Cake Decorating

Here are a few of the birthday cakes that I've created in the past for my kids.  The Strawberry Shortcake design was for my daughter's 4th birthday.  For all of cakes, I've used my Mom's recipe for Buttercream Icing.

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I prefer Raleigh's brand)
1/8 tsp salt
5 cups powdered sugar (roughly equivalent to 1 lb box)
1/4 cup milk (slightly more if spreading across cake)

Cream butter and Crisco with mixer.  Add salt and vanilla.  Gradually add sugar, then milk.  Alternate sugar and milk until 1 lb box of sugar is empty (then add remaining milk as needed for desired consistency).

My daughter's choice for her 3rd birthday was Ariel from the Disney movie Little Mermaid.  My son's choice for his 3rd birthday was Buzz Lightyear from the Disney movie Toy Story.

For my daughter's 1st birthday, I used a Peter Rabbit mold to match the Beatrix Potter theme in our nursery. I also used carrot cake for the batter to go along with the theme.