Beetle Cakes (updated 10/24/2011 with new pics)

[Pretty in Pink]

There seems to be a theme for me posting on Craftster. Last post was my Sweeney Todd pie and here is my project for this year. I do have another non-halloween project on the go which I'll post when I'm finished  

Anyway, my husband's workmates are always asking me to bake for them. They are often the recipients of recipes I've been testing in the kitchen for my job. This time I thought I've give them something with a creepy twist.

The cakes are just basic chocolate sponge topped with chocolate buttercream with a bit of black food colouring to darken the colour and the edible dirt topping is crushed Oreos. As for the beetles I made them from marzipan and modelled them on cockroaches, scarab beetles and a generic beetle   The first one I made had eyes that made it look too cute so I ditched the eyes on the others. I then dusted them with a bit of lustre to give them a shine. I also experiemented with making centipedes, but they were time consuming and didn't look as good.

To make the beetles:
First knead black food colouring into the marzipan until evenly coloured. Pinch off a Malteser sized piece of marzipan and roll into a rugby ball shape. Place on a piece of clingfilm and gently press to flatten. Shape into a beetle shape. Mark the head and wings using a teaspoon. Add additional detail with a knife and cocktail stick. Brush lightly with lustre dust. Roll six mini sausages out of the marzipan about 1.5 cm long. Attach two of the legs near the head and the other four to the rear. Leave on the clingfilm to dry for  few hours.

Gross fact: black marzipan when accidentally rolled the wrong way looks suspiciously like mouse/rat/bat droppings. While this could have given the cakes a rather disturbing twist I didn’t think the recipients of the cakes would appreciate it or ever ask me to bake for them again!

Go to Page 3 of the thread to see the 2011 version of these cakes

[marleymiss]

these look amazing!! Although I'm not sure if I could put one in my mouth, they look so realistic!! Good job.

[Dra]

Those are amazing.
But the last one creeps me out it looks so real

[Knickertwist]

Soooo fantastic! I can't believe you made those creepy crawlies!

[lancmaltby]

These look amazing!!!!! Great Job~

[new_bee]

They look really amazing. So real. And creepy Great Job!

[LuvaMyChevy]

you did an awesome job, they look soooo good

[rackycoo]

These look all too real! I featured this project on Craftster's Facebook page today. Thanks for sharing. 

[CrysTvsky]

I would love to see their reactions to the cupcakes. Awesome...in a creepy sort of way.

[Pretty in Pink]

Thank you for the comments. I'm not bothered about minibeasts as the dissertation part of my degree was all about them, however it turns out one of my Husbands workmates was a bit freaked out by the cakes! I will admit I had the centipede one and struggled to eat the marzipan centipede, it just felt wrong.