Bake An
Elephant Day Cake
Here are the steps in making your Elephant Cake. Following the diagrams are photos showing one actually being made in a home kitchen.

Step 1
Prepare two round cake layers, 8" or 9", or as large as you like, from a cake mix or scratch recipe. If you need more, make four layers so you can make the cake two layers high.

cake step 1

Step 2
Keep one cake A whole for the head. Cut the other layer B as shown if you want tusks, or as shown in C if not.

cake step 2

Step 3
Assemble your cake on a flat board or cardboard or big cookie sheet as shown. The whole round is the head. The large sections are the ears. The center strip is the trunk. The ears can be placed at any angle you prefer.

Frost the cake with your favorite flavor and color. No matter what colors you make the cake your typical elephant will still eat it. Canned frosting from the grocery can be tinted with food colors or fruit juices.

cake step 3

Step 4
Final decoration can be done with cookies for eyes. A couple of options are shown here: one cake has tusks, the other does not. The second cake has the trunk bent to make it fit a small space if space is a problem.

The first cake also has a forehead decorated with sprinkles or jelly beans in the manner of a circus elephant on parade. Do whatever makes you happy ... the elephant will still like it and probably the people too. If you're really handy with a sharp knife and cake decorating tools you can make a masterpiece. These illustrations are only a guide to how to cut and assemble the pieces into an elephant without having to find a special cake mold. This square cut design is simple enough for a child of six or seven to make with proper safety supervision. Enjoy.		 cake step 4a

cake step 4b

Now we'll see the real thing being made by four and a half year old Morgan and little sister, not quite two year, old Danielle with a small amount of help from Mom and Grampa.

1 First we gather our ingredients and equipment; cake mix, eggs, milk, mixing bowl, and so forth.

2 Next, the project managers confer on procedure while helper Mom works at the sink getting everything ready.

3 Now let's break some eggs and make this elephant cake. We're not sure how it's going to become an elephant but we're game.

4 Our batter looks smooth and very chocolate-y ... just the way we like it. Into the oven with it.

5 We've followed all the directions. Let's turn on the oven light and take a look at what's happening to our cake.

6 Now somebody old enough to use a sharp knife has to cut the cakes and arrange them to look like an elephant. Grampa can do that.

7 Mom is good at doing the frosting and decorating so we'll let her help with that part of our project.

8 She's doing fine. The tusks seem to be a bit of a problem though ... they're kind of wobbly and delicate and it's hard to put frosting on them but we have confidence in Mom. Oh! Jelly beans will make great eyes.

9 Well ALL RIGHT! Our elephant is beautiful and ready to party!





All contents ©2008 Wayne Hepburn unless otherwise noted. Permission is granted to use contents in non-commercial, not for profit, applications and for "fair use" excerpts as provided in current International Copyright Law. Elephant Appreciation Day is sponsored by Mission Media, Inc. a Florida Corporation. We encourage participation in celebrating elephants by individuals and organizations.