Vegetable Garden Birthday Cake and Creamy Orange Filling

For 'Lil Lass' fourth birthday recently, she chose a "Pansy and Garden" cake theme, complete with rows of veggies, fruits, real pansy flowers and baby gummy worms.  I think she chose this theme due to the pansies she's been caring for that she started from seed in February, and because she has enjoyed helping to plant our veggie garden.  And who doesn't like gummy worms? 

This cake was just a delight to make.  I started off by sketching out my preliminary plans about two months in advance, and made a list of what I would need.  Next, about two weeks in advance, I began to make my fondant accessories; pumpkins, peas, tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, lettuce heads, strawberries, tomatoes, corn, ladybugs and mushrooms.  Of course, 'Lil Lass helped me roll out the fondant veggies, while 'Lil Bit played with playdoh.  It was perfect: Mommy got some work done, and the girls had fun playing at the same time!  Than, I made the slats for the white picket fence.  I wanted all of these to dry a bit before I actually put the cake together, especially the white picket fence.

Than, the actual cake itself.  'Lil Lass chose a marble cake with orange filling. Isn't that an interesting combination for an almost four year old to choose?!  We baked the marble cake a couple of days in advance.  'Lil Lass loved helping me make the cake, and marbling the batter.  In case you were wondering, I cheated and fixed up a couple of boxed cake mixes.  :)  I baked the two cakes in a 15x10 inch cookie sheet, as I wanted a large flat surface to put the garden on.

For the orange filling 'Lil Lass wanted, I decided to make a cream cheese/buttercream/orange type filling/frosting.  It ended up being just delicious.  Creamy, and sweet with a nice bit of tang from the cream cheese and orange zest.  Look for the recipe at the end!

The day before her birthday, I torted the cake with the creamy orange filling and put on a crumb coat. Than, finally the big day was here!  I was able to put everything together and have the fun of seeing my vision come to life.

I put a thin layer of buttercream over the crumb coat, and rolled out light brown fondant to cover the cake with.  Than, I attached the picket fence with white buttercream.  I used green in a grass tip to create rows, and "planted" the veggies and fruits.  For the dirt, I used crushed chocolate cookies.  As a side note, I did not make the sunflowers or the gummy worms, but everything else was handmade.

Thank you for visiting our "garden!"



Creamy Orange Cake Filling/Frosting

• 3 oranges, zested and juice saved (should be about 1/2 cup juice)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 package cream cheese, 8 ounces, softened
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 - 2 teaspoons orange extract, depending on how "orangey" your oranges taste
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder (this is optional, but I like the extra tang it gives the filling)
• 8 - 10 cups powdered sugar
• a couple of drops orange food coloring (optional)

In saucepan, mix orange juice, orange zest and sugar.  Bring to a boil and let simmer about 10 minutes or until a bit thicker. Remove from stove and let cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, cream butter and cream cheese.  Mix until creamy.  Add orange syrup mixture, orange extract, buttermilk powder and food coloring if desired and mix well.  Gradually add powdered sugar and mix on high speed until mixture is fluffy and light.  I mixed mine for 4 - 5 minutes.

Note: I purchased my buttermilk powder from Amazon. I love using it when I make cream cheese frosting.