I couldn’t decide on the perfect cake to celebrate my little girl turning one. So I did what any normal person would do – I made three cakes.
It’s possible I regretted this decision as I frantically frosted while the list of things yet to do grew longer and longer as time went on. But in the end there were three. Every little girl needs three cakes at her birthday.
Many of you commented on the gradient cake from this post. Layers of pink fondant subtly change in tone creating a sweet, modern looking cake. In the name of birthday parties everywhere, my husband and I created a video to show the process of creating this cake.
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I used Fondarific Buttercream Antique White Fondant and also Fondarific Buttercream Red Fondant. As lovely as this fondant smells I still prefer to peel mine off rather than eating it. My children, however, love the stuff.
You will also need a frosted cake, water and a paintbrush, a straight edge (or a good eye), pizza cutter (or sharp knife), rolling pin, and powdered sugar to keep the fondant from sticking.
Begin by covering your cake in a 1/4″ thick layer of fondant.
Roll out the darkest color of the gradient to about 1/8″ thick and cut into two roughly 1″ strips. Use powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Apply a small amount of water to the back of the strips than place on the base of the cake. Apply both strips then add some white to the first gradient color to create a lighter tone. Continue the process until you reach the top of the cake.
Keep the seams in the same place.
There it is.
PDF 
59 Comments
Wow! That is gorgeous.
Okay, that is coolio, amazing what one can do with a pizza cutter
as if. Great vid and love the idea! Curious, what is the tatoo of on you wrist?
love!!
A little sunshine in my day! Great video!
HOLY S word!! What an incredible video! I love how your blonde hair comes into the frame a little bit. So cute! Great job, Gabe.
Such a great video–and gorgeous cake. For a moment there, *I* wanted to be your daughter, to relive my dreams of the pink childhood I never got
amazing! you are both so talented…I love your vision
You make it look so easy! I also have to say that that yellow cake you made was the best yellow cake I’ve ever eaten!
wow… that was really amazing. Truly.
A thing of beauty! This is setting the bar VERY high for future birthdays, Ashley. Loved the video.
Poo! Can’t see with an iPad. I’ll have to go dig out the laptop. Love viewing your blog with an iPad to catch all the lucious beauty of your photos.
@Trace – I’m sorry. For some reason I couldn’t embed the iPad compatible version. I’ll have the resident techie (aka husband) look at it when he gets home.
@Megan – You’re so sweet. I have a lifetime of cakes in me.
@Cindy – Thanks!! So glad you were able to celebrate with us.
@Heidi – It’s an “R” for Rodriguez. The Mr. and I got it on our honeymoon.
That was amazing!! That cake is just so beautiful, I’m just in awe…
Oh I love that! Not only was the video gorgeous to watch but it actually made me think that I might be able to do it myself one day. Thank you so much for sharing!
Geeze, this is the coolest! Love it.
Absolutely fabulous Ashley! The cake and the video were beautiful and wonderfully professional looking. I’m in awe. I’m about to do a cake for my daughter’s birthday and this may be it.
k
so cute ash! love seeing your little face
really beautiful! uber creative, i am so terrible at baked goods and it always amazes me how some do it with such ease.
This is truly a labor of love. The video is such fun to watch!
That’s the most beautiful cake I have ever seen!!
So creative, not to mention stunning to look at! Your little girl is lucky to have you for her mommy.
Absolutely luscious!
Wow!
I’ve been meaning to comment for a while now. I think I subscribed about a week ago… I was sitting at home watching that commercial about dishwasher cleaners that I’d seen several times, and being the skeptic I am when it comes to marketing/advertising, I wanted to see if the blog “Not without salt” was real. My google search said it was, and I’ve been smitten every since!
The work you do is beautiful! I love to eat, and am a photography enthusiast, so your combined talents bring me joy.
Lastly- the cake is awesome and so is the video! I love that you don’t speak, and have music in the background while you work as the instructions flash across the screen… in a way, it gives the feeling of being there with you, and makes it more interactive. Great job! Keep going!
