3D Monkey Cake

by Theresa Peters
(Thompson, Manitoba, Canada)

My daughter LOVES Monkeys so for her 2nd birthday I wanted to make a monkey cake. I had read all over the web that you could make a monkey from the 3D Wilton Teddy Bear Pan... no one had a picture or instructions... so I tried anyway. It turned out a bit chubby but cute!

I baked the cake as per the teddy bear cake pan instructions and let it cool. Here's my recipe (don't just follow the box for a 3D cake! It needs to be heavier) Allow it to cool.

1 cake mix ( no pudding )
1 pk pudding mix (pick your flavor)
1 cup yogurt / sour ceam
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup whole / buttermilk
4 eggs
2 Tbsp liquid (juice, water...)

Then I cut off the ears, legs, and arms.

I made Rice Krispie Cake and shaped it into the body parts I needed for a monkey - including the tail. Monkeys have long arms and legs and ears on the sides of their heads. The rice krispie mix just sticks to the cake no problem. Then I chilled it.

I frosted it all with buttercream - keeping it rough and fur like. Here's my buttercream recipe (you can scale it down if you need less):
2 cups butter (1 lb)
6 tsp vanilla
8 tbsp milk
7 cups icing sugar (1 kg less 1 cup)
1 cup flour (or more)
First cream the butter, then add the rest of ingredients and whip well. The flour makes it less sweet.

I used buttercream to do all the details!