Bamboo Panda Cake

For the panda bear, start by kneading the white modeling paste until you get a soft and smooth texture, then roll two balls of equal size for the head and lower body. Insert a toothpick into the bottom part of the body. Make two holes for the eyes using the large ball tool. Knead some black modeling paste until smooth. Take two small equal pieces of black paste and fill the eye holes. You can spread this with the ball tool. Place two black pearls in the modeling paste as eyes. Shape a snout with a small white ball and a nose with a tiny black piece. Attach them with edible glue. Form two equal black balls and make impressions with the small ball tool. Glue them on the head. Take a piece of black paste and shape the upper body and paws as one piece. Attach it to the toothpick on the lower body and break the toothpick so it does not protrude from the head. Now add the head. Glue a small black ball at the back as a tail. Roll two equal black pieces into teardrop shapes with flattened front and back, and glue them against the lower body as back legs. Make small soles with tiny white balls and attach them to the legs. Make the small bear in the same way.

For the bamboo, you need to dust the mold with the dusting pouch and Magic Roll-Out magic dust, then tap off the excess. Knead a piece of ivory fondant until smooth and put it in the mold. Remove it and place it on a piece of paper towel. Use a brush to apply green dust powder on the bamboo here and there, without overdoing it. Emphasize all the deep grooves with a fine small brush and the brown dust. Then prepare a mixture of brown and white dust and color the entire bamboo with this mix using a large angled brush. Make as many bamboos as necessary to surround the whole cake. Keep them in plastic inserts until use. Knead green paste until smooth and form small drops. Flatten them and make a grain in the center with the flower/leaf tool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (convection oven 160°C).

Prepare 200 grams of FunCakes sponge cake mix according to the package instructions. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. After baking, unmold the sponge cake onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely.

Prepare 125 grams of FunCakes buttercream mix according to the package instructions and add flavor paste of your choice to taste. Cut the sponge cake in half with the leveler and fill and cover with buttercream. Chill in the refrigerator to firm up the buttercream. Roll out a piece of ivory fondant and cover the top of the cake, trimming the excess with a sharp knife. Color the fondant the same color as the bamboo using the large brush and the brown and white dust mixture. Make spiral motions for this. Place the bamboo stalks against the cake; they will stick thanks to the buttercream. Place the pandas on the cake with a bit of edible glue and add the leaves.