A couple weeks ago I came upon the new octopus cake pan that had just become available at Williams-Sonoma. I nearly put up a post about it, even, just because it was so nifty and the decorated sample cake pictured with the pan (image at left) was so pretty (and also because it reminded me of all the elaborately decorated shaped cakes my mother baked for my and my brother's birthdays when we were kids).
Well, internets, I should have known we couldn't give you anything nice without you ruining it in a spectacularly hilarious fashion. Behold the awesomely clever demon spawn of the new octopus cake and the long historical tradition of the creepy, creepy doll cake:
The tentacle hentai birthday cake.
And it's gluten-free and vegan! I laughed for about ten minutes, and every time I look at the pictures I start all over again. No, I don't think the development team had this in mind when that cake pan was manufactured. And strangely, you can't buy the pan at Williams-Sonoma any longer....
Wow I'm glad you liked my cake! The octopus pan was a really good investment. It actually tasted really really good too after all. An entire bag of Ghiradelli chocolate chips in the ganache will do that. :)
Posted by: Franny | September 09, 2007 at 05:04 PM
I think it's just genius, Franny. I was trying to explain to Chimp (my husband) about how I imagined your moment of inspiration - holding the half-body of the doll pick in one hand and the octopus pan in the other and saying, "Yes. Yes, this could work..." Had you already had the doll pick before the octopus pan? How did the inspiration come about? (Forgive me if this is in your LJ and I missed it by not reading back.)
The ganache sounds great! Have you posted your recipe for the cake and frosting anywhere? I'd be curious how a gluten-free vegan cake goes together.
Also, If you like Ghiradelli, you should see if you can find Scharffenberger chocolate sometime. I use it in my vegan chocolate frosting all the time and just love it.
Posted by: Jocelyn | September 09, 2007 at 05:19 PM
Actually I only posted the real "foodie" details about the cake on the Post Punk Kitchen forums. The recipe for the cake batter is the "vanilla gluten freedom" cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, except doubled and baked for an hour (it probably only needed 50 minutes, or an hour at a slightly lower temp, the top cracked a bit). It's a rice/corn/quinoa/tapioca flour base with some flaxseed too.
The ganache recipe comes Vegan with a Vengeance (my favorite cookbook, my copy is gravy-stained) except I tripled it. There was a layer of sugar glaze that I was worried went horribly wrong but actually I think kept the ganache moist, the recipe for which came with the cake pan, that was nothing special, mostly just a bunch of sugar boiled in water to make a syrup and then brushed on.
I bought the marzipan and colored it, and I STILL have purple under my fingernails, that stuff is TENACIOUS like Jack Black. And, the buttercream I piped on for the border and the suckers and the pasties on the doll was just a stiff improvised frosting using powdered sugar, vanilla, food coloring, and Spectrum brand palm oil shortening (which I LOVE working with, Crisco is a nightmare).
And, as far as where I got the idea, I already knew about "half a barbie on a stick" from spending a lot of time in the cake decorating aisle at Jo-Ann Fabrics...the inspiration hit me when I got the Williams and Sonoma catalogue (it is my very favorite store, even though I can barely afford anything...it's all so shiny...). I'm so glad I bought the pan when I did!
Anyway, I'm glad to have found your blog through this business, part of me wants to go "woo chronic illness" because I have IBS and food sensitivities and one of my really good friends has CFIDS and chemical sensitivities and we all love eating good food and talking about our ailments. Um, go team? Sorry to write a novel in the comments!
Posted by: Franny | September 09, 2007 at 06:31 PM
Aww, Amy and I had many a creepy, creepy doll cake growing up! Not made by our mother, of course, who takes no joy in the kitchen, but by a neighborhood lady who also supplied our Big Bird and Cookie Monster cakes. Awww, I love fancy cakes!
Posted by: Karen | September 10, 2007 at 06:58 AM
Wow, Franny, thanks for all the details. I'll have to check the PPK boards to see your posting there.
Oh, Karen, one of these years when we're in the same place on your birthday I'll have to make you a Lisa Simpson cake. Or maybe one of your longtime favorite musicians - how about a Belle & Sebastian cake?
Posted by: Jocelyn | September 10, 2007 at 09:27 AM
Hysterical... and oh so creepy! LOL!
Posted by: Candace | September 13, 2007 at 06:13 AM
Oh, that doll cake! Do you take her torso out before cutting? Wouldn't that scare the kids? You could make it with red velvet cake, heehee.
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Posted by: Reklamist_One | October 12, 2008 at 12:27 AM