Elmo's Bursting to Celebrate Cake

Step 1

In advance: Make fondant paper bursts, hands and crayon.

For paper bursts: Add 3/4 teaspoon Gum-Tex to 8 oz. fondant; tint Lemon Yellow. Roll out 1/8 in. thick; using pattern, cut 24 bursts. Let dry on large flower formers dusted with cornstarch.

For crayon: Add 1/4 teaspoon Gum-Tex to 2 oz. fondant; tint Lemon Yellow/Golden Yellow combination. Roll a 3/4 in. diameter log and form top end into cone shape. With edge of knife, score top of log 3/4 in. from tip. Tint 1 oz. of fondant black, roll out 1/16 in. thick. Cut 2 strips 1/16 x 2 1/2 in. long; wrap around scored area of crayon and attach with damp brush.

For hands: Add 1 teaspoon Gum-Tex to 12 oz. fondant and tint Red-Red/Christmas Red combination. Divide in half; roll each half into a ball. Using lollipop stick, indent to form three fingers on each; shape and smooth. For left hand, cut slit in back with knife and separate slightly to fit crayon. Let all pieces dry overnight.

Step 2

Also: Make Elmo candy plaque.

Step 3

Prepare 2-layer round cakes for Stacked Construction and rolled fondant . Tint 80 oz. fondant blue and 60 oz. yellow; cover cakes and smooth with Fondant Smoothers.

Step 4

Draw scribbles on each cake with FoodWriter markers. For letters, tint 1 1/2 oz. fondant each: rose, orange, green. Tint 1 1/2 oz. of remaining blue and yellow fondant darker shades than used to cover cake. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick; cut message using cutters from set. Attach letters with damp brush. Pipe tip 3 lines on letters in buttercream.

Step 5

For borders: Roll 1/4 in. diameter logs of blue and yellow fondant. Cut logs into 3/4 in. pieces; roll each into a ball and attach to base of cake with dots of icing. Insert candy plaque in cake top. Insert lollipop stick into hand with crayon; insert in cake. Position other hand. Attach paper bursts with melted yellow candy.

*Combine Lemon Yellow with Golden Yellow for yellow covering cake. Combine Leaf Green with Lemon Yellow for green letters. Combine Christmas Red with Red-Red and a small amount of black for red hands.