Audrey II

The Audrey II is one of my all-time favorite cakes, made for one of my all-time favorite people. If you’ll bear with me, I’ll start with a brief history of the theater cakes tradition.

The play was a comedy with a reversed lighting
theme (when the characters were in the dark,
the stage was lit), so I stuck with black and
white for the colors.

My best friend and her husband met during their high school musical. Their kids, not surprisingly, are incredibly talented actors and singers (musicians, dancers, writers, artists). I wanted to do something special for my “nephew” to celebrate his performance in the play “Black Comedy.” I was just starting Wilton cake decorating classes, so my mind immediately went to baked goods. While I was initially stumped for a decorating idea, I eventually decided on a simple design with a comedy and drama mask. The cake was a hit.

About five months later I had several cakes for friends and family under my belt and was ready for a new project. When I learned the upcoming spring musical was “Little Shop of Horrors,” a vision of Audrey II, the plant that feeds on human blood, popped into my head. (Yes, I think in cake. It’s a little scary sometimes.)

Pieces of Audrey II

A week before the show, I started making the plant leaves. I mixed together several shades of green and light brown fondant for a slightly marbled look and cut out leaf shapes. I let them dry on flower formers to give them some wave and curl. Before I knew about using fondant-covered marshmallow treats for cake elements that need to be lightweight, I cut a mouth into a (gasp!) Styrofoam egg and covered it with fondant to create the plant’s head. The flower pot was carved from three layers of pound cake.

Because I wasn’t sure how the plant part of the cake would make the trip to Lancaster, PA, I assembled Audrey II when I arrived at my friend’s house. I added the plant’s head to the top of the cake, arranged the leaves and tendrils, and sprinkled some dirt (crushed chocolate cookies) into the flower pot. 

The theater cake tradition was now established. And I've loved brainstorming design ideas for each new show - almost as much as I've loved watching my "nephew" and "niece" shine on stage every year.

Audrey II, before she busts out of her pot.