The Lion King is ICONIC. I love everything about the Disney classic - the story, the soundtrack, the comedic sidekicks Pumba and Timon, the theatre production. And I love our Lion King cakes too.

It's the perfect theme to translate onto our signature cakescape style. Sure, a tall-tiered cake is dramatic just by way of size alone. But a cakescape affords us so much more surface area to decorate and truly bring a vivid story to life.

What's a cakescape? It's multiple layer cakes arranged over a cake board, rather than stacked on top of each other. It's wider, as opposed to taller. As each layer cake has its surfaces available to decorate, versus hidden under another layer cake, there is a LOT of room to play with. It also has another bonus of being easier to cut and serve - no hassle of unstacking hurrah! It's also been named as one of the top dessert trends by Good Homes Magazine! How's that for validation ehhh!?

The Lion King is a visual feast. The savannah of Pride Lands - Simba's birthplace, the lush oasis jungle - Pumba and Timon's stomping grounds, the beautiful and diverse fauna and foliage. There are just too many stunning details I wanted to cram into a cake for Anya's 5th birthday and hence it had to be a cakescape.

I started working on the edible cake topper models in the week leading up to the delivery date. Sculpting Simba, Pumba and Timon was a joy. I printed out loads of reference photos of them, watched a few youtube videos to get an idea of how other cake makers have tackled the challenge and then fluffed my feathers and got to moulding, colouring, shaping and sculpting.

The sugar modelling took just over a day - these things can't be rushed. And it's then left to dry and firm up in the cupboard for a few more days.

We then baked a variety of hero sponge flavours for the cake - funfetti, red velvet, chocolate and vanilla. That's possibly one of the best things about having a tiered cake or a cakescape, all the various flavours so you don't have to pick just one.

Putting a cakescape together and decorating it takes half a day. Again, it can't be rushed. Each cakescape I've made is unique - the Unicorn, the Monkeys in a Jungle, Under the Sea...and whilst I can have a very loose sketch in my head about what I want to include on the cakescape, when it comes to actually putting it together, it has to happen in the moment. At the risk of sounding like a pompous arty-farty type...it's a creative journey. A journey that's different each time, and one that can take unexpected paths. 

I was originally going to make the cake more inspired by the colours and themes of Pride Lands in tones of yellow and burnt orange. But then I realised Simba spent most of his time growing up in the jungle where he met Pumba and Timon. So of course it made sense to include that! When I put together the jungle and the savannah on the cake board, it seemed...disjointed?! Almost forced together. And this is where I took inspo from my Jungle cakescape and carved in a little stream which suddenly made magic happen, along with mini log cakes.

Placing the fondant Lion King cake toppers and foliage finishes off the cake and I am so pleased with how this turned out. As was Anya!

Cakescapes are the ultimate cake extravagance, and also very expensive. We have a simpler Lion King cake also available to order for free delivery across London, Surrey and Berkshire suitable for children's birthdays. But if you'd like to customise it further, drop us an email and let's make you your dream Lion King cake!

Hakuna matata,

Reshmi xoxo