<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-553" title="sock monkey cakes" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey1.jpg" alt="first birthday cake" width="500" height="331" /></a>

At the opposite end of the birthday spectrum is little Mikey, who recently turned one!

<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey5.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-556" title="sock monkey cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey5.jpg" alt="vanilla cake with strawberries" width="484" height="500" /></a>

His mom requested a vanilla sock monkey cake with strawberry filling.

<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-554" title="sock monkey cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey2.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="331" /></a>

I used fondant to make the decorations, but I let them harden for a few days so that they would be easily removable.  Fondant creates adorable decorations, but the flavor is less than appealing.  So, any time that I can design the fondant to be discard it before enjoying the sweet cake, I do.

<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey3.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-555" title="sock monkey cake" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/monkey3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="331" /></a>

My good friend and cake guru, Julius, told me how to make the monkey's appearance look like fabric.  I grated the fondant with a microplane, scattered it over the top of the brown, and rolled it in lightly.  God love Jules - without him, I'd be lost.

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