Zoo Themed Birthday Cake

PREPARATION

• 1 Slice and arrange the cakes: 
  Remove paper linings from all mud cakes. Carefully remove the top icing layer from two of the mud cakes.
  Add one of those icing layers to the remaining third mud cake, creating a taller cake. Discard the second.
  Using a small, serrated knife cut a 3cm deep semi-circle from the lower half on either side of the taller cake. 
  Position this cake at the centre towards the top of the cake board. Place the remaining two whole cakes into the semi-circle cut outs. Allow a 2 cm gap between the two whole cakes, which will be the entrance to your zoo.
• 2 For the arctic ocean enclosure- to the left: 
  Using a small, serrated knife and leaving a 2 cm border from the edge of the cake, carve out a 2 cm deep x 4 cm wide curved pool. This will be the artic ocean. 
  Spread a thin layer of vanilla frosting over the entire cake, including the pool. Place cake in the fridge to allow the frosting to harden, approximately 10 minutes. (Loose crumbs at this stage are ok).
  Repeat process ensuring the cake is evenly covered with no gaps and place back in the fridge. 
  Prepare the Aeroplane Berry Blue Flavoured Jelly as per back of pack directions, using 100 ml less cold water. Refrigerate until jelly is soft set (approximately 1 hour).
  Once jelly has soft set, stir to create a muddled effect. Pour into your frosted 2 cm deep “ocean” hole. 
  With the remaining jelly in the bowl add half of the coconut and stir. Break up the Berry Blue Jelly coconut and position clumps of “snow” around the arctic jelly ocean.
  Position plastic tree and boulder figurines around the edge of the cake. Decorate with plastic seals or other arctic animals.
  For the outer walls, trim the white chocolate wafer sticks to the height needed and use vanilla frosting to stick around the cake, press to ensure they stick. Creating a wall. See tip for more decorating ideas.
• 3 For the Jungle enclosure – middle higher cake
  Pour 2 x Aeroplane Original Lime Jelly Crystals into a microwave safe bowl and whisk in ⅔ cup of boiling water. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds to ensure crystals are fully dissolved. Set aside for jelly to cool to room temperature. 
  Place cream cheese into a bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk on LOW speed, gradually increasing to HIGH until smooth and creamy.
  Reduce speed to LOW and carefully pour in the cooled Lime Jelly mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated and smooth. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set firm. 
  Remove ⅔ of lime cream cheese frosting and place in a piping bag with a small star nozzle. Set aside remaining icing for later use. 
  Pipe small blobs of “grass” to cover the entire layer of the taller cake, decorate with trees, giraffes, and zebras.
  Decorate the other outer border of the cake with chocolate wafer sticks, trimming them at random lengths for effect. Secure in place with vanilla frosting and press firmly into the cake as before. See tip.
• 4 For the Safari enclosure- to the right 
  Add 5 drops of dark green food colouring to the remaining ⅓ lime cream cheese frosting. Stir until streak free and “safari grass colour” is achieved. 
  Place icing into a separate piping bag with a small star nozzle and sporadically pipe “grass” on the cake. We want the appearance of grass tuffs. 
  In a medium size bowl combine the digestive and chocolate biscuit crumbs to create a darker sand colour.
  Sprinkle crushed biscuits “sand” in between the “grass tuffs” set aside remaining sand for later use. 
  Position Safari trees at the back of the cake and decorate with an elephant and an ape devouring a banana lolly. For the safari enclosure border, spread frosting over flat edge of milk chocolate finger biscuits and press firmly around the edge of the cake. 
  Create a path towards the zoo entrance by breaking in half the choc cream wafers to create stepping stones. Secure them in place by adding a small amount of vanilla frosting to the back of each biscuit.
  Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt until smooth. Pipe the word ZOO onto a choc cream wafer and secure in place with frosting above the “stepping stone” path. 
  Using a palette knife, spread remaining frosting over the blank spaces on the cake board. Pour the remaining “sand” biscuits over the frosting. 
  Using the remaining cream cheese icings to pipe more “grass” and “tufts of safari grass” around the cakes.
• 5 Tips:
  • For your outer walls- Pipe a small blob of frosting into the top cavity of each wafer stick post and top with a white or milk chocolate mini button, flat side up.