Adventures in making a beagle cake

My father commissioned a cake for my Grandpa's 89th birthday, requesting it look like a beagle with white, black and brown coloring. My Grandpa, amongst other things, raised beagles a particular being Rockie, which is what we named the cake.

This was quite an undertaking for me as I have never made a 3D cake with and organic shape. I didn't really know where to begin...
I decided the easiest cake to work with is vanilla buttermilk and I like working with Swiss buttercream frosting when the cake is to be covered with fondant (it goes on smooth and never hardens).

I started with three players and started cutting away, hoping for the best.

It must have been hilarious to see me staring at this mound of cake with knife in hand. I hadn't a clue how to continue.

More cutting later and Rockie started to take form...




Did you know dogs don't have shoulders? Yeah, those had to go.



He looked right to me so I moved on to frosting and covering with fondant.



Here he is with some definition but he needs ears and a tail...



There, that's better! And now for some color...



Nice but I think we can do better!



Yup, that'll do it! And because I'm morbid like that, a picture after the cake had been served...



Yum yum! My smart nephew requested the middle portion of the dog. Daddy taught him it's the tastiest part of the animal.

Beagle cake: Vanilla buttermilk cake with Swiss buttercream frosting, covered in marshmallow fondant.