I'm looking into the state fair again and there are times when I'd love to do a carved cake......like I know I could do something really cool if I could start out with the lamb pan and add to it - I know how to do it in real cake - but not with styrofoam / non-edible materials. Non-edible materials are preferred - the cakes sit under hot lights for two weeks during the fair.....

Does anyone know how to do this? There's got to be some way it's done - I can't imagine that the cakes I see for competitions are always real cake......but maybe I'm wrong.

Actually I've seen guidlines from cake competitions and I did encounter that carved cakes SHOULD be made from actual cakes and NOT dummies/styrofoam. I think that makes sense because you can do tons of things with styrofoam that are so not possible with real cakes. People correct me if I am wrong.

here is a link. from OSSAS.

http://www.oklahomasugarartists.com/PDF%20Docs/OSSAS1RR2009ltrF/OSSAS1RR2009ltrF.pdf

Oh and it says, "3-D sculptures may only use Styrofoam where absolutely necessary". I'm not sure what they mean by that.

Well it doesn't really matter because there's different rules on every competition.

Well there's no "Carved cake" category. We have birthday, "horse" theme, and bridal cake.

And I've just discovered one of the things we're judged on is "practicality" - now what in the heck is that supposed to mean?