Grill Cake- Perfect for Father's Day!

Father's Day is this Sunday! This grill cake is perfect for Father's Day. I first made this as a birthday cake for my husband a few years ago when he got really into grilling.  The best thing about this cake is that you actually don't need any fancy cake decorating tools to make it and it's a lot of fun to put together.  You can even just use a cake mix and store bought chocolate frosting to make it even easier.

First bake the cake.  Feel free to use your favorite cake recipe or even a store bought cake mix in a 9x13 cake pan. After it is cooked, let it sit in the pan for a few minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool.  Once the cake is cool, transfer it to a serving platter. If you don't have a serving platter that works, you can cover a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil.  Frost the cake with your favorite homemade or store bought, chocolate frosting.  Don't worry about the frosting looking perfect, you are going to cover most of it up with other stuff.  

For the grill grates use some black licorice. 

Outline the cake with the licorice.  Cut the licorice pieces to the desired size. 

Then add licorice in a grid pattern to look like grill grates.  They don't have to be perfect or evenly spaced. 

 

Now comes the fun part! Making hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie kabobs out of candy! Feel free to use whatever combination you want.  I like to do a little of all three, but you can customize it however you want. 

To make the "veggie kabobs" you will need some bamboo skewers and some gummy fruit slices.

 

Cut the fruit slices in half  and cut the skewers in half. Use the pointed half of the skewer and add one of each color (or whatever colors you want) of candy slices to it. 

To make "hot dogs"  you will need some tootsie rolls and red starbursts.  If you have a grocery store that has bulk candy in bins, you can just get the amount you need for all of the candy items.     

 

Unwrap 4 tootsie rolls and two starbursts and place them on some waxed paper.

 

Melt in the microwave for 10 seconds.  It will be hot.  Once it it cool enough to handle, mix the two together to get a uniform color. 

 

Shape into a hot dog.

To make the "hamburgers" you will need Cocoa Krispies, large marshmallows, butter and cocoa powder. 

 

You melt the butter and marshmallows in a microwave safe dish for 1 minute and then stir.  If the marshmallows aren't melted keep microwaving at 10 second intervals or until it is all melted together.  Add your cocoa powder and stir.  Then add the cocoa krispies and stir well. 

Shape into "hamburger patties" and add to the rest of your grilling items. 

If you want to add grill marks to the food use some black frosting.  I like to buy this kind, but you could make your own too.  

Use the frosting to make three grill marks on the hamburgers and hot dogs. 

With the rest of the the black frosting you can spread it around the sides of your cake to make it look like the side of a grill.  I don't always do this step, but you can if you like. 

 

Arrange your veggie kabobs, hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill.  I originally only made two veggie kabobs, but I decided to make one more once I was putting them on the cake because I thought it looked better.  You can make any variety and amount of each grill item.  Just have fun!  My kids love to help with this part.

Now you've got an awesome grill cake that every guy is sure to love!  The thing I love about this cake is that it just takes a little time to make everything out of candy and it looks pretty great. Send us your pictures if you make this.  We'd love to see your creations!  

Grill Cake

Recipe by: Prescriptions for a Happy Home

Ingredients:

1 9x13 cake, any flavor you'd like, baked and cooled

1 1/2 cups chocolate frosting, store bought or homemade

1 bag black licorice

8 rainbow fruit slices*

3 bamboo skewers

8 small tootsie rolls

4 red starbursts

1 1/2 cups cocoa krispies

12 large marshmallow

1T. butter

1tsp. cocoa powder

1 4oz. tube of black icing, optional

Bake your cake according to the recipe.  Once cooked, allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes and then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool.  Once cooled, transfer to your serving plate.  (You could wrap a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil if you don't have a serving plate that works)  Frost the cake with chocolate frosting.  It's doesn't have to look perfect, because you will be covering a lot of it up anyway.  Use the black licorice to outline the cake.  Cut the pieces so they fit together how you need them to.  Make the grill grate by arranging the licorice in a grid pattern on the cake.  To make the grilling items follow these instructions:

Veggie kabobs (makes 3)- cut the fruit slices and bamboo skewers in half.  Using the half of the bamboo skewer with the pointed end, add 4 fruit slices to each skewers.  

Hot dogs (makes 2)-  For each hot dog take 4 tootsie rolls and 2 starbursts.  Put them on waxed paper and microwave for 10 seconds.  When they are cool enough to handle, use your hands to combine them until there is a uniform color.  Shape into a hot dog.

Hamburger patties (Makes 3)-  Melt the marshmallows and butter in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir well.  If the marshmallows aren't melted, microwave in 10 second intervals until they are. Add the cocoa powder and stir well.  Then add the cocoa krispies and mix well.  When cool enough to handle, shape into patties. 

Use the tube of black frosting to make grill marks on the hamburgers and hot dogs or spread it along the sides of the cake to make it look like the sides of the grill, if desired.   Arrange the kabobs, hot dogs and hamburgers on top of the cake.  

Enjoy!

*If you have a grocery store that sells candy in bulk, you can buy just the amount you need of all the candy items and then you won't have to buy so much or have so much leftover candy.