Easy Bear Cake

 My son just had a camping themed birthday party and I wanted to make a special cake for him.  After searching the internet and Pinterest we decided that a bear cake would be perfect!  Even though this cake looks difficult, it's one of the easiest I've ever done!  You can totally do it too!

I came across an adorable polar bear cake here.  I loved it and decided it would be the cake to use as inspiration for my son's.

Here's what I did...

I made a three 8 inch round cakes, leveled them with a knife, and put buttercream frosting in between the layers.  I also made 6 large cupcakes (one for the bear...the rest for us to eat).  I frosted the bear with chocolate buttercream first.  Then I frosted one of the large cupcakes in brown tinted regular buttercream and placed it upside down on the cakes.  This became the snout.  

I used 8 store bought rice crispy treats for each ear.  I just smashed them together until they started looking like an ear.  I ended up using a knife to finish shaping them.  I frosted them with the chocolate buttercream too.  And then I stuck them next the the head so they looked like ears.

The eyebrows were made out of one small chocolate donut that I cut in half and then in half again (length wise to get a flat bottom).  I also frosted the donut with chocolate buttercream.

Next I smoothed some brown tinted regular buttercream on the ears for the middle sections.  Then I used Wilton tip 233 to cover the bear in fur.  I started on the back of his head at the bottom.  I covered his head in rows working across the bottom then moving up.    I continued  adding fur until the entire bear was covered.  You want to start low and work high so the fur lays on top of each section.  That's what makes it look real.  I took breaks while making the fur...my hand was killing me.  You might want to make your frosting on the slightly thinner side to avoid a cramped hand!  Or plan to do it in sections.

I tried to think about the direction his fur would go and made sure to pipe in the right direction.  

The eyes and nose are made out of Wilton melting chocolates.  I rubbed them with my fingers so the chocolate would heat up just enough to be shiny.  The nose is two made from two pieces of chocolate cut and then rubbed together with my fingers.  

Finally, I took a couple pieces of white Wilton chocolates, melted them, and placed a small white dot on each eye.  

And that's it!  

Here are a few more shots from different angles.

 Happy baking!