Any ideas about how to produce "crystal skulls" to decorate this 8 year old's birthday cake? I am the grandma who will attempt to make him grin when he sees the cake this year. Thanks for any suggestions!

You wouldn't get it to look like crystal but if you make them out of gumpaste you maybe could use pearl dust to make the skulls shine.

If you're really ambitious find someone who's made the sugar bottles because they look like glass.

If neither of those work look for clear plastic skulls and use those.

Ooh check this tutorial out!

http://chachabowman.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/dia-de-los-muertos-sugar-skull-tutorial/

Even if you left them unpainted they still look great!

What about some kind of mold and using poured sugar or like rick candy? They'd be clear like the crystal wouldn't they? I have a rock candy recipe I used for my beer bottles and ice cake. That could work.

What about making a cake base and then using clear gelatin placed on the cake in the shape of a skull? HTH

Who'd have thought there would be so many ideas for SKULLS! Thanks to all of you. These leads will give me a place to start.

Aside from getting involved in making clear hard candy for skull molds you could try this if you truly want something clear instead of white.

Here is a site you can get great skull molds from:

http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/mexicansugarskull/

Here is a recipe from my collection that you can use to create clear skulls that will be food safe:

Gelatin Plastic

3 Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin
9 Tablespoons Water
3-5 Drops of Food Coloring (optional)
flat plastic lid from 24 ounce coffee can or similar size lid with a rim.
cookie cutters
molds (optional)

In a small pan mix the water and food coloring (optional) over low heat. Add 3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin, stir continuously and cook for about 1 minute or until thickened. Pour the mixture into a plastic lid, push the air bubbles to the edge with a spoon and let it set on the counter for 45 minutes. Remove the flexible gelatin disk from the lid. The gelatin will be pliable. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes. Dry shapes on a cooling rack, should harden like plastic in 2-3 days.

To prevent curling:
As they dry, the pieces tend to curl up and bend along the edges. To keep some pieces more flat for a special use place between two pieces of wax paper place a somewhat light, flat object on top until dry. (a light book, anything that will not crush the gelatin)

Note - You can replace the unflavored gelatin with the same amount of flavored Jell-O. I use this recipe to make pretty, edible toys for my parrots but will work just as well for cake decorations.

HTH