Alligator Cake

Posted on Feb 1st 2016

ALLIGATOR
Cake

Created & Decorated
by
Barbara Allen

This was a fun one! It’s for a going away party for a couple that is moving to Houston. The story behind the cake is that they were telling us that the #1 call to Animal Control in the part of Houston they are moving to is for alligators, so we went with that for the cake, and the “SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR! sentiment seemed rather appropriate for the occasion too!

This was a cut-up cake, but it was really not as hard as it could have been. I froze the cakes before I cut them with a serrated knife, then I dabbed on a powdered sugar/water solution on the cut edges and let that dry before I frosted the cake.

YOU CAN MAKE this alligator whatever size you want (or need to feed your crowd). I have done it with two 9x13’s (to serve 50) and I have done it with just one (to serve about 24). I’m sure it could be done with even more if needed.

I like to just “eye” things and create templates that way so I actually just looked at a stuffed animal of my kids to guesstimate the pattern for cutting out the templates I would need using card stock to make each body part – the head, tail, body and feet, and eyes (that stick up above the body).

I freeze the whole cake(s) and while they are still frozen, I use a serrated knife to cut out the pieces using my templates. Freezing cakes actually makes them MORE MOIST so don’t worry about this step! People LOVE my cakes and always want to know how they taste so good and moist. I try to freeze every cake I make - usually after it is decorated, and only for a day or two – and that freezing and thawing creates and seals in an abundance of moisture!

Anyway, after I have all the pieces arrranged on a board in the alligator shape (or ANY cut shape for that matter!) then I seal in all the crumbs with a thin icing on all cut sides, and the entire cake as well (to seal in moisture) and I let that crumb coating set up or dry completely before frosting the cake so I don’t have to deal with any crumbs in my frosting.

I spread a layer of green frosting over the entire cake and then go back over that with green stars all over and add details such as green lines down the back, black spots here and there, white teeth and eyes, and black claws on his green toes.

One time I made the alligator with a white cake but added green food coloring and the little 4-yr-old boy LOVED his ALL green alligator cake!!!

Good luck,

Barb Allen