How to Make a Cake Decorated Like Terra Cotta Flower Pots

Bake an edible terracotta flower pot for your next celebration.

Surprise your guests or a lucky birthday girl with a cake that resembles a realistic terra cotta flower pot. Since the cake and frosting will be concealed by the cake decorations, you can choose your favorite flavors without fear of detracting from the cake's flower pot appearance. Sprinkle cookie crumb "dirt" around the base of the cake and add a small hand spade or pair of gardening gloves to complete the terra cotta pot effect.

Things You'll Need

• Cake mix
• Cake pans
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Toothpicks
• Ready-to-use fondant
• Terra cotta food coloring
• Wire rack
• Cake board
• Frosting
• Wax paper
• Rolling pin
• Knife
• Paintbrush
• Chocolate cookies
• Green food coloring
• Pretzel rods
• Flower cookie cutter

Instructions

Cake

1. Prepare two boxes of any flavor cake mix according to the package directions. Divide the batter between four 8-inch round cake pans sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Bake the cakes at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Remove the cake pans from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans.

3. Purchase two 24 oz. packages of ready-to-use white fondant. Open one of the packages and remove half of the fondant. Store this fondant in a resealable bag for later use.

4. Open the remaining package of fondant. Knead together one full package and one half package of fondant to form a large ball.

5. Dip a toothpick into terra cotta food coloring gel or paste. Poke the fondant ball with this toothpick in several locations to transfer the food coloring. Knead the fondant to distribute the color. Continue to add small amounts of food coloring and knead the fondant until you are satisfied with the color.

6. Invert the cake pans onto a wire rack to remove the cakes from the pans. Place one cake layer on a cake board or serving platter.

7. Spread 1/4 cup frosting onto the cake and top it with another cake. Continue to stack the cake layers with frosting between each layer to create a tall cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake.

8. Place the terra cotta colored fondant on a large piece of wax paper. Roll the fondant with a rolling pin into a large rectangle shape approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut a 29-by-8 inch rectangle from the fondant.

9. Gently wrap the fondant rectangle around the sides of the cake. Smooth the fondant with your hands to remove any wrinkles and trim the fondant as necessary with a sharp knife. Don't worry about the top of the cake at this time.

10. Cut a 29-by-2 inch rectangle from the remaining terra cotta fondant. Brush one side of the rectangle with a new paintbrush dampened in water. Wrap this rectangle around the top of the cake so that it overlaps the existing fondant by approximately 1/4 inch. Press the fondant gently to adhere it to the cake.

11. Pour crushed chocolate cookies onto the top of the cake to simulate potting soil.

Flowers

1. Tint half of the reserved white fondant with green food coloring. Roll the fondant 1/4 inch thin and wrap pieces of the fondant around pretzel sticks to create flower stems.

2. Tint the remaining white fondant with the food coloring of your choice to create flower petals. Roll the fondant out 1/2 inch thick and cut the fondant with a flower-shaped cookie cutter.

3. Place a dab of frosting on the back of the fondant flower. Press the top inch of the fondant-covered pretzel onto the frosting. Let the frosting dry and harden before you attempt to move the flower.

4. Pipe a small circle of yellow or chocolate frosting in the center of the front of the fondant flower. Add sprinkles or colored sugar for extra decoration, if desired.

5. Push the ends of the pretzel flower stems several inches into the flower pot cake.

Tips & Warnings

• Use brown and orange food coloring gel to create terra cotta colored fondant if you cannot locate terra cotta food coloring.

• Do not use liquid food coloring to tint fondant because it may thin the fondant and make it sticky and difficult to work with.

References

• Wilton: A Planters Paradise
• "What's, New Cupcake?"; Karen Tack & Alan Richardson; 2010