I started reading your post and expected to scroll down to see the ugliest Ariel ever. She's gorgeous!! and I wouldn't take the time to say so if I didn't mean it.
We are our own harshest critics, now I bet the first three were great too.

Could you please tell us how you did the face? I am so curious?! Nice Job! I love your Minnie Mouse as well! Nice work

All I have to say IS WOW WOW WOW!! I do not like character pan cakes one little bit, but this has just converted me. It is absolutely stunning, definately send this into Wilton!

I really like your Ariel and your technique. I will try this next week when I do a Snow White cake for my daughter's 1st. Your cake photos are quite stunning as well. I also really like your idea of making it a double layer cake.

Well when you're a genius like Doug, it's really difficult to endure mediocrity...and he hates being invited to pity-parties! He's more of a Red Carpet guy...

I wannnnnaa goooo to the reeeed carpeeet!

SUPER idea - definitly one of those "DUH - why didn't I think of THAT" moments!

So glad YOU thought of it!

Hey the other princesses are not that bad, they have Angelina's lips

It's true the three princesses can't compare to Ariel, but they are not bad! I think you did a nice job on them. Thanks for sharing you Ariel instructions. I'm sure lots of us are going to be rethinking how we do the character pans in the future!

Thanks for sharing your great technique with us!

I'm sensing the need for a

"jaklotz1 Method" for fondant characters tutorial here on CC....

thanks again...this is great!

Nat, how long do you let the fondant dry in the pan to harden. I assume you dust the pan with cornstarch or sugar to keep it from sticking? I am definitely going to try this one. I have always hated doing faces on characters!

lol, they other princesses do look as if the doctor has suggested another painful round of botox....OUCH! lol!!!! not bad cakes, but i do understand how you feel, and its ok to laugh about it

yes, the fondant in the pan idea is great. i may not be so hesitant to use them now! great idea.

I scrolled down to the pic before I read the message and new that it was Ariel. I think it looks great.

You could just say the other cakes were looking at Ariel and were jealous of her beauty.

She's perfect.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

If I were to do an Ariel cake, I would want it to look just like that.

Nuff said!

Thanks for sharing your technique with us! I would have never thought about putting fondant into the pan!! You are genius!!! How long did you leave in for? How did you remove it? I have to say your other princesses looked much better than any character pans I have ever done!! I love this cake and I can't wait to try the technique!! Now I just need a reason..... Thanks again!!

your cake is great...you did a great job at her face too. it sounds like you did it the harder way also by covering the cake with fondant.

Beautiful, excellent job!

Thanks for posting pictures of all the princess'. Some would be happy with any one of them. I'll bet any of them would look beautiful by themselves. That way they couldn't be compared. Your Arial is out of this world beautiful.

I cannot take full credit. I just finished a fondant class, and my teacher suggested that I try the fondant in the pan to make an impression of the face.
I tried this technique first on the Strawberry Shortcake cake that is in my photos and it turned out well for me, so I thought I would try it again. You do not leave the fondant in the pan for any amount of time. You just peal it out of the pan (make your impression with the inside surface of the pan) and place it immediately onto you cake. I did go back on the Ariel cake and used the veining end of my ball tool to make some of the impression lines more pronounced (like the her jaw line and shoulder). You can either cut out around the area that you need or just use the fondant the way it is. I cut it out with the Strawberry Shortcake one and used the whole piece with the Ariel cake. As you can see, you cannot even tell on the cake because the hair covers it. Thanks again for everyones kind words.


Nat

The Ariel cake is by far the best character cake I have ever seen! I love the idea of the fondant mold for the face. And the flowers, etc really added that special touch to the cake - I especially like the one in her hair!

ohhhh she is my very fav princess.

ARE you kidding? This cake is absolutely precious! I was thrown back when I saw it, I was expecting to see something awful. Dont be so hard on yourself, this cake is amazing and Im sure the other princesses looked just as beautiful!

It's awesome!!!!!!! Honey, that's cool looking, I knew just who it was.

Patricia

Wow - I've never been a fan of the character pans - so boring with all the star tip stuff - but this is fantastic!! It adds a whole new dimension to character pans!! Thanks!

***Huge sigh of relief***

I read what you posted about how terrible the cakes looked before I saw the picture. After reading your description of how horrible they were I expected to see something that was more bride of frankenstein than Disney Princess!
Boy was I surprised!
It looks great. Faces are hard no matter what they are on.
Good job. Keep up the good work.