Atari 2600

My husband and son are avid retro game collectors and for my son’s 14th birthday, he requested an Atari 2600… Behold! The Atari 2600 VCS — Video Cake System! My son’s favorite game is Adventure and I wanted to include it along with a classic, Asteroids, which we also have an arcade cabinet of in our game room. Everything is edible!

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Notes from the Kitchen

To start, I made the joystick controller by covering RKTs in fondant.

To start, I made the joystick controller by covering RKTs in fondant.

Here’s the joystick with lots of fondant detailing!

Here’s the joystick with lots of fondant detailing!

I typically avoid using printed icing sheets, but I really needed the covers of the cartridges to look sharp and I’m just not that good at piping. ;)

I typically avoid using printed icing sheets, but I really needed the covers of the cartridges to look sharp and I’m just not that good at piping. ;)

Back row are the actual items and front row are the finished sugar products.

Back row are the actual items and front row are the finished sugar products.

Next I made the control panel, using RKTs as a base. Amazingly, the starting dimensions for the Atari panel were exactly 5x2x2 treats!

Next I made the control panel, using RKTs as a base. Amazingly, the starting dimensions for the Atari panel were exactly 5x2x2 treats!

I then made the angled cuts for the control panel.

I then made the angled cuts for the control panel.

In order to have the cavities in the panel, I carved them away before covering with fondant.

In order to have the cavities in the panel, I carved them away before covering with fondant.

Okay — I took a short cut. I typically crumbcoat RKTs to better fill in the gaps before covering. But I elected not to and the finished product came out a little puckered in places.

Okay — I took a short cut. I typically crumbcoat RKTs to better fill in the gaps before covering. But I elected not to and the finished product came out a little puckered in places.

Using my tools, I cut away the excess and molded the fondant inward in the cavities.

Using my tools, I cut away the excess and molded the fondant inward in the cavities.

I then cut out very small strips and put the outlines around the cavities, as well as made the cartridge slot.

I then cut out very small strips and put the outlines around the cavities, as well as made the cartridge slot.

Taking a break! Here’s my sheet of elements so far, which I set aside over night before cake day.

Taking a break! Here’s my sheet of elements so far, which I set aside over night before cake day.

My son requested black for the cake itself so I made a white spongy cake with lots of egg whites and colored it black!

My son requested black for the cake itself so I made a white spongy cake with lots of egg whites and colored it black!

I baked the cake in a 14x14 pan. After it cooled for hours, I transferred to a cutting surface and trimmed it down.

I baked the cake in a 14x14 pan. After it cooled for hours, I transferred to a cutting surface and trimmed it down.

I made my go-to buttercream and crumbcoated the cake after I moved it to the cake board.

I made my go-to buttercream and crumbcoated the cake after I moved it to the cake board.

Oops. The cake had shrunk back when I moved it to the board and I lost some of the width. When I added the control panel it was too short! So I had to get creative and lift up the fondant and build out some more width on the left.

Oops. The cake had shrunk back when I moved it to the board and I lost some of the width. When I added the control panel it was too short! So I had to get creative and lift up the fondant and build out some more width on the left.

I delicately and slowly cut out even strips for the top.

I delicately and slowly cut out even strips for the top.

I set each strip with water and a straight edge, then trimmed away excess.

I set each strip with water and a straight edge, then trimmed away excess.

Oh man — I used at least 4 different colors to try to achieve the starting brown I needed.

Oh man — I used at least 4 different colors to try to achieve the starting brown I needed.

I cut out a brown strip and applied to the front before wrapping the whole thing in a black strip.

I cut out a brown strip and applied to the front before wrapping the whole thing in a black strip.

I applied nice thick strips of black to wrap the console.

I applied nice thick strips of black to wrap the console.

Here’s all the fondant sides — now it’s ready for painting!

Here’s all the fondant sides — now it’s ready for painting!

I hand-painted wood grain using a paint brush and black icing coloring, and then airbrushed the wood panel with some brown.

I hand-painted wood grain using a paint brush and black icing coloring, and then airbrushed the wood panel with some brown.

I then airbrushed the console black, holding a piece of cardstock in one hand to protect the brown areas while I painted with my other hand.

I then airbrushed the console black, holding a piece of cardstock in one hand to protect the brown areas while I painted with my other hand.

I made the toggles out of silver fondant and set aside to firm up while I then piped on lettering. I used my extruder to get the toggles the same thickness and shape.

I made the toggles out of silver fondant and set aside to firm up while I then piped on lettering. I used my extruder to get the toggles the same thickness and shape.

Colored my leftover buttercream in red, electric orange and grey for all the piping elements.

Colored my leftover buttercream in red, electric orange and grey for all the piping elements.

Ready to pipe! At this point I’m so tired that writing with icing on a cake at 45 degrees can be pretty stressful.

Ready to pipe! At this point I’m so tired that writing with icing on a cake at 45 degrees can be pretty stressful.

Piping on the console done! All that’s left is to add the toggles, joystick, cartridges and lettering for the birthday boy!

Piping on the console done! All that’s left is to add the toggles, joystick, cartridges and lettering for the birthday boy!

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The cake with our Atari 2600 behind!

The cake with our Atari 2600 behind!