I need to create a replica of the Stanley Cup for a wedding, which is a very tall series of cakes stacked directly one on top of the other. I obviously will not need all that to be cake, can I make the bottom layers out of, say, styrofoam covered in fondant, to match the 'real' cake layers at the top? How high can I go before the cake is not stable?

By Gerard (Gerard) on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 02:56 am: Edit

I'd make a normal cake with a stanley cup replica on top rather than a facsimili of the cup itself being the cake.

Or..make a 1 inch plywood base with 1 inch diameter wooden dowel glued into the base, slide the cake onto the dowel and start carving.

By W.DeBord on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 08:26 am: Edit

Your o.k. making your base out of something else, but my experience is that styrofoam is NOT a good choice because it's lighter than the rest of the cake making it a big problem if you have to move it (TOP HEAVY). As long as your weight is heaviest on the bottom you can build quite high!


As you make your cake layers putting each ontop of the next, make sure you use insert your dowels or straws far enough away from the center of the cake as possible, structurely it will be stronger.

You should plan on also putting a dowel or two through the entire height of the cake to ancor the whole thing together.

If you have handles that stick out from the sides of the cake use sugar paste or chocolate plastic. I make them much longer out of the same material, then insert on an angle into the cake so they won't pull out from their own weight.

Hope that helps?...

By W.DeBord on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 08:32 am: Edit

Did you follow me, each cake layer assuming it's a two layer with filling goes on a cardboard. Place a parchment paper circle on the top of each cake layer so the frosting doesn't stick to the cake above it. Then stack in graduating widths your cakes with inserts just like a reg. wedding cake.

By Panini (Panini) on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 03:19 pm: Edit

lindamcherry,
I do this all the time, you may want to try it. I use wilton plated that accept the clear twist colums. use the 9.5 " column. these colums will go through two cakes stacked together. Remember that you will need cardbord betrween those cake as not to have 9"slices. you can expand as you go up if you play with the plates.
Its hard for me to explain but I will look at the cup tonight and fax you a drawing if you like.
Are you in Dallas? I've done similar cups this year since we won it last year.
This is kind of what DeBord says but I think sturdier. These plates do not move.
panini@altinet.net

By momoreg on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 05:55 pm: Edit

Panini, Just out of curiosity, how do you know where to insert the columns, if you have holes in the cardboard, which are hidden under cake?

By W.DeBord on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 07:07 pm: Edit

Momoreg...measure and you have to feel it out alittle. I agree Panini, your method would probably be best. Try this,wilton white plastic base that has the clear plastic with a slight twist pattern legs. I buy dowels to use in place of the plastic legs. I cut them to length so it's always a perfect fit when stacking.

By Panini (Panini) on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 07:20 pm: Edit

momoreg,
you actually read it. Good question. first cake I top with board and place plastic w/legs on, mark the holes cut and push the legs through. pull legs out , invert and place over second cake. align the holes and push the legs through both.
Does this make sense?

By momoreg on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 10:44 pm: Edit

Yes, I think so. You don't have to feel around for the holes or estimate where they might be. It's already aligned, and then you can slide the second cake (already filled?) over the legs. And I'm picturing that the columns will not be at all visible. You're just using them because they fit the plates. Do I understand correctly?

By Panini (Panini) on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 06:02 am: Edit

momoreg,
almost. #1cake will have a cardbord with the holes on top going all the way through. lift out the legs and plate.
Now take the #1 cake, which will now have holes all the way through it, and invert it so the cardbord is on the bottom. Place that cake on # 2 cake. slide the legs down through both. This is for stacked style. You know we do those crazy double high, Mad Hatter looking, crooked cakes this way.
And solid sculpted this way. By the way, say that S.CUP cake is 36" high or so, I would be charging 1500.+++ Unless you can match the seams to the cup somewhere you will have to deliver whole.
We've probably made 3000 cakes and I've only delivered 2 whole. corse that does not include grooms,I did a volkwagon bug to scale two week ago. Total bit-- had to cardbord and plate that thing to,looked great,1250.

By momoreg on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 06:51 am: Edit

My brother's getting married in October, and asked me last night if I could make him a cake in the style of Hugh Ferriss:

http://www.loggia.com/parti/frontage/ferriss.html

Sure, no prob. At least it's not someone else's cake out of a magazine. I hate when clients ask me to do that. This one will be fun..

By Panini (Panini) on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 05:25 pm: Edit

You will probably have to spend as much time on lighting than baking! Is he serious?

By momoreg on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 06:55 pm: Edit

Yes, but his fiance thinks he's nuts, so we may need to calm it down a tad.

By tj on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 09:56 pm: Edit

no problem .i would make it look like the "shelton hotel", they have in that site.a clean architectual display.shade in grey and black one side of it.its not too complicated...

By Panini (Panini) on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 09:58 pm: Edit

That depends on who's paying. Although when we get a couple that goes way over the line we remind them , just what will you say to your children when they ask "what were you thinking"?
At least do his as a grooms cake!

By momoreg on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 10:28 pm: Edit

I thought of it as a groom's cake, but then she'll ask for something equally over the top, and I'll have more work than I need at an already busy time of year.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, April 19, 2000 - 08:51 am: Edit

I've had to tone down the grooms choice before too. When you tell the bride that his will crab all the attention, the bride tones down his wild wishes. Promise you'll make it for his 40th birthday etc...I also have had to mention if I put all that work into the grooms cake it forces me to pay less attention/time on the brides cake and the sweet table. Mentioning those points always brings the people around to a more reasonable idea.

P.S. Tell your brother he'll leave you so tired that you won't be much fun at the reception...