Let’s rewind to peak pandemic times—when banana bread was trending, sourdough starters were being named like pets, and I was baking like my life depended on it. With my flatmate safely tucked away at her parents’, I had two options: eat all the cakes myself (tempting), or take them into the office, where a skeleton crew was keeping things ticking over.
So when I heard whispers of a milestone birthday in one of the teams, I practically leapt out of my apron to volunteer. A personalised birthday cake? Yes please. The birthday girl was having her bathroom redone, so naturally I thought: Let’s make a bath out of cake! How hard could it be?
Spoiler alert: very.
I’d watched a few episodes of Extreme Cake Makers and thought sculpting a bath out of Rice Krispie treats would be a walk in the park. Turns out, it was more like a crawl through a swamp. Sticky, messy, and absolutely determined not to hold the shape I wanted. I tried carving a block once it had set—cue bits snapping off like I was chiselling ancient ruins. I tried freezing it before covering in fondant—nope. I considered making the whole thing out of fondant or cake, but that would’ve led to a sad, saggy middle. In the end, it took three attempts, a minor existential crisis, and a lot of muttering under my breath to get the shape right. So if you’re trying this at home—don’t panic if it looks like a blob at first. You’re not alone.
Bath shape sorted, next up: the lady lounging in said bath. Fondant people are my nemesis. Specifically, their faces. Noses and mouths are my downfall—tiny features that somehow always end up looking like they’ve seen things. My solution? Cucumber slices. They fit the spa theme and saved me from sculpting a face that might haunt dreams.
Her body positioning was another puzzle, but thankfully, she was “underwater,” so I only had to make a pair of teeny toes poking out. Easy peasy. The bath edges were looking a bit rough, but I smoothed things over with fondant bubbles and a splash of silver metallic paint. Suddenly, it was starting to look like something you might actually want to eat.
Then came the details. Oh, the details. Each one took hours—like the microscopic rubber duck that probably required a magnifying glass to appreciate. If you’re charging for cakes, this is the moment you realise you can’t bill someone for 24,206 hours of duck sculpting. But for me, it’s all about the reaction. That “you made this?!” moment is worth every second.
The bath mat? A rolled-out piece of grey fondant pressed into a lace mould. Simple, effective, and surprisingly satisfying. The folded pyjamas were two pink rectangles, a triangle snipped out for the collar, and some white fondant for the trim, buttons, and pocket. Cute, cosy, and just the right finishing touch.
So there you have it: a bath-themed birthday cake born from lockdown boredom, fondant frustration, and a whole lot of love. Stay tuned for my next post, where I tackle the terrifying world of fondant facial features. (Send help.)
Rachael's Buns 