So I'm really coming full circle with this- doll cakes were my FAVORITE thing as a child, I think I had several... and now I'll be the one making them. I've never done one before though and had a few questions. I intend on using a real Barbie rather than the pick and I've read that they are too long for the pan, so do I need to make an 8 or 9" round as a base to hide the legs? Do people torte and fill the doll cake portion? Is there a tutorial on how to get the ruffled skirt effect with fondant?
TIA!

Don't have your answers, but I have one coming up this week, and am looking forward to the answers.....

I did an ariel cake and I used a real doll. I put another cake under for the additional cake for her feet. Ive never torted so cant answer that question. Good luck.

I recently had a doll cake disaster! I didnt use the wondermold, but just carved down some round cakes. I think people do add an 8 or 9 inch cake underneath the wondermold (whatever fits) for a real barbie.

The reason I had a disaster was becasue I tried to just shove the legs into the cake. Well....that didnt go well. i had to rebake the whole thing. make new icing...more fondant....ugg. The second time around I cored out the center for the legs and it went more smoothly.

For the ruffles I used logs of fondant then covered the whole thing with more fondant. It is in my pics if you want to see.

I have used a cupcake cake as the base or an 8 inch round! (both in my photos!). I've hard that some children get upset when the doll has no legs, so I prefer to use a barbie if the parents will provide one!

Please don't forget to core out the middle, as merissa said! I also wash the barbie and wrap her legs and part of her torso in saran wrap. I really love making doll cakes.

Mine is going to be a Graduation doll, and I don't know if she should be "beautiful", or if I should try to make it into a graduation cap and gown..... well, either way, she will have the cap on....... Any suggestions ?

merissa- the cake is gorgeous and I'm SO glad I saw it because I, too, am making a Cinderella doll cake!

I'm still looking for answers, if anyone tortes and fills the wondermold cake.

Thanks, everyone for the advice on coring out the middle, I wouldn't have done so otherwise!!

when I did my Belle cake, I did torte the wondermold once. It probably could have been done twice. I also used an 8" round under the wondermold pan for the extra height. I cut a hole in a 6" board to stick the feet through, but so that the cake could be easily disassembled and cut. I just shaped my buttercream to make the skirt sort of ruffly under the fondant. I figured that would taste better and it gave me a little bit of room to play with it if needed.

i just did a doll cake using an ice bucket last week... it took me 1 1/2 batch of a choco cake recipe... though it only covered lower hips down. and the skirt effect, i just put some fondant sausages. just check my profile to see the picture. hope it would help. happy baking

I have made several doll cakes, but all used the pics, so I can't help on the doll part.

I also have never torted the wonder mold cake. I think that it would need a minimum of 2 tortes. I would core it before torting.

check this site... it may help you with your concern.

http://cakefun.blogspot.com/2005/08/how-to-make-barbie-doll-cake.html

You don't always need to bake another cake for the base, I just made sure there was enough cake batter for it to rise up over the tin so that when you level the cake it is as tall as possible. Barbie doesn't quite fit, but depending on the dress, you can usually hide that with decorations.

If you dont need alot of cake, you can also put styrofoam disk under the wonder mold cake to make it higher and cover as part of the dress.

I have used the 8" round cake under the wondermold when using a Barbie doll. It really makes the difference. Good Luck.

ok - this might sound like a stupid question but I am going to ask it anyway. when you put the wondermold on top of the 8 inch cake do you treat it like a tiered cake ie, put a cake board between the wondermold and the 8 inch cake and put dowels in the 8 inch cake to support the weight of the wondermold? and if so do you precut a hole in the board under the wondermold so the legs fit all the way thru the two cakes? thanks

You can if you want. you would have to do a hole. You can just put a layer of icing inbetween and stack. You can dowel too so it wont shift but I did a mermaid cake and I didnt dowel or use board and it was find. Your babie might act as a dowel.