Reindeer Cake - Easy and Very Fun

For the holidays!

This cake is made using the Wilton "Rudy Reindeer" pan, which is discontinued but still available on eBay.  (Note - Wilton has instructions for all the pans online, so if you find an old pan, you can get the instructions easily!)   Even without the pan, you can put the reindeer on any large sheet cake.

To make this version:  frost the cake with white buttercream.  Outline the ear, mouth, chin and eye using a tube of chocolate icing.  Reserve a bit of white buttercream for the bottom stars.

Tint the buttercream tan for the ears and antlers.  Use a #16 tip (small open star) for the ears and around the eye.  Pull the stars a bit to create a feathered look at the top of the ear.  Use a serrated basketweave tip (such as #47) to make the antlers. (Don't worry if the lines overlap.)  Make sure you pipe with the serrated edge up, to create the ridges on the antlers.

Tint the tan buttercream a darker brown and use a larger open star tip (such as #18) for the rest of the deer.  Using black icing from tube, pipe the eye, with a round tip (#3).  Accent with green icing from a tube (also using a round tip, #2).  Let the black set for a few minutes, then pat it smooth with a very clean,very dry finger.  Add the white accent with a #2 tip.

Using red icing from a tube, outline the bow (#3 tip) then fill in with stars.  (You can also make the bow green if you prefer, or mix red and green.)

Using the green tube (#2 tip), pipe a "cord" around the antlers, then add colored spice drops for lights.  I usually pipe a "plug" (like a filled in 1/2 circle with prongs) on the back.  Add the red nose - a sour cherry ball.

Finish with white stars on the bottom, add red/green M&Ms if desired.