3D Finalist 3
Bountiful Catch
by Blake Anthony · submitted Nov 5, 2013 · 2013 contest
1 / 96
Description
Well, this cake was quite the doozy! I chose "Bountiful Catch" by artist, William Chua because not only did I want a challenge I've never seen the likes of before, but I am quite fascinated by Japanese culture and I immediately knew this was my Threadcakes calling!
This cake measures 19.5 inches tall ( from the base to the kabuto ornament), .and weights close to 60 lbs. The cakes that were used are dark chocolate cake ( ganache with vanilla bean meringue buttercream filling) for the bottom red tier base, pumpkin spice cake (cream cheese frosting with fig preserve filling) for the head second tier, and white vanilla cake ( orange marmalade vanilla buttercream filling) for the top tier kabuto. The whole cake was crumb coated and covered in dark chocolate ganache. The side cheeks were molding out of cake pop mixture of crumbled cake and buttercream meringue frosting. The whole cake sits on a round wooden base. The non edible materials include the inner pipe and fixture it's screwed in on and plastic wrap was wrapped around the pipe to cover it from touching the cake. Wooden dowels were affixed in front of the face and the side flaps ( see pics). Plastic tubes were inserted in each tier to hold the cake tier above it with cardboard cake plates holding them up as well. Toothpicks were also inserted in the cat's spear mouth piece and koi to help hold it together with edible glue to the cake.
The bottom tier and top tier are covered in fondant. The face is covered in white modeling chocolate. The right eye is rolled out black fondant. A mixture of fondant and gumpaste went into all the ornaments and little decorations on and around the cake. The side ear pieces were made out of rice krispie treats. (RKTs) to help hold the flowers and fish that went around it. They were glued on with royal icing. The patterns on the headband, earflaps, kabuto head ornament, and eye patch were painted on using black food coloring. The main helmut ornament was cut out of pure gumpaste and affixed with royal icing only. The ornament patterns were hand painted using edible food coloring.
As you can see from the progress pictures, the weight of the white modeling chocolate covering the face became too heavy and with the side flap, the whole face came crumbling down with the cake attached. After feeling a deep sense of heartache and having a mini cakepsychotic break ( we've all been there) slightly comparable to that of Michael Douglas's character in 'Falling Down' I collected myself and was determined more than ever to finish this cake with 24 hrs remaining before the deadline. It was literally a race to the finish! I remolded the half of the face with RKTs stuck in dowels to help support it this time, and covered that in white candy melts to seal the deal. Then reapplied the modeling chocolate and smoothed it in. I lost cound after a solid 72 hours working to complete this endeavor.
This project was definitely a lesson in cake structure and carving. Overall it was a great experience to learn from while pushing myself further than ever and never giving up! Thank you, ThreadCakes, for the opportunity! And boy was it delicious to eat! A bountiful catch indeed! ;)
This cake measures 19.5 inches tall ( from the base to the kabuto ornament), .and weights close to 60 lbs. The cakes that were used are dark chocolate cake ( ganache with vanilla bean meringue buttercream filling) for the bottom red tier base, pumpkin spice cake (cream cheese frosting with fig preserve filling) for the head second tier, and white vanilla cake ( orange marmalade vanilla buttercream filling) for the top tier kabuto. The whole cake was crumb coated and covered in dark chocolate ganache. The side cheeks were molding out of cake pop mixture of crumbled cake and buttercream meringue frosting. The whole cake sits on a round wooden base. The non edible materials include the inner pipe and fixture it's screwed in on and plastic wrap was wrapped around the pipe to cover it from touching the cake. Wooden dowels were affixed in front of the face and the side flaps ( see pics). Plastic tubes were inserted in each tier to hold the cake tier above it with cardboard cake plates holding them up as well. Toothpicks were also inserted in the cat's spear mouth piece and koi to help hold it together with edible glue to the cake.
The bottom tier and top tier are covered in fondant. The face is covered in white modeling chocolate. The right eye is rolled out black fondant. A mixture of fondant and gumpaste went into all the ornaments and little decorations on and around the cake. The side ear pieces were made out of rice krispie treats. (RKTs) to help hold the flowers and fish that went around it. They were glued on with royal icing. The patterns on the headband, earflaps, kabuto head ornament, and eye patch were painted on using black food coloring. The main helmut ornament was cut out of pure gumpaste and affixed with royal icing only. The ornament patterns were hand painted using edible food coloring.
As you can see from the progress pictures, the weight of the white modeling chocolate covering the face became too heavy and with the side flap, the whole face came crumbling down with the cake attached. After feeling a deep sense of heartache and having a mini cakepsychotic break ( we've all been there) slightly comparable to that of Michael Douglas's character in 'Falling Down' I collected myself and was determined more than ever to finish this cake with 24 hrs remaining before the deadline. It was literally a race to the finish! I remolded the half of the face with RKTs stuck in dowels to help support it this time, and covered that in white candy melts to seal the deal. Then reapplied the modeling chocolate and smoothed it in. I lost cound after a solid 72 hours working to complete this endeavor.
This project was definitely a lesson in cake structure and carving. Overall it was a great experience to learn from while pushing myself further than ever and never giving up! Thank you, ThreadCakes, for the opportunity! And boy was it delicious to eat! A bountiful catch indeed! ;)