Kids' birthday cake ideas: Pirate ship

Materials:

• 1 chocolate loaf cake (like this Chocolate Pound Cake)
• chocolate icing
• chocolate wafer cookies
• chocolate-covered biscuit sticks
• pretzel rods
• brown gel icing
• candy mints
• yellow mini chocolate candies

Directions:

1. Slice top off loaf cake to make a flat surface. Cut corners off one end to make the bow of the ship. Carve out rectangular pieces from the centre to make the deck levels.

2. Ice the "ship" with chocolate icing. Cover "deck" with chocolate wafer layers. Refrigerate to firm icing, then run the tip of a butter knife along sides to create "planks." Decorate with pretzel railings, biscuit sticks and candy.

A version of this article appeared in the January 2014 issue of Today's Parent.

See more of our DIY birthday cake ideas here>