I love the style of your video how to’s. You simplify things enough to get people to actually try things for themselves. Beautiful cake. Bravo!
Amazing job you two! Keep them coming this was great!
I absolutely LOVE this! Thanks for posting the ‘how-to’ video on your little girl’s beautiful cake. What an awesome mommy you are!
That’s a very good video and I loved watching you at work, so confidently cutting the pink slices and glueing them to the cake. Thank you!
now working on mobile devices
(iPhone, iPad, etc.)
That is just perfect!! Great aesthetics and well shot video!!
What Tracy said! : ) The video and the cake are so awesome, Ashley. Well done!
Hey Ashley and Gabe! Great video. You guys are so talented.
As I was watching the video just now, my boyfriend was sitting on the couch and could only hear the music. He as well as I was intrigued by the music. What is it? Song, artist, please?
Magda
I can’t wait to try this too. I like to work with fondant too, but almost never eat it. Thanks for keepin’ it real… I love that.
It’s just awesome
I don’t like fondant too, but it looks so cool 
Oh my goodness… what a marvelous cake you have created. And your video is so stunning and so perfectly done that you have me wondering if I could make this cake myself. Maybe…
Adorable, I love the idea of the slicing of the ribbon strips! Simply beautiful!
This might just be the most perfect cake I’ve ever seen. It’s the kind of cake that makes a girl want to get married, with all her photos taken around the cake, and who doesn’t even have a groom in mind. xo
i love this. beautiful cake and lovely video. thanks for continuing to inspire.
Gorgeous cake! What song was that??
Hello!
I have been following your stories, recipes and other day to day joys for about a year or so now, but never took the chance to comment on your posts.. I was just curious about the flowers you put on the cake, did you buy them or made them yourself? It looks stunning.
Hope I will keep learning from you for a long time to come!
Now, that is one memorable cake. Talk about a Technicolor beauty! I’m with you on the fondant, though. I love how it looks. But the taste? Not so much.
Wow, such a lovely cake!
First off: thank you, thank you, thank you for posting the video about this cake. I was so excited to see it!
Secondly: I absolutely love the video!!! The editing, the music, everything. It was fantastic. I don’t know how time consuming this was, but I would definitely consider doing these more often for certain techniques and what not. I know that it would definitely be a valuable reference as well as entertaining.
Cute! Everything – cake, technique, you eating the cake (lol) – just cute as it can be!
Wow, what a gorgeous cake, and it looks deeelish! Thanks for the video.
I love this cake! the photos are fantastic!
Ok, so this cake looks incredible but your video is fantastic. So creative and helpful… I love when I am shown the steps. Love it.
Laura @ A Healthy Jalapeño
This is beautiful, I am so impressed! And I completely agree – every little girl needs three cakes on her birthday!
The song is New Theory by Washed Out. They have a few great albums I would highly recommend buying.
Love your video! I love how neat and clean your kitchen is–and the fact that you somehow managed to not be covered in powdered sugar! I usually get it all over, even when I wear an apron…
I’m going to have to check out Fondarific!
This video is as sugary and sweet as your cake. Love it.
You chose a great song for that video…one of my favorites! Love the cake…thanks for sharing!
um WOW this is phenomenal! simple but so cake chic! love the different shades of pink. and what a great tutorial! thanks
<3Amanda
feast.fashion.faves
I love the cake, of course, but I adore the video!!! Great job, Gabe!! I was going to ask about the tattoo, but scanned above and saw what it was. Such a cute idea!! It brings great joy to my heart to see married couples still crazy about one another after so many years + babies.
Oh my gosh this is way too adorable!
Fantastic job!…and you made a video too!
You’re awesome!
This looks beyond delicious! What a simple and beautiful way to enjoy one of life’s great rewards- dessert.
Love this cake! im going to make one for my sisters birthday:) great, well made video. Thanks:)
Awesome video. I’m not one to use fondant, but I may give this a try.
~Carmen
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