What A Buzzkill...

Decorating By PieceofCakeAZ Updated 19 Dec 2006 , 10:16pm by Bettycrockermommy

PieceofCakeAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PieceofCakeAZ Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 8:07am
post #1 of 29

One of the wedding magazines is having their annual black tie holiday party for their advertisers in a couple of weeks and we are doing the cake. We had discussed a few design ideas with them last week and today we spoke with them to get the verdict.

They picked the design I was hoping for... a brick fireplace with mantle and stockings hanging on it ( it only has to feed about 150, but we are probably going to make it couple feet tall or so and to feed 300-400ish). I had been waiting for this... so I told my contact; "You know I can't make you a fireplace cake and not put a real fire in it, I already know exactly how it's going to work". After telling me how cool that would be, then she dropped the bomb... THE FACILITY THE EVENT IS BEING HELD AT HAS A "NO OPEN FLAME" RULE. icon_surprised.giftapedshut.gif

So now the fireplace just gets some "Santa legs" coming down the chimney. It's still going to be cool, but there will be no looks of awe as the fireplace cake sits in the corner with 3" tall flames in the fireplace opening. thumbsdown.gif

On the upside...the likelihood that I will burn the facility to the ground has been greatly reduced, so I've got that going for me... which is nice. icon_smile.gif

28 replies
mxpark Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
mxpark Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 8:27am
post #2 of 29

that cake sounds amazing!!! i can't wait to see it!!! and i'm on your side....it would've been much cooler with real flames but hey - less liability for you which is always a good thing!!!

maryak Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryak Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 9:41am
post #3 of 29

I cannot even begin to imagine how you can put real flames in a cake. That sounds so cool and creative. Can't wait to see the pics once it's done!!

ladyvader01 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
ladyvader01 Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 12:00pm
post #4 of 29

That cake sounds like it would be so cool!! Can't wait to see pics when you finish it!! Even without flames it will still RAWK!!!

kerririchards Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kerririchards Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 12:16pm
post #5 of 29

WOW! What an undertaking! I can't wait to see the cake!

LisaMaeCakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LisaMaeCakes Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 12:18pm
post #6 of 29

Hi, don't know if this will help, but down our way (in Georgia) at the dollar stores, they sell tiny votives candles that are really plastic with a little battery. You just twist the tops and they turn on. They actually flicker. Not too bad looking. They are supposed to last hours. Maybe there is a way to use these and camoflauge somehow but still get the effect. HTH

Lisa

cocorum21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cocorum21 Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 12:30pm
post #7 of 29

I think that a fire in the cake would look cool. I'm trying to figure out how it wouldn't melt the icing but I think it would be awesome.

justfrosting Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
justfrosting Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 12:34pm
post #8 of 29

Oh MAN! I was getting so excited!

I say do it anyway and plead ignorance-"email, what email? Fire Code--Are you kidding? I had NO IDEA!"

lol

littlecake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
littlecake Posted 28 Nov 2006 , 12:40pm
post #9 of 29

you guys know how to make a cake with a real fire in it?

OMG

"I'M NOT WORTHY!"

PieceofCakeAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PieceofCakeAZ Posted 30 Nov 2006 , 8:48am
post #10 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by justfrosting

Oh MAN! I was getting so excited!

I say do it anyway and plead ignorance-"email, what email? Fire Code--Are you kidding? I had NO IDEA!"

lol




I thought about that... but she told me on the phone. icon_sad.gif I could go with the standby "my phone cut out", except I replied with a "Oh that's whack", so I am guessing if I showed up with a cake that was ablaze, they would definitely boot us. icon_surprised.gif

JanH Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JanH Posted 30 Nov 2006 , 9:01am
post #11 of 29

Whooo Hooo, Duff doesn't have anything on you....

Real flames would have been outrageous icon_eek.gif

So sorry we won't be seeing those pictures, but at least you're taking it well.

Would you consider doing a tutorial on a flaming cake icon_twisted.gif

Inquiring minds want to know.

PieceofCakeAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PieceofCakeAZ Posted 30 Nov 2006 , 9:04am
post #12 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by littlecake

you guys know how to make a cake with a real fire in it?

OMG

"I'M NOT WORTHY!"




I haven't done it before so the night could have very well ended with me roasting marshmallows on what used to be a building foundation. I've got to think that our rep would take a hit when word got out that we were the only cake company in town that actually burned facilities to the ground. icon_surprised.gif

My plan was simple (and possibly flawed icon_confused.gif ). I was going to take a 9" square 3" tall pan, paint it with Black heat resistant paint (for a soot-like look for teh fireplace) and cut a 1" hole in one of the sides. I was going to take a 1" copper pipe and solder it into the hole (as a vent to release any smoke out the top of the cake). Around the 4 sides & bottom of the cake pan, I would attach 1/2" thick styrofoam (for insulation of course) and wrap that with plastic wrap (for food safety reasons). The pan would serve as the fireplace opening in the front by sitting on the side with the vent hole I drilled on the top.

I was still debating on the fire source, I considered cutting another hole in the pan and rigging up a propane tank and element so that I could control the flame height. I played around with some fire icon_biggrin.gif and with a 2" flame the amount of heat that would have been generated at the top of the 9" pan would have been negligible(even 6" above the flame there was very little heat). I may not have even needed the styro, but I damn sure wasn't going to risk it .

I'm not sure it would have worked... but it sounded damn good in my head. icon_wink.gificon_wink.gif

-Kevin

denise4 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
denise4 Posted 30 Nov 2006 , 9:08am
post #13 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by JanH

Whooo Hooo, Duff doesn't have anything on you....

Real flames would have been outrageous icon_eek.gif

So sorry we won't be seeing those pictures, but at least you're taking it well.

Would you consider doing a tutorial on a flaming cake icon_twisted.gif

Inquiring minds want to know.




Yep me too !!!! P.L.E.A.S.E

tincanbaby Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
tincanbaby Posted 30 Nov 2006 , 2:54pm
post #14 of 29

That would have been a great cake. Even on fire.
I think you could still get the same effects with those small blinking lites sitting behind stain glass candy, shaped in flames using oranges,gold, red blends.

PieceofCakeAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PieceofCakeAZ Posted 15 Dec 2006 , 8:11am
post #15 of 29

Well the event has come and gone... we made the cake... sans the fire. thumbsdown.gif

It actually came out pretty decent. It was kinda funny, we noticed during the event that nobody was really talking about the cake (and we thought it looked pretty damn cool). As it turned out, nobody was talking about the cake because most of the 180 attendees didn't realize that it was a cake. The hosts of the event said everybody thought it was just a holiday decoration. icon_biggrin.gif After they made a special announcement that that thing sitting in the corner was a cake, the feedback was excellent. icon_biggrin.gif

It was about 17" wide, stood about 15" tall, and was 12" deep.

So here it is, sans fire. icon_smile.gif

Image

This pic was taken in our shop wthout a couple of other adornments, the host said that numerous photographers had taken pics and we should have some pro pics soon.

The whole experience was pretty weird. We delivered a couple hundred wedding cakes in 06 but this was the first time I was actually part of the team destroying our creation. I was literally carving Santa's body at 2PM and at 9PM I was throwing it away. icon_surprised.gif

TERRYHORTON Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
TERRYHORTON Posted 15 Dec 2006 , 8:24am
post #16 of 29

WOW! KUDOS!

CakesUnleashed Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
CakesUnleashed Posted 15 Dec 2006 , 2:38pm
post #17 of 29

I love this cake!!

CakesUnleashed Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
CakesUnleashed Posted 15 Dec 2006 , 2:41pm
post #18 of 29

Son of a Nutcracker! That is one amazing cake!

Ho, Ho, Holy Mistletoe! It is fabulous! I love it!


Bummer about the fire idea being extinguished. But, you still have 10 more days to before Christmas!

Best Wishes to You and Yours!

