Jhatka Barney

What can I say about A? We have known each other since my mother was about as old as I am now. She knows me better than most people. She knows when I am not paying attention, she even knows what I am preoccupied with, when I am not paying attention. For example one afternoon when we got together to study Macbeth after college, I was nodding my head pretending to be fully engrossed in the toil and trouble of the witches, A was the only one who knew that in reality I was following the goings on in the television serial my mother was watching in the next room. 

We have done some crazy things together, including skipping college to get autographs from the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams, and watching a match at Feroz Shah Kotla and then walking halfway across Delhi to get home instead of taking a bus because we were so busy chattering away. Okay, perhaps that doesn't make any sense to you or you cannot understand why it should be important, but it is. A was also extremely instrumental in bringing my husband and I together. We are so alike that when we applied for our first job (together of course) I had made both our resumes and the interviewer commented that my resume was exactly the same as that of the girl who just left. We both got the job. We have been there for each other in much more trying times, but those details are not necessary for this blog. She knows and I know and that is enough.

A knows me inside and out. In fact she knows so much about me that I might have to kill her. But A, I know as much about you so it all goes to the grave sister, to the grave. 

It is probably because she knows me so well that I was able to give her instructions on how to make a Barney cake via Whatsapp and she was able to follow them as if she were using my hands to bake the cake.

It is her daughter's birthday. And she loves Barney. So A made a Barney cake from scratch. This is the first time she has ever decorated a cake. Since she sent me camera phone photographs of every stage I am going to use them as a tutorial for creating a cake with any character on the top. 

You will need Fondant or Marzipan, food colours, A rolling pin, a cake, Buttercream or Ganache, an icing spatula and Fondant smoothers (if possible)

The first step is to take a printout of the character you want on the cake. This has to be done a few days before the party. Choose an outline (search on google by colouring pages). You can make it as detailed as you like but to start with, pick a simple character. Cut around the outlines and make sure it fits the way you want it to, on your cake tin. increase or reduce the size of the image accordingly.

For Barney here, we need to take two printouts. Cut one around the outer edge of the body and cut out just the belly from the other printout.

Colour you Marzipan or Fondant in the required colour (in this case purple and green) and roll out the fondant, don't roll too thin. Place the cutouts on top of the fondant. 

Now using a very sharp and thin paring knife, gently cut around the edges taking care not to stretch the fondant out of shape

You may mess up, but that is alright! just start over.

It doesn't need to be perfect. you can smooth out the edges later. A has however done a perfect job.

the eyes, mouth, feet and other such details can be made with fondant or with Writing Icing easily available in the market

remember to practise on a plate before attempting to decorate the real thing. A is a fast learner.

After you have added the details, let your finished figure harden slightly overnight.

Now on to the cake. Bake it and cover it in Buttercream or Ganache as smoothly as you can. A did a much better job than I ever manage.

Now roll out enough marzipan to cover the cake. To calculate the diameter of the circle you need to roll out, take the diameter of the cake and add the height of the sides times two. For example to cover an 8 inch round cake that is 2 inches high you need to roll the fondant to a round of at least 12 inches diameter an extra inch for safety so 13 inches. Use lots of icing sugar or cornflour to prevent the fondant from sticking to the surface but try not to get too much of it on the top.  Dab some jam diluted in water over the ganache to give the marzipan something to stick to and cover your cake. Add the fondant cut out figure to the top, write a little message...

...Voila! 

And this my friends is the recipe for one very happy little baby and one very proud best friend. Happy birthday little one! It is not as easy peazy as A makes it look. You should see my first attempt at decorating a cake. No, I don't intend to let that photograph see the light of day, EVER. You should try it however. It may not be as abso-bloomin-lutly fantastic as hers but I am sure it will be superb. So Whatsapp me!