Our friends over at the United Regional Chamber of Commerce knew that they wanted a good old-fashioned pig roast for their inaugural Fun Fest Picnic.

Tricia White of Friends Food Family offered to make her nationally renowned “Pigs in the Mud” Peanut Butter Fudge Cake. Of course, this was a natural complement to the B&M Catering Pig Roast we would be hosting at the picnic.  

pigs in the mud chocolate cake

We were thrilled to be invited to help make the little pigs that would be on top of the cake.

Where to begin? Fondant, of course. Fondant is a thick paste made of sugar and water and often flavored or colored, used in the making of candy and the icing and decoration of cakes. Pails of red and white fondant appeared on the counter. The first task was to mix the two together in order to make a nice, smooth, uniform pig-pink color.

The next task was to start forming the piggies.   A good-sized round ball here, a smaller one for the head, and then four more for the feet.  Add a rounded nose, a couple of pointy ears, and we were almost there.  A toothpick and a paring knife helped add the details of the eyes, nostrils, toes and belly button.  There – Backstroke Piggie.

Another ball of fondant, a crease with a paring knife, a squiggle for a tail – Diving Piggie!  

pig on back chocolate mud cakepig diving in chocolate mud cake

Next, we needed the Lounging Piggie.  For that we used two fondant balls for the belly and head, added the nose and ears, some arms, a couple smaller balls for feet – toothpick for details – and Voila!  Similar techniques were used for the Belly-Flop Piggie.

pig sits in chocolate mud cakepig lies on belly in choclolate mud cake

Our piggie-making tasks completed, we left the pink darlings in the good hands of Tricia who then baked, frosted and “fenced” two cakes according to the instructions on her website.  She then had to transport them so very carefully to the picnic.  They were a real hit – and, of course, they were delicious, too.