I am a lurker - mostly because I only do cakes for family and don't have much (any?) expertise to offer.

Anyway, I am making a birthday cake for my stepmom in a couple weeks. My idea is to make a cake shaped like a vase, with either fondant strip roses or the Starburst roses.

I was thinking of making the vase from the mini ball pan. I am planning on using one full ball at the bottom, then another lower ball part for the top part of the vase (cut down to make look right). I was then going to use another partial top ball part to make a mound for the roses. Now . . . if you can even follow that . . . my questions.

- Will this construction even work?
- I'm planning on placing a dowel all the way through the cake. Will I also need to use a cakeboard in the middle?
- Would it be possible to torte the ball sections to add more filling? Or would it make the cake too unstable?
- I haven't made either style of roses - are the fondant strip roses or the Starburst roses easier to handle?

Thanks for your help!

The only thing I can help you with is the roses. I feel the fondant strip is easier. Good luck.

I will try to attach a sketch of what I'm trying . . . maybe that will help.

Any other advice?

I think starburst roses are very easy. I made them along with tootsie roll roses. Why not use 6" x 3" until you get the height and just do a little carving. I would rather torte a 6" than all those ball shaped cakes. My opinion...also a lurker here! LOL.

I thought about that . . . I didn't know if I could get it shaped evenly all the way around. I may end up doing that, though.


Anyone else?

Hello? Anyone else?

I would use 6 x 3 and carve what you want. Yes, you do want to use cardboard and dowels/straws about every two layers of cake and then the dowel down the center.

HTH

I think that if you use the ball pans it may work, it just might be a lil tough. You would have to level the top an bottom of the full ball and level the bottom of the half so it will sit flat onto the other layer, then put a dowel in the center for support. I hope that makes sense, I have the vision in my head and it seems like it would work.

Definitely use the cardboard for added stability and to avoid slippage and sinking, especially between the base and the bowl of the vase. And yes, use the dowel down the middle, alsoo for stability.

The strip or ribbon roses are easy. I don't know about the starburst as I have not heard of them or attempted them.

Good luck and please post the photo when you are done. I would love to see how it turns out. I bet it will be beautiful!

Oh yea, if you go to youtube.com they have a video on how to make the starburst roses. I've never tried them, but it looks pretty easy. I do however think that the ribbon roses will be much faster and easier tho. HTH Good Luck!

ETA: also with the ribbon roses, you will have more control and choice over the color you want the roses to be, since starbursts are already colored.

That particular shape looks more like a basket than a vase to me. I think I would trim away some of the fullness to get a bit taller, thinner shape.

I think I would stick the flowers on straws to get some height too, taller in the middle. Add some leaves undeneath there to give it a real depth. And to hide/cover the straws.

And I mean I'm not trying to push you out of your comfort zone--I'm just adding some of my flower pot thoughts.

Yes you can make the flowers and leaves ahead. Yes fondant leaves are fine.

Well your drawing is fine. I mean a ball pan makes a ball shape and most vases have tapering even if they are fat in some places.

But a coupla six inch cakes would be great.

Y'know what? Find a real vase or a picture of a vase to go by.

Every four to five inches in height you need to put cardboard and support. Cut your cardboard a tad smaller than the cake so you can ice it without it showing.

Yes, you can make your flowers in advance. As far as the leaves, I would go with a fondant/gumpaste 50/50 mix. They dry faster than plain fondant and are sturdier.

Gumpaste.

I've never used it before. I was going to use MMF for the flowers (although I've never made that before either). Do you have to make your own gumpaste?

Fruit buddy, gum paste is a whole 'nuther subject. Check out some tutlrials and articles. I know Tonedna has some wonderful youtube ones about flower making.

Oh, dear. Gumpaste scares me . . . any other ideas on what I can use for the leaves? Will straight MMF work?