Dora The Explorer Cake: Very Simple and With Minimal Fondant

This Dora the Explorer cake was intended to be simple and tasty.  It was made with less fondant than my usual children's cakes, because a lot of adults were to be attending the party, so I wanted to be sure the cake could appeal to both kids and adults by maximizing the overall cake flavour. 




In order to make the faces, I searched for 'Dora Colouring Pictures' and 'Boots Colouring Pictures' on Google.  I found some in approximately the right sizes and printed them. 

Then I cut the paper pictures out.  I used these printed images to create a pattern.  Then I coloured various pieces of fondant in the traditional colours for Boots and Dora, rolled them out (on a dusting of icing sugar to prevent sticking), and used the paper pattern to cut out the shapes.


I also made small chocolate-flavoured fondant balls because the kids like to pick them off and eat them first. Simply roll out a long strip of fondant and then cut many pieces in the same size.  Roll each piece in the ball of your hands to create small balls and place around the base of the cake.

What's on the Outside?
The icing is a delicious whipped milk chocolate truffle with peanut butter.  I made a milk chocolate truffle (poured 1/2 cup hot cream over 8 ounces of milk chocolate and stirred until smooth) and let it cool to room temperature. I then whipped it until it was fluffy and added 1 cup of peanut butter. I let it set then whipped it again before spreading and piping it. With this icing, you must spread it immediately.  If you let it sit, it will stiffen and set again.

What`s inside?  A moist vanilla cake with two kinds of chocolate chips (organic milk and dark chocolate), and peanut butter buttercream icing (just butter, canola oil, icing sugar and peanut butter.

All ready for a summertime backyard birthday party!