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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cake

    EASY Chicken Cake With No Fondant! (Video)

    October 17, 2020 By Brandy 26 Comments

    ↓ Jump to Instructions

    A chicken cake that is as delicious as it is cute! The perfect little cake for a first birthday. Would you believe that the details are made out of Starburst candies? Yep! No fondant! Super easy to decorate, I'll show you how! 

    If you like adorable cakes that are so easy to make you need to check out our pigicorn cake. No, that's not a type-o. A PIGICORN cake!

    Watch our step by step video!

    This post was originally shared in 2012. It was my daughter's first birthday cake and she asked me to make it again for her 9th birthday so we decided to make a video this time!

    chicken cake on white cake platter
    This chicken was probably the simplest cake I've ever made....and my favorite. What I love about this cake is how simple it is to put together. You can make everything from scratch or you can buy cake mixes and a tub of frosting. And guess what? NO FONDANT. The comb, beak, and feet are made out of Starburst candies.

    Little Chicken Cake With Starburst Candy Details

    Supplies

    • 3 (6") round cakes
    • Frosting
    • Starburst candies
    • Jelly Beans
    • Coconut

    How To Assemble Chicken Cake

    • You can easily make 3 (6") cakes out of two boxed cake mixes. I filled the pan with about 1 ½ cups of cake batter. One container of frosting is enough to coat the cake, but you can definitely make your own. Here is a delicious buttercream frosting recipe. 
    • Level off two of the cakes, but leave the 3rd as is. Then stack them, frost them, and shave the top to have a bit more of a dome shape.
    • It doesn't matter if your frosting looks like a mess because you are going to cover everything in coconut anyways.
    • The eyes were made from a black jelly bean. Not a Jelly Belly, but a plain old jelly bean since it is larger. Cut it in half, placed a toothpick in the back of each section, and place it on the cake for the chicken's eyes. If you can't find a jelly bean you can use milk duds, chocolate-covered peanuts or M&Ms.

    How To Make Chicken Cake Details Out of Starburst Candies

    wrapped starburst candies in plastic bag
    Starburst candies are actually really easy to work with. When you hold them in your hand they begin to soften and are easy to mold. We used red for the chicken comb and orange for the beak and feet.
    For the beak, simply use a knife and cut 1 Starburst candy into a triangle. Add a toothpick to the back and stick it into the cake.
    starburst candies cut out using mini cookie cutter
    For the comb, press a couple of candies together and use a cookie cutter to shape them. We used a small teddy bear cookie cutter, but there are so many that would work.
    Use the same technique for the feet, only use orange Starbursts and place them (using toothpicks) through the cake on the bottom.
    chicken comb detail on toothpick
    Add a handful or two of toasted coconut to look like straw and your little cake is complete!

    chicken cake covered in coconut on cake platter

    More Easy Cakes To Make

    Cakes Kids Can Make
    Hamburger Cake
    Ballerina Pull Apart Cupcake Cake

    Chicken Cake Tutorial

    chicken cake on white cake platter
    Print
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    Chicken Cake

    What I love about this cake is how simple it is to put together. You can make everything from scratch or you can buy cake mixes and a tub of frosting.
    Prep Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chicken, easy, first birthday, smash cake
    Yield: 6
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • 6" cake pans

    Materials

    • 3 6" round cakes
    • frosting
    • starburst candies
    • 1 large black jelly bean
    • 2-3 cups shredded coconut

    Instructions

    • You can easily make 3 (6″) cakes out of two boxed cake mixes. I filled the pan with about 1 ½ cups of cake batter.
    • Level off two of the cakes, but leave the 3rd as is. Then stack them, frost them, and shave the top to have a bit more of a dome shape.
      layered cake shaved into dome shape
    • Cover the entire cake with frosting then cover in coconut. Reserve some of the coconut to toast and use for straw in a later step.
      chicken cake covered in coconut
    • Cut a jelly bean in half, placed a toothpick in the back of each section, and place it on the cake for the chicken’s eyes. If you can’t find a jelly bean you can use milk duds, chocolate-covered peanuts or M&Ms.
    • Unwrap Starburst candies and warm them in your hand.
      two red starburst candies pressed together
    • Cut one in the shape of a triangle for a beak. Press a toothpick into the back and stick the beak onto the cake.
    • Press a few of them together to make a rectangle. Use a cookie cutter or knife to shape into feet and a comb. (Watch my video to see how I did this) Use a toothpick to attach the comb and feet to the cake.
      orange starburst candies pressed together to make chicken feet
    • Heat oven to 400 degrees. Add a cup of coconut to a baking sheet and bake until coconut is golden. Watch carefully because when it starts to brown it can burn easily.
    • Add toasted coconut to the base of the cake to look like hay.
      toasted coconut around base of chicken cake

    Video

    issue of family fun magazine with feature of chicken cake
    This darling cake was featured in a 2014 issue of FamilyFun. What an honor! 
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    About Brandy

    Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

    Comments

    1. Laura says

      March 15, 2024 at 2:08 pm

      Thank you for posting this tutorial! My son requested a chicken cake, and yours was by far the most helpful post.

