Treasure Chest Cake

I got quite a lot of compliments for this Treasure Chest cake. It always makes me happy whenever people appreciate my work, and it is a lot of work. This cake was no exception as I was faced with the challenge of turning a soft and spongey cake into a gleaming treasure.

 

Some people have asked me why I like to share how I make my cakes and even recipes sometimes. Isn’t that bad for my business? I’ve found the opposite to be true. The more I share, the more people order! Isn’t that wonderful? I’m not really a business person but something bothers me whenever people are obsessed with money money money. I know it’s important but not as important as the love, trust, and company of great people and a good name. How I wish I understood this when I was younger!!!

 

Anyway, back to our Treasure Chest Cake!

 

The base of the treasure chest is made of cake and the cover is made of styrofoam. I covered both with brown fondant and drew lines across them to have the illusion of wood grain.

 

Front view

Back view

 

I drew each and every line which was tedious but I’m happy with the result. For those who want an easier way of doing this, I found this site online, Sugarcraft, that sells woodgrain mats. These are mats used on fondant or a crusting buttercream that will leave different kinds of impressions.  What a great invention! (For cake decorators at least.) You should check out their site. They have most, if not all of the baking tools you’ll ever need for cake decorating. It really is a Baker’s Paradise, as their motto says.

 

Different kinds of Impression Mats from Sugarcraft, Inc.

 

For the sand, I added tan buttercream icing plus muscovado sugar (a type of unrefined brown sugar with a strong molasses flavor) around the treasure chest. For the treasures, I just added gold chocolate coins, gold chocolate nuggets, and mini-M&Ms to add color. And lastly, I situated Lucas’ name, covered with metallic dust, in front of the treasure chest and the gold coins to make it seem like its a treasure waiting to be discovered.There you go! A golden treasure waiting to be eaten.

 

Speaking of treasures waiting to be discovered, let me end with this story. As I was searching for pictures of treasure chests in Google, I typed the word treasure chest and somehow I came across this website, Bible Treasure Chest. I clicked on it and the first thing that caught my eye was the story of the Faith of a Little Child.

The story talks about the faith of a little child who wanted to have a green trike. Because of his and his mom’s prayers, it was given to them. I know it’s a simple story, but it really touched me. (Of course this is coming from someone who cries in every movie!) It touched me because it reminded of the many answered prayers I’ve had the last two years, specific prayer requests answered at the right time. As I mentioned in past blogs, being a single mom includes a whole lot of juggling, and there really is no way to make this work without God’s faithfulness. He is faithful even when we’re not. That is God’s treasure for us all, His faithfulness.

 

Treasure Chest Cake for Lucas