A Diet Coke Birthday Cake

Recently I received an e-mail inquiring about a birthday cake for a woman who is a local triathlete, lover of DC, and in no stretch of the word “extraordinary”! She’s turning 50 and celebrating much more than just a number. This birthday girl was a recent Ironman Arizona finisher AND she hiked Mount. Kilimanjaro earlier this year! That’s one heck of a year, that alone during the year you turn the big 5-0! I was more convinced this lady was turning 35 for the 15th time… and therefore how could I say no to a cake for a person like this?

But why a giant Diet Coke can? Well apparently the e-mail inquirer is a good friend and fellow triathlete who after all of their big races together they share a celebratory “Diet Coke”! Like I said, how can I say no to a friend like that? (I guess that means when The Boss turns 50 I’m be making him a giant McFlurry Cake!) 

So off to work I went to re-create a very well recognized object… there was a little bit of pressure there. Some things are subject to “creative perspective”, Diet Coke cans, not so much!

First thing is first, we have to make this look more like a can of pop and not just a straight log of cake. Time to get out the carving knife!

Once the top of the pop can is carved I actually popped the cake into the fridge for about 20 minutes to get the buttercream and cake time to rest and harden up a little.

Covering a cake that is slightly firm is a lot easier than a soft one! But don’t worry, then cake doesn’t dry out in the fridge because you have covered it was a phenomenal delicious protective coating of buttercream! 

Times up!

Once the cake was covered in fondant it was begging for some color! Although I was pretty happy with how the shape of the can was turning out, I don’t think anyone would buy that the Diet Coke can was “supposed” to be stark white.

Bless that air brush; that was almost magical! A perfectly smooth paint job of (edible) silver metal was definitely what this cake needed! Other than its Logo…

Happy Birthday Kidd… and here’s to 50 kicking 49 right in butt  :)

Bon Appétit!

Posted in: Birthday, Cakes, Occasions