This beauty was for a birthday party this weekend and I absolutely adore how it turned out. 

99.9% of the time I’m strictly team #nofondant, but I wanted the tassels on this cake to look as realistic as possible. I can’t imagine covering an entire cake in fondant, but I don’t mind using it every once in a while to make decorations. 

Aside from the ice cream truck topper, this cake is 100% edible!

The “sprinkles” on the sides of the cake were piped buttercream so I could ensure all of the colors were cohesive and matched the initial inspiration for the cake - the topper. 

I attempted making the ice cream cone a few times and I wanted to share what worked best for me. 

1. Make a cake pop mixture. Essentially, combine cake scraps and buttercream together until cohesive. Then use that mixture to fill the ice cream cone. I wanted the cone to have some weight to ensure it would sit nicely on the cake.

2. Next, mold and shape a cake pop to be about the size of a scoop of ice cream and place it on to the cone and secure it with white chocolate ganache (heavy cream and white chips). Then freeze for about an hour to make sure it’s sturdy enough to withhold being dunked in ganache.

3. Add coloring to ganache and reheat if needed in 20 second intervals, stirring between each. I use AmeriColor gel coloring.

4. Ensuring that the cone is 100% frozen, carefully swirl it into and out of the ganache. If it needs another dunk for more coverage, go for it!

5. I placed some sprinkles from SprinklePop onto my ganache while it was still warm so that they would have time to set completely.

6. Keep the cone upright and allow the ganache and gravity to do their thing. I made my cone about 2 days in advance and froze it after the ganache had set at room temperature. Be sure to put your cone in an airtight container before freezing it to protect it from freezer burn.

7. When ready to use the cone, ensure it’s going to be properly attached to the cake. I did this with the use of a food-grade wooden dowel stuck through the center of the cone at a bit of an angle, and then through the center of the cake.
   

I love how the melted ice cream is contained to the center of the cake and doesn’t drip down the sides thanks to the barrier made from the piping. 

Underneath all of those details sit four simple layers of strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream. 

Sprinkles: SprinklePop

Coloring: AmeriColor Food Gel

Enjoy!