Pirate Cake Recipes

GHOSTLY PIRATE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. , Cut two pieces from the lower edges of each cake, forming a pirate's head (save small pieces for another use)., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth., Place one cake layer on a serving platter; top with 1/2 cup frosting; top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. , For pirate's bandanna, place Fruit Roll-Ups over top edge of cake. Tint coconut with black food coloring; sprinkle over chin for goatee. Decorate pirate's features with assorted candies.

TREASURE CHEST BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• In two batches, prepare and bake cakes according to package directions, using two greased and floured 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to cool on wire racks., In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in the chocolate, vanilla, confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Center one cake on a 16-in. x 12-in. covered board; frost top. Top with remaining cake; frost top and sides of cake. With a metal spatula, smooth frosting to resemble boards., For chest lid, insert 4-in. skewers equally spaced into one long side of corrugated cardboard lid. Frost top of lid. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert star tip #21. Pipe a shell border on edges of lid and for handles on side of chest., Place one 7-1/2-in. skewer on each side of cake top, about 3-1/2 in. from back of chest. Position lid over cake; gently insert short skewers into cake about 1 in. from back of chest. Rest lid on long skewers., Arrange candy in chest. Cut a small keyhole from a Fruit Roll-Up; center on front of cake. Position strips of Fruit Roll-Ups on front and back of chest.

PIRATE SHIP AND TREASURE ISLAND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 30x20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
• Put the butter and 200g of the chocolate into a saucepan and heat gently until melted. Remove from the heat. Sieve the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Mix in the sugar. Beat together the eggs, soured cream and vanilla extract. Pour the chocolate and egg mixtures into the flour and sugar and beat well until smooth. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Leave until completely cold before cutting and shaping.
• Cut the cake in half lengthways. Place one complete half on the 30cm cake board. Cut the remaining half into 3 rectangles, 13x10cm, 7x10cm and 10x10cm. Attach the 10x10cm piece to one end of the base cake using a little warm jam. Cut a 'V' shape to represent the prow of the ship. Place the 13x10 piece at the other end of the base cake, attaching with jam. Using jam again attach the 7x10 piece on top of the 13x10 piece to make the upper deck. Slice the back of the ship at a very slight angle.
• Brush the whole cake with jam. Roll out about 550g of the ready-to-roll icing and cover the cake. Trim the edges at the base and keep any trimmings.
• Melt the remaining 100g chocolate in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Use melted chocolate to stick the mini Toblerones to the edges of the two decks and to the 'V' shape of the prow. Trim any to fit exactly. Use the chocolate to stick on the chocolate balls for canon balls, finger biscuits stacked up as canons and chocolate caramels for port holes. Using a little of the marzipan, roll out and cut four windows. Make window frames from brown icing trimmings, rolling out to thin sausages to form a cross and sticking with chocolate. Attach to the sides of the ship with chocolate. Poke the chocolate stick out of the front of the prow, if using.
• Arrange the chocolate coins in a little pile on the cake board, reserving 3 or 4 coins for the top. Roll out the remaining brown icing and cover the coins completely. Brush with melted chocolate and sprinkle with muscovado sugar. Push 3 or 4 coins into the sand along with the chocolate skull if using.
• Put a little of the royal icing in a bowl. Colour the remainder blue. Spread the icing on the cake board around the ship and the island. Use the white icing to make 'surf' around the edge of the island.
• Using the remaining marzipan and brown icing, make three barrels. Place one on the deck of the ship and the others in the sea. Cut out sails from the paper and make holes in them so you can push the straws through. Attach the sails to the ship and poke sandwich flags out of the top to finish.

PIRATE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Cut cake as shown in diagram. Discard cake trimmings or reserve for snacking. Place head piece on platter; frost with 1 cup COOL WHIP.
• Beat dry pudding mix, sugar and milk with whisk 2 min. Assemble hat pieces near head as shown in photograph; frost with pudding mixture. Spoon remaining COOL WHIP into resealable plastic bag. Cut small corner off bottom of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe COOL WHIP onto hat as shown in photograph.
• Cut eye patch out of piece of sturdy colored paper or cardboard. Cut 14-inch length from red licorice. Use to "attach" eye patch to cake. Use remaining red licorice to form mouth. Decorate cake with remaining ingredients as shown in photo. Keep refrigerated.

PIRATE SHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Cut the cakes in half (like a half moon shape) and layer them, rounded sides all facing the same direction, adding a thin coat of chocolate icing between the layers.
• Trim the bottom curves of the cakes slightly to help them sit flat, then turn the cakes upright.
• Wrap the cakes in plastic and chill in the freezer to make them firmer.
• Tip: Two drinking straws stuck through the four layers of cake will help keep them together.
• Cover with the chocolate icing, then create planking lines along the hull with a butter knife. Chill at least one hour to firm the icing.
• Use dabs of icing to anchor larger wafer stick gunwales along the edge of the deck.
• Press the smaller wafer rolls into both sides of the ship for cannons.
• Cut sails from the paper, then slip them onto the skewers and set the masts in place.
• Add malted milk ball cannonballs, plenty of Rolo gold booty, and root beer barrels, then station a few pirates to keep watch.
• For safety, place the candles in the cookie cannons on the sides of the ship, far from the paper sails.
• Also, make sure that the surface on which the cake rests is impervious to wax, as the burning candles will drip.