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        March 15, 2024 at 3:49 pm

        Laura, I’m so glad! Happy birthday to him!

        Reply
    2. Jennie Larsen says

      March 04, 2013 at 5:40 pm

      Totally adorbs. I love him. Shared your cute chicken cake on my COM-FB page. hugs, jen

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        March 05, 2013 at 9:07 pm

        Thanks so much Jen! What an honor!

        Reply
    3. Jenn @ Clean and Scentsible says

      March 02, 2013 at 10:04 pm

      This is so incredibly cute!! Love it!

      Reply
    4. LuAnn Braley says

      March 02, 2013 at 5:13 pm

      Congratulations on being featured on Strut Your Stuff Saturdays at Six Sisters' Stuff! I am a new follower/subscriber.

      What a darling l'il chicken cake. You are so creative. Can you adopt me before my next birthday? :O)

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        March 05, 2013 at 9:08 pm

        Thank you LuAnn!

        Reply
    5. wearychef.com says

      March 02, 2013 at 7:15 am

      Hi. I saw you featured at Six Sisters' Stuff, and you so deserve it! This cake is surely one of the cutest things I have ever seen! Love it!

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        March 02, 2013 at 8:05 am

        Thank you so much! It was so fun to make!

        Reply
    6. Shauna {The Best Blog Recipes} says

      March 02, 2013 at 5:52 am

      Just saw your cake featured over at Six Sisters Stuff and had to come over and check it out! So darling!

      I'd LOVE for you to link up to my weekend link party going on right now @The Weekend re-Treat!

      Hope to see you there!

      Reply
    7. Makinzee Loveridge says

      February 25, 2013 at 8:46 pm

      Love them all! Just what I need for my daughters first birthday which falls on Easter this year. Thanks!

      Reply
    8. Jenn says

      February 25, 2013 at 4:15 am

      So cute!

      Reply
    9. Brenda says

      February 24, 2013 at 7:31 pm

      SO CUTE! You did a fantastic job!! Happy first birthday to your little sweetie pie! :o)

      Brenda
      ChattingOverChocolate.blogspot.com

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        March 02, 2013 at 8:06 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    10. DeeDee says

      February 23, 2013 at 12:33 pm

      So stinkin' adorable! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    11. Mel@Mellywood's Mansion says

      February 23, 2013 at 6:10 am

      that cake is adorable I want a chick cake

      Reply
    12. Isabelle Thornton says

      February 18, 2013 at 3:59 pm

      I am sooo sure your kids love this one! I am a chicken addict! Love this!!!! Please, pretty please, will you link up to my party?

      XO
      Isabelle
      http://lechateaudesfleurs.blogspot.com/

      Reply
    13. Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com says

      November 19, 2012 at 2:21 am

      This is adorable! We would love for you to share this on our Kitchen Fun and Crafty link party! http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com/2012/11/kitchen-fun-and-crafty-friday-link_15.html

      Reply
    14. Vida Bombek says

      October 25, 2012 at 7:00 pm

      Happy birthday Ruby! Dear Brandy, I love your little cake. It's so cute. I must admit that we used your hamburger cake for my son's name's day and he lvoed it. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        March 02, 2013 at 8:06 am

        You are welcome! So glad he liked it!

        Reply
    15. Vida Bombek says

      October 25, 2012 at 6:58 pm

      Happy birthday Ruby! Dear Brandy I love your cake. It's so cute. I must admit that we made your hamburger cake for my son's name's day. He loved it. Thanks.

      Reply
    16. Vida Bombek says

      October 25, 2012 at 6:57 pm

      Happy birthday Ruby! Dear Brandy I love your cake. It's so cute. I must admit that we made your hamburger cake for my son's name's day. He loved it. Thanks.

      Reply
    17. Rashida Shaikh says

      October 25, 2012 at 3:43 pm

      First time here and really liked your presentation style and loved the cake too 🙂
      I am following you here to stay updated with your upcoming posts.
      Cheers!

      Reply
    18. Juniper Goods says

      October 23, 2012 at 2:24 pm

      Very cute cake and so creative :)! Happy Birthday dear 1 year old!

      Reply
    19. Mel@Mellywood's Mansion says

      October 23, 2012 at 7:53 am

      I love your cake, so cute!

      Reply
    20. Rhissanna says

      October 23, 2012 at 6:46 am

      Congratulations to little Ruby and that's one very sweet birthday cake! Thank you for giving such a detailed tutorial.

      Reply

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