How to Make an Aces Poker Cake

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Bake cake in one 9x13" pan following recipe or box instructions.

   Chocolate cake is popular and provides good contrast to the white frosting. ,,, Levelers are available at cooking and craft stores.
   
   If you don't have a leveler, you can use a serrated bread knife to cut the tops off the cakes, although this requires patience and skill., This difference in height will provide the illusion of one card on top of the other.
   
   Picture of a leveler: , The second cake will resemble an "L" after the notch is removed. ,, Take care to preserve the sharp relief of the cards.
   
   Press the fondant into the 1/4" ridge where the "top" card overlays the "bottom" card., See tip in "How to Make Fondant."
   
   ,, See tips for making red fondant and cutting it.,, Note where the top card hides the heart, and cut the heart to provide the illusion of being covered by the top "card."
   
   , See tip in "How to Make Fondant."
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   Step 2: Allow cake to cool to room temperature.

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   Step 3: Cut cake in half and trim edges to make two 9x6" cakes with sharp corners.

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   Step 4: Using a cake leveler

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   Step 5: level both cakes to the same height.

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   Step 6: Remove an additional 1/4" off the top of the second cake using the leveler.

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   Step 7: Cut a large notch out of the shorter cake (the second cake).

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   Step 8: Place both cakes on decorative board and insert the taller cake in the notch of the second cake as shown above.

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   Step 9: Frost using buttercream frosting.

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    Step 10: Prepare very large piece of white fondant and apply to cake.

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    Step 11: Use this image as a guide:

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    Step 12: Using a red food coloring pen

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    Step 13: draw the letter "A" on the cards.

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    Step 14: Prepare small amount of red fondant and cut out 1 large diamond

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    Step 15: two small diamonds

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    Step 16: 1 large heart

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    Step 17: and 1 small heart.

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    Step 18: Apply diamonds to "top" card

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    Step 19: using small amount (one drop) of water (or icing gel).

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    Step 20: Test fit the heart on the center of the "bottom" card.

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    Step 21: Apply hearts to "bottom" card using small amount of water (or icing gel).

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    Step 22: Smooth fondant using smoother.

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    Step 23: Frost the cake shavings and the notch with left-over frosting for the kids.

Detailed Guide

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