It’s a Cake… or a Cookie? SUPER EASY Tutorial for Birthday Cake Cookies

I have an affinity for food that is made to look like something else. I’ve dreamt of making a realistic edible spider. Like, very  realistic. I would throw it at someone and scare the bejeezus out of them. Then I would laugh hysterically, perch my fist on my waist and say, “Look at you, how ridiculous. You just screamed at a tomato/bread roll/whatever.” Better yet, I will place it in someone’s bed. I am certain I am the only person who finds this extremely amusing. So sad.

Until I can find the perfect ingredient for my evil plans, I will stick to making food look like cute things.

Like birthday cakes, with little mini candles.

OH MY GOD, slap me! How friggin’ cute is this?  I want to tie it up with a little bow and put it into a tiny box. Except some of the icing would get all over and not end up in my mouth. What a waste. The best part is that it’s SO EASY!

Here is what you need:

- Cookie dough. Again, I like homemade. I have a baking business, for crying out loud! If the thought of making dough freaks you out, then you can purchase an easy sugar cookie mix.  If you must. Just add a little flour in and refrigerate before baking so it holds its shape.

- Yellow Laffy Taffy

- Pretty colored licorice. I found mine at a convenience store. Watermelon flavor. Ate half of the pack  on the way home.

- Frosting. I made chocolate for my cake. If you do this, make sure to have a bit of white frosting too. You can use canned frosting from the store. If you must. Just make sure it is thick. not whipped. It needs to hold its shape well.

- Food coloring that matches the color of your licorice

- Sprinkles, tiny candies, or anything to decorate with

Start with your cookie dough. Roll it out to, oh say, 3/4 of an inch or so. It’s really up to you. For each cake slice that you make, you need two triangles. Use a knife to cut out two isosceles triangles ( looks like a slice of pizza) slightly longer than you want them to be. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the shorter side of one triangle into a round arc (curve). Place that triangle on top of the other so you can use it as a guideline to cut the second arc. This way they line up nicely.

Should look like this.

Next, bake at 350° for 8-13 minutes depending on the size. I find that  my cookies always bake somewhere within that time range. Unless they are ginormous.

Once cooled, use a flat spatula to cover your triangles with frosting. I made a little boo boo here. I will explain what it is very soon. Oh, the suspense.

Make it nice and thick. Try not to get frosting on the sides.

Place one triangle on top of the other so it makes a sandwich. Technically, it is not really a triangle. It has to have three straight sides and three angles. Only one angle and two straight sides. I’m a nerd.

Here is where I discovered my little boo boo. The next step is to cover the round side of your sandwich with icing.

Well, wouldn’t you like to know that it was only somewhat easy and not SUPER EASY because I iced both triangles first. What you should do is ice one triangle, and place the other one on top. Put icing on the side, THEN ice the top of the second triangle. Make sense? I had to be careful trying to hold the cake without smushing the icing. The other way will make it that much easier.

I globbed icing onto the toothpick and stuck it on the side. Then sort of mushed it around until it covered the side evenly.

Sorry this photo is blurry. I must have been drunk.

Notice how there are little peaks in the icing? I used my trusty toothpick to create some nice texture.

Take a piece of the yellow Laffy Taffy.

Melt it for about 10 seconds or so, until it is soft enough to mold but still holds its shape. Mold it into a tear drop shaped. Start by making it into a ball, then rolling one side of the ball with your fingers until it forms a tip.

Now for the birthday candle! Take out your licorice, a knife, and a cutting board.

Cut a short piece off. Melt it in the microwave for about 8-10 seconds. I hade to try it a couple of times to make it soft enough to mold without being melted and gooey. I then took my short microwaved piece of licorice and pinched one end.

You need your white icing next. Mix it with enough food coloring to match the licorice.

Using a toothpick, dab a tiny bit of frosting onto the pinched end of your licorice piece.

Attach the Laffy Taffy to the frosted end of the licorice.

Let it dry for a couple of minutes before you move it around.

Once it is dry, insert it into the top of the cake slice.

Pick out your decorations.

I liked these confetti sprinkles.

Attach them to the side of the cake slice.

Eeek! Slap me again! (No really, slap me if I say cute one more time.)

I sort of liked the colors of the candle so I changed the decorations to match. 

See? I told you. Easy.

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