Columbus Day Cake

This is an annual tradition of ours. I didn't make this cake from scratch, but that mattered not a bit to the boys. It's important that the cake be chocolate, because "Boats Aren't Yellow!" and that the frosting be chocolate. This year I was somewhat more creative than in years past, and made it look more like one of Columbus' ships.

I have an oval baking dish with slightly tapered sides, which I use once a year, for this project only. I always cut the top off the cake to level it; however, this year, I cut out the center to create a fo'castle and a poopdeck (which you know is every little boy's favorite part of the ship). I whipped up a batch of buttercream frosting, which I flavored with dutch cocoa powder and peppermint extract, and let the boys frost this sucker and make the sail. You'll note that Thor is nowhere to be seen in this picture, having had his dinner and knowing that he never gets dessert (although Larry the lobster is in the corner).
Hope you all had a great Columbus Day, whether you worked or not!