Step 1: Bake two 8-inch round red velvet cakes and allow them to cool completely. For best results, chill them in the fridge for an hour to make carving easier.
Step 2: Stack the cakes with a layer of cream cheese frosting in between. Use a serrated knife to carve the cake into an oval, dome-like shape resembling a skull.
Step 3: Cut a shallow groove down the center of the dome to create the two hemispheres of the brain.
Step 4: Coat the entire cake in a thin layer of cream cheese frosting (crumb coat) and chill for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Roll your flesh-toned fondant into long, thin ropes (about 1/4 inch thick).
Step 6: Drape the fondant ropes in a squiggly, folded pattern all over the cake, working in sections and ensuring you leave the center groove visible.
Step 7: Mix the strawberry jam with a tiny bit of red food coloring and brush it generously over the entire cake, letting it pool in the crevices for a realistic look.