How to Make a Bowling Ball & Bowling Pins Birthday Cake

Decorate a birhday cake with a bowling ball and pins for an avid bowler.

A bowling pin and bowling ball cake is ideal for an avid bowler, a bowling alley birthday party or anyone who enjoys bowling. Decorate the cake according to your skill an artistic ability. Infuse your design with bowling humor if appropriate, such as creating a 7-10 split for a bowler who frequently finds himself with that particular unfortunate combination. Gel icing will give the decorations a sheen, while fondant will allow you to create three-dimensional decorations for the cake.

Things You'll Need

• Long string or thread
• Waxed paper
• Pen or pencil
• Scissors
• Toothpick

Instructions

1. Make an outline of a bowling lane on a smoothly frosted cake using a long, heavy piece of string or thread. Lay the string on the cake from one end to the other and make an indentation. Make another line parallel to the first to create the outline for the bowling lane.

2. Create a pattern. Trace a picture of bowling pins and a ball from a magazine, coloring book or online picture onto waxed paper using a pen or pencil.

3. Cut out the pattern. Cut out each individual shape, such as the different pins. The end result may resemble a jigsaw puzzle. Keep the shapes to make it easier to apply the design to the cake.

4. Lay the first piece of the pattern on top of the cake and trace the outline with a toothpick. Continue laying the pattern pieces on the cake -- in order -- and trace each piece with the toothpick until you can clearly see the outline on the cake. The pins should be at the end of the lane. The bowling ball can either be striking the pins or be at the beginning of the lane.

5. Fill in the pattern with colored icing. Use the birthday girl's favorite color for the bowling ball and white with a stripe for the pins. The lane should be a light brown to resemble wood, which you can use icing or light brown sugar. Use a lot of icing to color in the pins and give them dimension. Use thicker icing or fondant to create standing bowling pins and a round bowling ball.

6. Decorate the borders of the cake with small round balls that resemble bowling balls.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut an oblong cake in the form of a bowling pin and place a plastic bowling ball on top.

• Use plastic novelty bowling pins and balls to decorate the cake if you want something simple. Spell out "Happy Birthday" with the pins and add the guest of honor's name shaped out of bowling balls.

References

• Parents; Bowling Pin Cake; John Loecke
• Disney Family Fun: Bowling Cake
• Coolest Birthday Cakes: Coolest Homemade Bowling Sports Theme Cakes