Mom wanted a beach cake for her birthday...so this is what she got:) The cake is covered in buttercream- my first time covering a cake in buttercream instead of fondant and I used the viva method. The chair, blanket, book and flower are made out of gumpaste, the shells and coral are white chocolate dusted with pearl dust, and the sand is brown and white sugar. I tried to write happy bday with a toothpick on the book. The cake itself is vanilla with italian buttercream and fresh strawberries in the middle.