Piano Cake

9"x13" vanilla cake, buttercream frosting, mini Kit Kat Bars

Techniques Used-shell border, star border, bead border

Focus-piano keys, music note border

This was a fun cake to do.  It was frustrating at first, because I had some technical difficulties, but otherwise, it went well.  What happened was that I planned on using white Kit Kat bars for the white piano keys, but I couldn't find them anywhere!!!  I went to all the stores I could think of, and no one sold them.  What's funny is that now I can find them everywhere, but at the time I was apparently looking in the wrong places (like Walmart?).  Anyway, I ended up using some of the remaining cake and frosting it white, and then making indentions with a toothpick.  I'm sort of glad I couldn't find the white Kit Kat bars, because I think the white keys look better this way.

Piano Keys Materials-cake, toothpick, mini Kit Kat bars or similar candy

Piano Keys Directions-Before you start, look at real piano keys or pictures of piano keys.  Notice that the black keys and white keys are different widths.  Also, most of the black keys aren't centered over two white keys.

Decide how many keys you want; I will use the numbers from the cake above, so it will be less confusing, so there are 14 white keys.  The next step will be to lightly imprint the "edges" of the keys.  You will take a toothpick and evenly divide the white portion into 14 keys.  I suggest that you make a small mark on the corner first for each key, and then when you've determined that all keys are the same size, then make a line on the top and front side. 

Get the Kit Kat bars and break the pairs apart.  Cut all of the Kit Kat bars about 1/4-1/3 from the end.  Choose a slightly longer size than what looks good to you, for you will stick some of the Kit Kat bar into the side of the cake.  Also, notice where the words "Kit Kat" are on each bar, and try not to have them on the bigger piece, or at least have it on the end that will go into the cake.  Place the Kit Kat bars by pressing them slightly into the side of the cake.

Music Note Border Materials-same sized star and round tip (I used tips 21 and 12), two colors of frosting, small round tip (I used tip 5)

Music Note Border Directions-Use two different colors of frosting so that the music notes stand out more.  I will use the tip numbers above, again, to make it less confusing.  The white frosting will be for tip 21, the blue frosting for tips 12 and 5.  You will do a tip 21 shell border, but use tip 12 for every third shell.  Once completed, make vertical lines (about 1 1/2" tall) with tip 5, starting from the right side of each round shell.  Then pipe the flag of the music note on each.  Note (no pun intended):  If you don't pipe the flag, that's a quarter note.  Another note (again, no pun intended): instead of using a flag, you can make two-eighth notes by omitting the flag and piping a horizontal line to connect two notes, or two horizontal lines to make sixteenth notes.  Have fun with it! 

This cake was decorated November 2009.