She was 15 layers of vanilla butter cake with alternating filling layers of oreo buttercream and chocolate ganache. The top torso (from the mid-boobie up) was molded rice crispy treats. I had to use 3 boxes of cereal and 3 bags of marshmallows for that 7″ tall section! I’m sorry I have no progress pics (I’m kicking myself) but I had some serious back issues and just wanted to get the cake done…so, no pics. We added a whole bunch of gold disco dust to the black fondant for the bodice, so it had some glimmer to it! The flower was a random invention that I came up with because I wanted something funky and ruffly to go with the dress.
The board was fondant pressed with a wood grain impression mat, then scored to make the planks, then painted to look like wood.
Here are two of the sweet ladies from the table that bought the cake. It also shows how big it was…Thank you STM!!!
I’m sure I spent close to 40 hours overall working on this cake. There was so much design work done trying to figure out what type of mechanism to use, how to carve it, stack it, etc. So, needless to say, I’m glad it’s over! Now I can get back to my family!! I’m glad the cake did so well at the auction and blessed Ben’s school…they have been so good to us and I wanted to give back to them…so, I’m thrilled I had that opportunity!
So, onto the back story! I have to give huge props and a HUGE hug to my friend Summer Stone who saved the day! – Literally!!! I hurt my back really bad Friday afternoon. I’ve struggled with back issues since college and had herniated disc surgery about 12 years ago. Well, I think I herniated another disc Friday about 2pm moving the cake around. I was in so much pain I could hardly move. My husband had to come home early from work and I was crying like a baby because of the stress, the pain, and the chance that I was going let people down! I couldn’t work on the cake at all the rest of the day. I had the board done, the shoes done, the flower done, the cake carved and crumb coated, but she had no clothes on! – All the final details were missing. So, I put a call out to my sweet sweet friend who’s been dabbling in cakes with me and she came over at 9am Saturday morning. Her husband came too to help us roll out fondant and do what he could. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me…It was amazing! Summer stayed until we finished the cake at 3:30pm! I had to rest a lot so wasn’t much help, but grinded through the last few hours and we got her done. Then, the other challenge began…
My neighbors came over to help Ben move the cake into the van…we needed to get the cake downtown by 4pm! It didn’t fit!!!!!!! It was 3″ too tall!!!! I didn’t even consider that…not for one second!! And we were left standing there dumbfounded! Then, my daughter said, “What about Summer’s van?” Summer has a lowered van for her wheel chair and the cake fit in there perfectly…but then, she had to drive it downtown with my husband…nope…she couldn’t go home yet! So, she drove it downtown and gave up her entire day for me and for this cake!! Summer, you are an angel and I pray the Lord blesses you a thousand fold for what you did for me and the school!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Now, back to the couch…I’m so sore today and need to rest! Thanks for reading! And, if you think of Summer, say a prayer of blessing on her!
That is one beautiful cake! You all did an amazing job, back issues and all. Bravo!
Beautiful cake, wonderful friend, nice chunk of change for the school!
Wowza! Ok, I had no idea it was going to be THAT big!! You rocked it – sorry your back paid the price, though. :o(
I’m completely dumb-founded! That’s AMAZING! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your work! I found you here on your blog after seeing your cakes on CakeCentral. I aspire to be as good as you…someday!
Blessings!!
Kim
aka KimmyD on CakeCentral
wow Jessica! She is beautiful. I’ll be praying for your back. Let me know if you need anything.
Oh my! What an amazing cake! When I first saw the picture I thought, there’s no way that’s a cake! Wow, wow, wow!! You do SUCH an incredible job!! I will pray for your back – I know first hand how debilitating it can be~
This is unbelievable! I’m so sorry about your back, though, and pray that it is healing. How awesome to have a friend willing to step in and help at the last minute!
What did you use for inner support in this cake?
Anonymous: 1/2″ galvanized steel piping
Do you cover it with PVC or just non toxic paint?
Is there a coupler holding the board in place underneath the cake?
Anonymous: I used a coupler to hold the board in place and another steel pipe above that to hold the cake steady. I covered the pipes in double sided tape then in plastic wrap so everything was sealed up! I hope that helps!
Blessings!
AMAZING!!! but how do you cut this kind of cake???
Very carefully!!
We actually pulled off the bodice part that was rice crispy treat, then started slicing it down like a tiered cake. There was a board with supports every 4″…so, we just cut down to the next board and removed that section of cake in slices, took off the board, and sliced down to the next board…until we sliced it all.
Best wishes!
Jessica