Hobbies And Interests
Design
Before you can begin on your hunting cake, you'll have to choose a basic design. Include your hunter's favorite prey, such as a bear, deer, duck or turkey. Determine whether you're going to make the cake in the shape of an animal, or bake a sheet cake and decorate it in an elaborate fashion with specific icing techniques and store-bought figures. You can also create an airbrushed design if you have the equipment and know-how. Create a rough or detailed sketch so you have your plan down on paper and can refer to it as needed.
Decorations
While the taste and texture of your cake is important, it's the decorations and embellishments that really make a hunting cake eye-catching. Consult hobby shops, cake decorating shops and online resources to locate figures of hunters, guns, brush and animals. In lieu of store-bought figures, create your own by using rolled fondant. Use food coloring to tint the fondant the appropriate shades, and form it into any shape you desire. Use special decorating tips and icing techniques to create embellishments on your cake. Use a multi-opening tip with small, round holes to create grass; a basket weave tip to create a winding stream; and rose and shell tips to create bushes and shrubs.
Colors
Some colors work better on a hunting cake than others. You'll probably want a variety of greens, browns and tans. Opt for khaki, olive, forest green, moss and other shades that mimic shades found in nature. Consult a color chart when you need to know which colors to mix to arrive at the shade you want. Consider making a camouflage cake by interspersing patches of light green, dark green, khaki and brown. Ensure that you have white icing for snow-covered hills and blue for a lake or winding stream.
Words and Sentiments
It's easy to get carried away when you create a hunting cake and forget to allow space for a heartfelt sentiment or words of well-wishes on the surface. Determine beforehand what you want to say, and ensure that you leave space for the words. Go with something simple like "Happy Birthday Dad," or put a twist on it and say "Happy Hunting Stan" instead. When you want to tease your hunter, choose words like "The One That Got Away" or "Better Luck Next Time" and make a trail of animal prints that disappear off the edge of the cake.