I usually use the "Wilton Shaped-Pan" method for the birthday cakes that I make...but when my niece asked me to make her a "beach scene"....I had NO IDEA what I was going to do!!! I do not have the Cricut Cake, nor do I want it...I only make cakes about 5-6 times a year, so it's not really cost effective. And a lot of the 'samples' of Cricut Cakes I've seen....well, I think they look cheesy. (Sorry if you use the Cricut Cake, but it's just my humble opinion...) Unless you practice, practice, practice, I just don't think that you get super clean lines and perfection that a professional baker gets...no matter how easy it seems! Soooo....then I decided that I could just make a tiered cake, and frost it like the ocean....add some finely crushed graham cracker crumbs on the top of the cake for the sand...and make all sorts of die-cuts with my Expression and Life's A Beach cartridge, attach 'em to long toothpicks and VOILA!!
This is
Miss Zoe's Beach Scene Birthday Cake!! 
A friendly dolphin and shark among the blue water...

An octopus and a sea turtle, too...

A fun sand castle and some awesome buried treasure on the beach...

A Beach Ball, Crab, and Shovel and Pail for some fun in the sun!

Hula Girl, Palm Trees, and a Sun shining high with birthday wishes!!

I used my white gel pen and stickles to make the die-cuts stand out...I also added a wave border around the top tier. I was happy with the way it turned out...I may have to use my Cricut for more of my cakes!!! Now, if only there was a 'Madagascar' cartridge...That's what my other niece wants for her cake in June! Augh!! Gotta get my thinking cap on for that one!! :)
Thanks for looking!!