I am making a graduation cake for my niece. I would like to know how to make a graduation hat. I am not sure what everyone is making them out of. A large enough one to place on the top of a cake. Any help with this would be great. Thanks in advance.
I've done several lately. I make the cap part from RKTs, cover in BC to fill in some of the holes and then cover with fondant. For the mortar board I use cardboard and cover it with fondant. I've seen where others have used gumpaste for the board. I actually have 3 made with gumpaste drying now.
I made my first one this year, look in my cake pictures. I used the Barbie (dress) mold. Then I cut a piece of cardboard and covered it with fondant, I used BC icing to make the fondant stick to the cardboard and used BC icing to attach board. Let it set up and put a little round piece of fondant for the top center of hat, then used fondant ropes to make the rope part of the tassel and used my grass tip for the tassel! It was fun! Good Luck!
Ritakk
I used the wilton sport ball pan for mine, and have used both rkt and cake. I have also found that it is easier to use cardboard and cover it for the top and I just make a little glob of gumpaste for the button thing on top.
I'm making small ones...about 3 inches across the top. They are drying now as well. I used small styrofoam balls cut in half and molded 50/50 gumpaste/fondant over them for the cap and cut squares of the same for the top. Tassels will be made with my clay extruder. So far, so good. It appears it's going to work! 
I've done several lately. I make the cap part from RKTs, cover in BC to fill in some of the holes and then cover with fondant. For the mortar board I use cardboard and cover it with fondant. I've seen where others have used gumpaste for the board. I actually have 3 made with gumpaste drying now.
Ditto! You can use a bowl to help shape the cap (bottom) part of the hat. Find a bowl that is the shape and size you want the hat to be. Line it with plastic wrap greased with shortening. Press RKT into the bowl, allow to set for a few hours. You can then lift it out of the bowl, flip it over, and press down on the top with a something flat and heavy (I use a book) to create a flat base on which to place the board. Cover with BC and fondant. For the board, I cut a square out of gumpaste. Make the board before the base because it may take a few days to dry and you want to make sure it is completely dry before placing on the base. Glue board to base with piping gel or gumpaste glue.
A lot of people use a clay extruder for the tassel. I don't have one so I add tylose to MMF, roll it out thin, then cut long skinny strips and roll them into strands. Allow to set for a few hours. You should be able lift the strands without stretching. HTH!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%