Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!

Submitter's Comments:
Hello everyone! Elizabeth and Nicole here with this year's cake entry - a mechanical flying whale! As it turns out, baking a cake in triple-digit heat index weather in an apartment without central air presents a few . . . difficulties . . . when working with fondant and icing, but in the end, we prevailed! Also, slightly melty cake just tastes better anyway.

So, for this design, we built a four-layer cake from 8-inch round layers of yellow cake and carved the stack into whale shape, using the chunks of removed cake to build out the extension for the tail. We iced the cake in cream cheese icing for added deliciousness. We then mixed up some marshmallow fondant in varying shades of blue, leaving our hands stained a disturbingly smurf-ish color the rest of the day. After laying down a white sheet of fondant for the mecha-baleen, we covered the rest of the whale in a patchwork of blue fondant shapes.

Now that the basic form was established, we got to the details. We embellished each of the panels on the body with bolt holes, created with a toothpick. We also textured the mecha-baleen. The tail propeller, pipes, eye porthole, flipper sails, and blowhole stack were all created with fondant and attached. The unfortunate seagulls were also created with fondant and the details were added using food coloring markers. We brushed over parts of the whale with silver decorating dust to enhance the metallic feel, and as a finishing touch, we used white cotton candy for the steam and clouds. We had to photograph the cake immediately afterwards since the humidity was causing the cotton candy to dissolve faster than a snowball in the Sahara. A few photos later, we finally hacked into our creation and enjoyed some delicious, melty cake! Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

We're so impressed by all the cakes submitted to this contest! You guys inspire us to learn new cake tricks all the time. Cheers to sweet success!