"stack Of Books" Cake--Need Help

Decorating By CakeDiane Updated 16 May 2008 , 4:22pm by CakeDiane

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CakeDiane Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 12:31pm
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I'm going to attempt a stack-of-books cake this week--does anyone have any tips or advice for me before I begin? Specifically, I'm not exactly sure how to get the book cover on properly--I don't want the edges to flop--any tips would be welcome--TIA!!

19 replies
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minkiemoo Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 12:50pm
post #2 of 20

I do hope someone knows of a step by step guide. I have seen these cakes in the gallery and they look fabulous.

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leily Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 2:45pm
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I have seen it done differently by different people but here is what I did. (you can see my books in my photos)

I cut my boards to the same size as my cakes. Set my cakes on top and iced all four sides like normal.

I then measured my iced cake to wrap a piece of fondant ALL the way around 3 sides (just like a book cover) I then added 1/4" to the top and bottom and to each end so when it was wrapped around the book I would have 1/4" hanging over the actual cake. (just write down the numbers so you can roll it out after you do the pages)

I then measured my 3 sides that would have pages showing and cut white fondant to those dimensions. Now the BEST tip I received on cake central for doing the pages is use a pizza cutter! Just start going across the white fondant with some pressure (just make sure you don't go all the way through) It doesn't matter if your lines are too close or over lap and are not straight b/c no one will every notice once you put it on the cake. Make sure your fondant for these are not more than 1/8" thick or your cover will not hang over your pages.

Wrap 3 sides of your cake in the white "pages", roll out your fondant for the cover I would suggest at least 1/8" thick so on the "hangover" it is thick enough to support itself. I do suggest to roll it out on some vinyl so you can wrap the whole cake with the vinyl to hold the fondant in place while you go around the book, will help tremendously to keep the fondant from stretching, then you just pull it off once it is completely wrapped.

While I am rolling out the cover I have my cake chilling in the fridge or freezer w/ the pages on it so that it will be firm enough to flip over. Once your "cover" is rolled out spread with a thin layer of buttercream (just need something to hold onto that board and a little moistness to connect to the buttcream.

Pull the cake from the fridge, position the bottom on the "cover" and set on, then pull the fondant up and around (remember it is still on the vinyl so you don't streatch it while wrapping it around the book and it stays your rolled out thickness.)

Wow... sorry I got so wordy, hopefully this helps. If you have any other questions after this please make sure to ask!! I so which I would have gotten pictures when I did this but it took me 30+ hours and we had house guest at the same time so I had my mind on other things. Hopefully i'll get another chance to do books and can get some good pictures.

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minkiemoo Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 5:36pm
post #4 of 20

Thanks for posting this.

I am right in thinking that the board the cake is on is between the cake and the fondant??

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CakeDiane Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 9:30pm
post #5 of 20

Wow leily!! Thank you so much for that detailed response! I truly appreciate it--you have a lot of great tips there! Wish me luck!

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leily Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 10:11pm
post #6 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by minkiemoo

Thanks for posting this.

I am right in thinking that the board the cake is on is between the cake and the fondant??




Yep, this is what I did, it hid the board but still gave me the support I needed so I could stack the books w/dowels etc. Just make sure you put a thin layer of buttercream on your fondant before you put the board on it or it won't stick (trust me took me a few tries before I figured this one out)

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leily Posted 6 Apr 2008 , 10:14pm
post #7 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by CakeDiane

Wow leily!! Thank you so much for that detailed response! I truly appreciate it--you have a lot of great tips there! Wish me luck!




Good luck!! I am sure it will turn out just fine. I was a really nervous about it, but once I go the technique down on the first book the other 5 went quickly.

If you have any more questions post them here, I will keep an eye out for this topic. I would like to reply in the forums so it helps others too instead of PM's. (but if I miss the thread please send me a PM so I can respond to your question)

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minkiemoo Posted 7 Apr 2008 , 11:08am
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Thanks Leily - thats a really neat trick.

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SweetResults Posted 7 Apr 2008 , 1:13pm
post #9 of 20

Nice instructions leily! That's pretty much the same thing I do as well. Although instead of a pizza cutter now I use a long metal ruler on it's side and press it into the white fondant to make the pages. Good luck!

