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Practically Perfect DISNEY Crafting: Disney Themed Wilton Cakes

Hi Everyone! Disney Planes (“from above the world of Cars“) is on its way into theaters and that got me thinking about Disney Themed Wilton Cakes. I’ve made Cars character cakes for my Disney/PIXAR-loving nephew and nieces for the past 3 years. Now that they are excited for Planes, I somehow get the feeling I’ll be moving on to Bravo and Echo next.
I’m not an expert on these cakes, at all, by any means, but you put a #32 Star Tip in my hand and, as Buddy Valastro would say, “It’s go time!”
Have you thought about making a Wilton character cake, but didn’t know where to begin? You can take some of the ideas here and apply them to your favorite character.PPDC Disney Themed Wilton Cakes Holley Shiftwell

Is it go time for you, too? Let’s get decorating, together!

First, gather your basic items:
• Wilton Disney or Disney/PIXAR character pan instructions (included sheet or you can click here to find them online) and all items called for on them
• Pre-baked cake using your chosen Wilton pan
• Food Coloring (I use the Wilton gel pots)
• Couplers (to secure decorator tips to icing bags~you can change the tips a lot easier this way. Please remember to match brands to brands~Wilton with Wilton, Betty Crocker with Betty Crocker)
• Ziploc Bags (with a corner snipped off) or Decorating Bags for icing
• Small prep bowls to mix your icings
• 2 Tubs of Duncan Hines Homestyle Frosting in White Vanilla (which I use instead of the Wilton brand tubs of icing)

Additional items to inspire you:PPDC Disney Themed Wilton Cakes Lightning McQueen
• A color reference photo of a Disney or Disney/PIXAR character
• Decorator Star Tip #32
• Wilton Sparkle Gel (this amazing stuff seems to have been made just to capture those signature PIXAR eyes)
• Wilton/Pillsbury/Betty Crocker/Cake Mate Decorator Icing Tubes (for smaller areas on cake)

Method:
I don’t have a real method here. I ice my cake using the pan’s instructions as a rough guide but, then toggle to my reference photo. So, read through my post first and use whichever ideas you like for your own creations. Then look at photos of your characters and apply what you think is best. The most fun of these cakes are coming up with your own style.

As far as icing goes, it isn’t always easy to work with homemade buttercream on this type of cake. I also do not use the Wilton Method Icing or the tubs of it you can buy at the craft store. I only use Duncan Hines Homestyle Frosting. However, the Wilton tubes are perfect for small areas that need detail and the couplers are made to fit them. If you prefer Pillsbury, Betty Crocker or Cake Mate, you can use them as well. But remember to buy the brand of couplers for whichever brand of icing tubes you use.

I created Lightning McQueen (shown completed), Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell (shown in progress) using one Lightning McQueen Wilton cake pan. If you also want to make multiple characters using one pan, all you have to do is to cut off some areas of the cake and add others. Just be sure to “glue” cake pieces down with buttercream and “dirty ice” over these areas to smooth down the crumbs. I use as large a character image as possible for an icing color and cake shape reference.

For a more classic variation on this, let’s say you are interested in making a Mickey cake but have the Disney Parks Mickey Pan instead of the Wilton brand. You can use these Wilton instructions. And if you wanted to make it into a Minnie cake, you can add a card stock or fondant bow and icing lashes atop your star work.

Almost every Wilton cake calls for the #16 Star Tip, but I now prefer to use the #32 Star Tip instead. It covers a larger surface area and I completely cover the cake with stars, instead of icing and bordering the sides.

I’m pretty sure I could devote an entire post to Wilton Sparkle Gel. As soon as I saw it in the aisles, I actually wondered if PIXAR collaborated with Wilton on developing it. Everyone always asks how I match those PIXAR eyes on the cake. One simple fabulous tube of Sparkle Gel. I love, love, love this stuff.

Remember to use your craft store coupons for discounts on the Wilton cake pans and other cake crafting tools you’ll need.

I have such a blast trying new things on these Wilton character cakes while working out the kinks. But, several flaws notwithstanding, the looks on my nephew’s or nieces’ face are enough for me…

Will you try a Disney or Disney/PIXAR character for your next cake creation?

Stay tuned for more cake and cupcake crafting ideas.

Enjoy your day and decorate away!

Disney Planes soars into a theater near you on August 9th.

There will not be a Practically Perfect DISNEY Crafting post next week, but I’ll be back the following week with craft inspirations from Disneyland and the 2013 D23 Expo! See you then!

For Fran Cassano, paper crafts have kept the magic of Disney a part of her everyday life. Fran invites us capture our own memories through Practically Perfect DISNEY Crafting… Break out the tools that have been gathering dust. And let’s figure out how, together!

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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