I'll be making a tiered graduation cake with a book for the bottom tier.
I found an image of what I am looking for:

http://michaelandcaroline.com/photogallery/Nathan%20&%20Andrew%205-27-08%20Update/Emily%20Leazer%20graduation%20cake.JPG

I think it's more about getting the fondant underneath the cake. And if two layers of fondant are used (one for the white: pages of the book and one for the cover).

In addition, is it possible to get some suggestions for the top part of the hat? I was thinking either black foam core covered in fondant. I was also thinking melting chocolate and pouring it into a cquare mold but I really want to keep the black.

I can help you with the books, there are two ways about it:

Complicated -
roll a big piece of fondant, lay the cake on it, cut it and wrap around.

Cheat -
cover only the top and side of the cake. The bottom is false - roll thin "snake" of fondant and lay it around the bottom edge. It only looks like the fondant is under the cake.

For the top:
I did melt chocolate and poured it flat. Be careful if you do this - my cake waited in warm room and the crown of my hat started to drop - the picture is in my gallery - the two rabbits in a hat cake. But it was fairly large part, it could be OK on smaller one.

oh I'm going to be watching this topic ...I may be needing to do one of these also and I was going to post the same question! I have done the hat on another cake, I used a cardboard cake round (or square) and cut it to the size square I needed and covered it in fondant - held up well and worked perfect! Pics in my gallery if you want to take a look.

thanks alot!

HI,
Don't know if this is too late to help but there are some instructions for books included in the tutorial below. Spotted it yesterday maybe this can help. It's in the aticle section but I copied and pated the address just incase. HTH


http://www.cakecentral.com/article52-Sculpted-Cake-How-to-Make-a-3D-Owl-Cake.html

HanXX

It's not too late at all.

Thanks for the link.

I'll be making the cake late April, early may.
I might make a test run before making the actual cake for the party.

Again

Thanks.

how i do mine:

the books were easy just time consuming. a thick piece of white scored fondant with the lines was placed on the 3 sides for the pages. the spine and top cover were one piece. i added a TON of tylose to the colored fondant. rolled it out just under 1/4 inch thick. let it set up some before i put it on the cake. go no more than 1/4 inch over the top edge of the cake or cover will droop. I propped the corners up with viva for a while so they would not droop. the bottm "cover" is just strips (1/4 inch wide) applied along the bottom white part of the pages.

Thats sounds great

What is tylose and Viva? Where can I get it?

thanks