Roll out the black fondant and navy blue. Using an X-Acto knife to ensure clean lines, start cutting all the separate pieces. Take each piece as you cut it and place it on a cookie pan and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent the pieces from drying out.

When you have the pieces cut and ready its time to start building the cake!!!

Step 4: Putting R2 Together!!

Roll out black fondant and cover the cake board so R2 stands out!!

Take the silver lustre dust and mix a bit with the vodka. Make sure it is not to thin, make it the consistency of wall paint. Use a paint brush and start applying the paint. Right where the round cake meets the straight sides paint a ring around the cake. This forms the head and R2's great looking dome!!! Continue painting until his head is completely covered. You may have to do a couple of coats to make sure its really silver.

Take a gumball piece of white fondant, place in a small bowl, add approx 3 Tbs of water to the bowl. Heat in a microwave for 5-10 secs, remove and stir. Continue this until the fondant is melted. This will act as the glue to stick all the pieces to the cake.

Start with the top as that is the easiest part. Start with the centre and this will allow you to evenly space the other pieces on top of the cake.

Pick which side you want to be the front and then it is time to start the detail. Set up the front of what you would call the eye. This will align the centre and then you can use this and the silver line to set up the spacing of the top of the cake.

Take a round piece of fondant and this will be used for the "eye". This will be approx 1.5" around. Use a small ball to form the indent of the eye and pill bottle to form the ring. Paint this silver and attach the cake. You may have to use tooth picks to hold it in place.

With the cake top done, now its time for the front!

Step 5: Legs and Front

Use the marshmallow treats for the legs. You can use a template or just cut the legs by eye. Either way, it will look great.

Gently heat the marshmallow treats in the microwave and then form them into the size if legs you desire. When the treats are formed it is time to roll out the remaining white fondant and cover them. You don't have to trim them, just fold the fondant on the back side as it will be hidden when you place the legs on the cake. Use the remaining fondant glue to adhere the legs.

After the legs are attached its time to start the front. Using the eye as a focus point you can use that to help align the front of R2. Start at the point just under the "eye" and start adding the pieces from the top down to help keep the front aligned.

Now its time for the little details. Use the silver lustre paint to add detail to the from of R2 and for the little sections of R2 that are white and you wan them to stand out and panels on a robot all we need is a butter knife with a dull edge.

Using the image of R2 or if you are lucky to have a little fellow around the house, I have 5!!! LOL.

Look at the placement of the panels and using the dull side of the butter knife gently press this into the fondant to make an indentation. This will make the fondant look like panels and add some gentle detail to the cake.

Once you get this done you can place a name for the celebration or just sit back and enjoy your masterpiece before people attack this beauty and see how great it tastes as well!!!

Best of luck and I hope you enjoy!!