3D 1st place 4
Firelight Cottage
by jennifer flynn @madgoose · submitted Jul 20, 2010 · 2010 contest
1 / 49
Description
When Firelight Cottage was printed a couple of months ago I knew immediately that I had to recreate it in cake. Robots themselves are pretty awesome, but robots destroying things, well I’m sold!
Once again I wanted to make sure the whole cake was completely edible, which required making cardboard models of the cottage and robot body in order to make sure everything would be to scale. I also made a template for the “smoke” cake that would be the essential foundation to support the robot. Once I was satisfied with my paper and cardboard models, I could move on to the real thing. I baked two 8 inch squares, one 9 inch square round, and one 9 inch square cake. Since I didn’t use any dowels or supports I needed a cake that was strong (yet tasty!) this is where my trusted pound cake recipe came into play. I also needed to make a couple of batches of simple vanilla buttercream and an abundance of gumpaste and fondant.
Overall, from baking to completion this cake took a week, a few hours each day and one marathon all nighter! The cake decorating process was drawn out even more because our new puppy decided that he would help (interrupt) by sleeping or sitting on my feet while I decorated. I thought perhaps he had taken a penchant for cake decorating and was observing to learn, but unfortunately I had to break it to him that he doesn’t have any thumbs so it wouldn’t really work out. To ease his disappointment I did promise him a taste of the cake, however I did not inform him which part……
This cake was definitely a challenge and while I thought the hardest part would be the larger pieces like the robot it was actually all the tiny details like the stones and flowers that made the cake difficult and time consuming! However, it was also really fun because I got to try different techniques and learn new skills. I also came face to face with my old nemesis gumpaste and luckily this year we were friends.
I’ve added more of the cake’s technical details in my video so that the comments page wouldn’t read like a novel!
Once again I wanted to make sure the whole cake was completely edible, which required making cardboard models of the cottage and robot body in order to make sure everything would be to scale. I also made a template for the “smoke” cake that would be the essential foundation to support the robot. Once I was satisfied with my paper and cardboard models, I could move on to the real thing. I baked two 8 inch squares, one 9 inch square round, and one 9 inch square cake. Since I didn’t use any dowels or supports I needed a cake that was strong (yet tasty!) this is where my trusted pound cake recipe came into play. I also needed to make a couple of batches of simple vanilla buttercream and an abundance of gumpaste and fondant.
Overall, from baking to completion this cake took a week, a few hours each day and one marathon all nighter! The cake decorating process was drawn out even more because our new puppy decided that he would help (interrupt) by sleeping or sitting on my feet while I decorated. I thought perhaps he had taken a penchant for cake decorating and was observing to learn, but unfortunately I had to break it to him that he doesn’t have any thumbs so it wouldn’t really work out. To ease his disappointment I did promise him a taste of the cake, however I did not inform him which part……
This cake was definitely a challenge and while I thought the hardest part would be the larger pieces like the robot it was actually all the tiny details like the stones and flowers that made the cake difficult and time consuming! However, it was also really fun because I got to try different techniques and learn new skills. I also came face to face with my old nemesis gumpaste and luckily this year we were friends.
I’ve added more of the cake’s technical details in my video so that the comments page wouldn’t read like a novel!
