Surprise your guitar-lover in your family with a cake shaped like a guitar on their birthday.They are more unique than a standard round or rectangular cake, and are easy to make.Once you bake a sheet cake, all you need to do is cut it in the shape of a guitar and decorate it with buttercream frosting.
Step 1: You can make a guitar shape out of the poster paper for your cake.
Look up pictures of guitars online.You can sketch out the shape of your guitar on a sheet of poster paper.Once you are done, cut the guitar out.Make sure that your template is the same size as you want your cake to be.Don't worry about the sound hole, tuning pegs, and strings on the guitar.The focus should be on the outline.
Step 2: A sheet cake.
To find a baking pan that matches the size of the guitar body, you need to measure its height and width.Find a cake recipe that you like and bake it in that pan.You can use the scraps to make the neck and head of the guitar.You can bake a second sheet cake if you don't think you have enough.Whatever recipe you want, use it.You could use a boxed mix.The flatter the cake will be, the larger the baking pan is.You can bake 2 sheet cakes if you want a taller cake.You can stack them instead of cutting them in half.
Step 3: Place the template on the cake board.
Take the cake out of the pan after 10 to 15 minutes.Place the guitar body template on top of the cake board.A cake board is a large sheet of cardboard.The baking section of a craft store is where you can find it.Don't worry about the neck and head of the guitar.You should place the template so that you have enough for the neck and head.
Step 4: Cut around the template with scissors.
Hold the template down with one hand and use the other to cut it.The body of the guitar can be left if you remove the scraps.The template should be removed as well.If you make 2 sheet cakes for a taller cake, do this step twice.
Step 5: The neck and head should be created by cutting the rest of the cake.
Depending on how much cake you have left, you may need to cut the neck and head in several parts.Try your best and work with what you have.Save the rest of the scraps and use them to make cake pops.If you make 2 sheet cakes for a taller guitar cake, repeat this step.
Step 6: Take the cake and slice it in half.
Place your hand on top of the cake.You can slice the cake in half by using your other hand.Put the top half of the cake away.To make 2 thin cakes, you're slicing the cake in half.Don't chop it in half.If you make a tall guitar cake, skip this step.You will be stacking them together.
Step 7: Put the pieces together to make a guitar shape.
The guitar body should be moved towards the end of the cake board.Place the neck above the guitar body.Make sure the pieces are touching.
Step 8: The bottom of the cake should be covered with cake filling.
You can use any type of frosting or filling you want.You can add some strawberries to the frosting.It's important to apply a thick layer of frosting from edge to edge.The first cake should be covered with frosting if you baked 2 sheet cakes.You can't see the texture of the cake beneath it if the filling is thick.You should be able to make peaks with a spatula.
Step 9: The other half of the cake is on top.
Set the second sheet cake on top if you baked 2 sheet cakes.Press down on the cake to make sure it sticks.The frosting will gush out if you press down hard.A light touch is all you need.
Step 10: The sides and top of the cake should be covered with buttercream frosting.
You can tint the buttercream frosting using an oil-based food coloring.To spread a thick layer of frosting across the top of the cake, use a cake decorating spatula.If the cake is not completely cooled before you do this, the frosting will melt.If you have trouble frosting the cake, apply a thin coat of frosting first.Apply the rest of the frosting after the cake has been refrigerated for 30 minutes.
Step 11: You can smooth the frosting with a paper towel.
Wait about 15 to 20 minutes for the frosting to set.Put a smooth, pattern-less paper towel against the side and smooth it down with your hand.When the frosting is all smoothed out, repeat this over the top and sides of the cake.If your frosting is smooth, you don't have to do this.Dust the paper towel with powdered sugar if it sticks to the cake.
Step 12: You can draw designs on the frosting with toothpicks.
Think of it as a coloring book page.The sound hole can be created with a large cookie cutter or glass.To sketch out the fret and bridge, use a toothpick.Don't worry about sketching the strings.The horizontal lines should be drawn on the neck.There are shaped cookie cutters that you can use to add "painted" designs to your guitar.Use cookie cutters or toothpicks to make designs on the guitar's body.
Step 13: Colored buttercream frosting is used to outline your designs.
Attach a piping bag with a small tip and fill it with your desired color of frosting.The outlines of your designs can be piped onto the frosting.You can make the designs any color you want.Black is a good color for the sound hole.Don't worry about the strings.However, pipe the fret.Black or white are good colors.
Step 14: If you want to smooth the frosting out, fill in the outlines with more frosting.
The small round tip should be switched out for a larger one.Use a cake decorating spatula to smooth out any bumps or ridges as you pipe the frosting into your outlines.The filling should be the same color as the outline.If you outline the sound hole in black, use black for the filling.Consider painting flowers.
Step 15: White frosting is used to create the strings.
Attach a piping bag with a small tip and fill it with white buttercream frosting.The frosting should be piped onto the neck and head.The lines should be extended past the sound hole and onto the bridge.Use long pieces of floral wire instead.They should be removed before serving the guitar.
Step 16: Add tuning keys to the head from fondant.
Stick the tuning keys onto toothpicks.The toothpicks should be pushed into the top of the guitar.There are keys on each side of the head.Take a picture of the guitar keys to see what they should look like.The keys are a little flattened.It's a good choice for this to be white, black, or gray fondant.You can use cake decorating dust to tint the keys.Alternatively, pipe the keys directly onto the cake board.