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leily Posted 7 Apr 2008 , 4:45pm
post #10 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetResults

Nice instructions leily! That's pretty much the same thing I do as well. Although instead of a pizza cutter now I use a long metal ruler on it's side and press it into the white fondant to make the pages. Good luck!




Good idea!! I wil have to try this next time.

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CakeDiane Posted 16 Apr 2008 , 2:30pm
post #11 of 20

leily--I have one more question about how to get the cake off the vinyl and onto the cake board. After I wrap the fondant around the cake and then peel the vinyl back what's the best way? Do I flip it onto something else and then flip it onto the board? What worked for you?

Thanks!

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leily Posted 17 Apr 2008 , 2:54am
post #12 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by CakeDiane

leily--I have one more question about how to get the cake off the vinyl and onto the cake board. After I wrap the fondant around the cake and then peel the vinyl back what's the best way? Do I flip it onto something else and then flip it onto the board? What worked for you?

Thanks!




I actually wrap the fondant around the board so once I had one cake wrapped I either stacked it or set it right on top of the serving board. I did all of my final detail work while on the final serving board.

I also had two pieces of vinyl and popped it in the fridge for awhile so it worked a little better chilled also.

Hope I explained this well enough, I will re-read tomorrow and double check (lack of sleep is getting to me)

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CakeDiane Posted 17 Apr 2008 , 11:00am
post #13 of 20

I think that helped a bit--maybe it will become clear as I'm doing it. I was just picturing the wrapped book sitting on top of the vinyl (after I peel it back from the top and side) and not being able to pick it up off the vinyl and peel the vinyl off the back without making fingerprints or other marks on the fondant.

Putting it back in the fridge is a great idea that should help.

Today's the day I'll be working on this cake, so wish me luck!

Thanks so much for your help!

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CakeDiane Posted 20 Apr 2008 , 8:29pm
post #14 of 20

Well, I made it through the cake and it came out really cute! I did have a LOT of trouble with the top book though--I had to start over with new fondant 3 times because I kept messing it up! I got the book covered just fine and it looked adorable sitting on the vinyl--The problem was when I tried to move it from the vinyl and place it on top of the bottom book--it would just slip and slide all over the place. I finally did refrigerate it before moving it and that helped, but I feel like there's some other solution that would work.

I really could use any advice on how to do that properly because I would LOVE to make another cake like this. Anyone?

(I can't seem to post the picture here--but it's in my gallery)

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leily Posted 20 Apr 2008 , 9:48pm
post #15 of 20

Your cake turned out really cute!

When you say it was slipping to you mean when you moved it or from side to side?

I dowel each book individually and you want to make sure your dowels are the thickness of your fondant taller than the book you are putting them in. This way it helps to push through the fondant on the top book and actually support the board that the second book is on.

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CakeDiane Posted 20 Apr 2008 , 9:57pm
post #16 of 20

The slipping and sliding was the fondant "book cover" coming off the cake and cake board as I tried to pick it up and move it.

That's a good idea about the dowels being slightly taller than the bottom book--I did dowel it but I didn't compensate with the extra height--fortunatley it wasn't a problem this time...

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bobwonderbuns Posted 20 Apr 2008 , 10:07pm
post #17 of 20

What a great thread!! I've wanted to do this cake for a long time but have had problems with some of the dynamics -- will be watching to see what insights everyone has to offer! icon_biggrin.gif

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wendalynn11 Posted 16 May 2008 , 1:30pm
post #18 of 20

I have been wanting to do a book cake... thanks!

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monkeydust Posted 16 May 2008 , 2:26pm
post #19 of 20

Thanks for the imput everyone, I needed this. I am doing a book myself for a compettion shortly and this will help greatly.

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CakeDiane Posted 16 May 2008 , 4:22pm
post #20 of 20

I was watching one of the cake callenges on Food Network (wedding cakes) recently and someone made a book cake and she appeared to cover the entire rectangle of cake with the colored fondant and THEN added the white "pages" on top of that...(the cake had been carved to allow for the appearance of the bookcover to stick out around the pages on the 3 sides--did I explain that well?--it's hard to describe)

I thought this was an interesting way to do it--I'm gonna try it next time...

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