3D 2nd place 4
Mechanic owl King
by Erin Wieglenda Cronbaugh · submitted Oct 24, 2013 · 2013 contest
1 / 55
Description
Chocolate mud cake made up the interior of this Mechanic Owl King cake. He started off life as 4 6 inch round cakes. Chocolate ganache held him together along with some help from 4 thin wooden dowels on the bottom layer. He was carved, ganached and covered in fondant on a nice safe stable surface and then transferred to his perch. His lift consisted of 2 metal flanges sandwiching a metal threaded rod about 3 inches tall. 4 layers of cake boards were cut to about 3 1/2 inch rounds and hot glued together. They were then hot glued to the top metal flange. Everything was then covered in food safe cling wrap, food safety first people!
3 thin food safe bamboo skewers were pounded all the way through his body and into his supporting cardboard cake rounds. He had to survive the drive to work with me and I didn't want him flying off before we could cut into him.
Edible markers were used to sketch approximate placement of his bottom most layers. Layers of fondant were glued on with water. Some were removed, glued on again, ripped off, balled up, cursed at and then glued on again. He had so many layers and trying to determine which should go on first was like putting together one of those 3D puzzles.
Most of the gears in his chest were made from little gear molds I happen to have, the rest were made by hand, then sprayed with Wilton Edible gold spray.
His eyes were one of my favorite parts. Melted yellow isomalt was poured into a a half sphere mold. Before it set, I used a ball tool to make a slight impression into what would be the backs of his eyes. Black fondant was pressed into the impressions and black marks were painted around the edges.
After all his layers were added, the base board was covered in fondant and texturized and his tail feathers were added to hide his support. Then the airbrushing began. A mixture of food coloring and vodka were used. Once his general color was completed and he dried off, black powered food color was used to add in all of his shadows. He then got a final airbrushing with a bit of sparkle, edible bronze luster dust was mixed with vodka and he was sprayed again.
The branch is made of chocolate with no internal support. It was attached to the board and his belly with more chocolate.
The background consists of a piece of foam core board covered in white fondant. The pink center was airbrushed and the trees and shadows were hand painted. Before it totally dried, I dusted it with cocoa powder, let it set, then brushed it off to end up with a nice matte finish. The background was attached to the base board and the back of the owls head with more melted chocolate.
3 thin food safe bamboo skewers were pounded all the way through his body and into his supporting cardboard cake rounds. He had to survive the drive to work with me and I didn't want him flying off before we could cut into him.
Edible markers were used to sketch approximate placement of his bottom most layers. Layers of fondant were glued on with water. Some were removed, glued on again, ripped off, balled up, cursed at and then glued on again. He had so many layers and trying to determine which should go on first was like putting together one of those 3D puzzles.
Most of the gears in his chest were made from little gear molds I happen to have, the rest were made by hand, then sprayed with Wilton Edible gold spray.
His eyes were one of my favorite parts. Melted yellow isomalt was poured into a a half sphere mold. Before it set, I used a ball tool to make a slight impression into what would be the backs of his eyes. Black fondant was pressed into the impressions and black marks were painted around the edges.
After all his layers were added, the base board was covered in fondant and texturized and his tail feathers were added to hide his support. Then the airbrushing began. A mixture of food coloring and vodka were used. Once his general color was completed and he dried off, black powered food color was used to add in all of his shadows. He then got a final airbrushing with a bit of sparkle, edible bronze luster dust was mixed with vodka and he was sprayed again.
The branch is made of chocolate with no internal support. It was attached to the board and his belly with more chocolate.
The background consists of a piece of foam core board covered in white fondant. The pink center was airbrushed and the trees and shadows were hand painted. Before it totally dried, I dusted it with cocoa powder, let it set, then brushed it off to end up with a nice matte finish. The background was attached to the base board and the back of the owls head with more melted chocolate.
