My 12-year-old daughter tried out for a part in her middle school’s drama production of “Hee Haw Hayride.” She didn’t get the part she auditioned for … she ended up receiving a part with twice as many lines – not bad for a first timer! She, along with all her cast mates, did an amazing job. They worked extremely hard for a month and a half and pulled of a fantastic show.

Our schools drama is funded by donations, concession sales during the plays two-night run and from the dessert auction at the end of each night. I decided to make a candy cake for each night – one vanilla and one chocolate.

The first one I made vanilla cake with white chocolate ganache between the two layers and frosted it with vanilla buttercream. I cut down stick of rock candy that I purchased from our locally owned candy shop, Specialty Sweets, and placed them around the edges of the cake and topped it with Skittles. To keep the rock candy in place I tied a ribbon around the cake for functionality and decoration. This cake sold to one of my daughter’s friends. For the second one I made a chocolate cake with semi-sweet chocolate ganache between the two layers and frosted it with a chocolate buttercream. I then placed Kit-Kats around the edges and topped it with M&Ms. To keep the Kit-Kats in place I again tied a ribbon around the cake. In total, these two cakes sold for $74!

I know a lot of people may think this is too much candy and who would eat all that, or that it is wasteful, however the same can be said for fondant. I DETEST FONDANT! I personally think it tastes gross, and for many cakes it is used for the aesthetics it brings to the cake, not for it’s flavor. The same goes for these cakes – the candy is mostly for decoration and to make the cake stand out. If it all gets eaten, great! Just have a gallon of milk ready!

These candy cakes are great for parties and the possibilities are endless. You can wrap the cake in Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes, Kit-Kats, Snickers, rock candy, jelly beans, ANYTHING! The same goes for the toppings! Fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, jelly beans, Lindor truffles, Ferrero Rocher … get your Willy Wonka on … Pure Imagination!