How to Make a Gift Box Cake

     I thought I would share with you a simple way to make a stunning presentation of an edible gift box of cake. Bake a 2 layer cake of your choice in whatever size and shape you want your gift box to be. I find square to be the best but it is really a matter of personal choice. After cooling, torte, fill and frost the cake.
     Now the fondant. I make my own, so delicious, it tastes like a Tootsie Roll. I use Michelle Foster's recipe which is easily found on the web. Cut a piece of white fondant to sit on top of the cake. Then I make panels of colored fondant to go around each side of the cake so it looks like a box with seams.I let a little bit of the fondant stick up past the top of the box, maybe 1/4 inch or less. Then decorate the box with whatever you can come up with. I love black polka dots on a pink background.
     Now the lid. This actually should be done a few days ahead of time so the lid has time to dry. (It can even be made weeks ahead of time.) Use the same pan that you used for the cake and turn it over. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Roll out a piece of gumpaste in the color of your lid and smooth over the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim the sides to even them out, making the sides about 3/4 inch long. Put aside to dry and then carefully remove it from the pan and allow the inside to dry. Now you have a lid to perfectly fit your cake. Embellish with bows or whatever decoration/bling you want. Make some tissue paper for a realistic touch. The tissue paper is made from thin sheets of gumpaste that I scrunched up and left to dry.
     To assemble, place the tissue paper on top, hanging over the edge somewhat and place the lid on top of that. You can use a dab of melted white chocolate to hold everything together. Add a gift tag and you are done.