Once again, you did an incredible job on that cake. Very unique and a true, piece of art!


Deb

BarbaraK Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
BarbaraK Posted 15 Dec 2006 , 10:38pm
post #19 of 29

Awesome cake! No wonder the attendees did not realise it was a cake. It looked so real. Congratulations thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

PieceofCakeAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PieceofCakeAZ Posted 17 Dec 2006 , 1:00am
post #20 of 29

Thanks for the kind words guys!!

Now that all of the weddings are done for the weekend... it's 10 straight days off for the holidays!! icon_biggrin.gif

Kate714 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kate714 Posted 17 Dec 2006 , 1:11am
post #21 of 29

WOW!!! what an amazing cake! Take a well-deserved break!!

snowboarder Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
snowboarder Posted 17 Dec 2006 , 2:07am
post #22 of 29

Such a cool cake!

Sugarflowers Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Sugarflowers Posted 17 Dec 2006 , 2:41am
post #23 of 29

Love your cake! It's exceptionally well done. It would have been great with or without the fames. You are definitely creative and talented.

Michele

RisqueBusiness Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
RisqueBusiness Posted 17 Dec 2006 , 2:47am
post #24 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by PieceofCakeAZ

One of the wedding magazines is having their annual black tie holiday party for their advertisers in a couple of weeks and we are doing the cake. We had discussed a few design ideas with them last week and today we spoke with them to get the verdict.

They picked the design I was hoping for... a brick fireplace with mantle and stockings hanging on it ( it only has to feed about 150, but we are probably going to make it couple feet tall or so and to feed 300-400ish). I had been waiting for this... so I told my contact; "You know I can't make you a fireplace cake and not put a real fire in it, I already know exactly how it's going to work". After telling me how cool that would be, then she dropped the bomb... THE FACILITY THE EVENT IS BEING HELD AT HAS A "NO OPEN FLAME" RULE. icon_surprised.giftapedshut.gif

So now the fireplace just gets some "Santa legs" coming down the chimney. It's still going to be cool, but there will be no looks of awe as the fireplace cake sits in the corner with 3" tall flames in the fireplace opening. thumbsdown.gif

On the upside...the likelihood that I will burn the facility to the ground has been greatly reduced, so I've got that going for me... which is nice. icon_smile.gif




how about some pulled sugar flames with a rotating light behind it..( you know the light that they place in front of the silver tinsle tree to make it change colors..lol

CakesUnleashed Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
CakesUnleashed Posted 17 Dec 2006 , 5:57am
post #25 of 29

[/quote]how about some pulled sugar flames with a rotating light behind it..( you know the light that they place in front of the silver tinsle tree to make it change colors..lol[/quote]

RB, when I think you can not possibly be more innovative, you pull, yet another, rabbit out of the hat. GREAT IDEA!

PieceofCakeAZ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PieceofCakeAZ Posted 19 Dec 2006 , 7:54am
post #26 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by RisqueBusiness


how about some pulled sugar flames with a rotating light behind it..( you know the light that they place in front of the silver tinsle tree to make it change colors..lol




icon_biggrin.gif

If they hadn't mentioned wanting us to do the Santa legs, I was actually thinking about embedding my 7" DVD player in the cake and having loop a burning fire video... at least it would have looked real but I damn sure wouldn't have let anyone else cut it. icon_biggrin.gif

beany Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
beany Posted 19 Dec 2006 , 9:09am
post #27 of 29

Your cake is brilliant! I can see why they thought it wasn't cake...it looks so real.

Well done

sinderella Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sinderella Posted 19 Dec 2006 , 7:59pm
post #28 of 29

awesome....someday i hope that you have some extra time and make the flamming cake anhways!!! haha, god knows if i did i would be roasting marshmallows over my burnt house ..oops...LOL

Bettycrockermommy Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Bettycrockermommy Posted 19 Dec 2006 , 10:16pm
post #29 of 29

PieceofCakeAZ,

I just spent some time looking at your website. Your cakes are gorgeous!! I can see why you are booked so far in advance!

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%