A friend request a book cake for her graduating son. Please let me know how this is done.

I made this one....

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=94070

Fairly simple design. Rectangle cake, put Chocopan Fondant or brown fondant cut to pan size for the back cover and laid it on my cake drum. Add your cake already covered in BC which is also on another thin cake board cut to the exact size of the cake so the board doesn't show. Add white fondant on three sides the two short and one long edge for pages. Use the Wilton wheel and a ruler to get the lines to indicate "pages".

Add front cover and back binding as one piece at the same time. Cut that piece slightly bigger then the cake to help it look like a cover. (I used BC to give it the puffy binding look before adding the fondant.) I also used a dowel laid across the book from top to bottom to give it an indent to help define binding.

I added letters and decorations and hand painted with gold luster dust. Then added a white and red string type piece on the binding for binding stitching. Also one ribbon which I made an slice in the pages with a knife and push it in.

Walla, one book cake. HTH

Thank you

First of all, your book cake is PERFECT! I'm going to make a stacked version of this for a friend who is off to the PHD program. Your instructions make sense, but I'm confused as to how to keep the top portion of the book cover from "sagging" since it is longer than the pages. Also, how did you make your letters? Thank you so much for your help!

Jamie

Thank you.

I actually put a stiff strip piece of paper (card stock) just under each side until it sat long enough to stiffen up. Shhhhhh don't tell anyone.

I used the Fox Run Alphabet cutter set, but FMM has beautiful script letters also. They are called tappits I believe, which are a little more fancy.

Send me a picture when you finish............

Thank you! Jeez, you're really going to giggle at me for this one, but what is FMM? And where can I find these letters? Can you tell I'm relatively new at this?

Nooooooooot a problem.....

FMM is a name brand like FMM, PME, Culpitt, Orchard, & Patchwork Cutters you can get them from:
http://www.globalsugarart.com/search.php?search=tappit

There is a trick to using them though. You got to roll out fondant/gumpaste/whatever very thin using a pasta machine (can get that at Joann's fabrics right now for 9.99) let the strip sit for a few minutes to form a bit of a skin. Flip it over a few times so both sides set up. After pressing side ways so as to not to cut the whole alphabet and to get the letter you want, tap the cutter strip on your hand (or work table and the letter will go flying.) If stuck to the cutter, use a pin to gently prick the back and pry the letter off. I use Crisco on the cutter to help.
HTH

Beautiful work tiptop and thanks for the instructions. I've been wanting to make a bible cake for my father-in-law your instructions are great.

Thank you so much for all of your help, Tiptop. I'll post pics of the book cakes when they're completed. Keep your fingers crossed!

Great instructions TipTop57. Perhaps you should do a tutorial!

Sure, after the fair next week I will create one.....does anyone know how I get them online here at CC?

I think you would have to notify Heath and/or Jackie but I'm not sure.

wow, great instructions tiptop57! thanks so much for sharing! i've been scratching my head at those book cakes and yours is one of the more amazing ones, really! you make it sound so simple.

yes thank you for the instructions the cake is wonderful and thanks for all the tips i will have to try this one, but i know it will not be as beautiful as yours

AGreat instructions I'm going to make a Harry potter cake and I been looking all over the place how to make the pages thanks!!! :)