OK, I know this is really strange but here goes...I am thinking of entering a cake in my County Fair cake decorating contest. I don't want to put too much money into it because it seems like it's pretty small (1st prize is $4 
) and the categories are wedding, gingerbread house or novelty. I would do a novelty if I enter. The cake will be on display for 10 days. They recommend using dummies but I don't have dummies and want to do a cake using my 3D heart pan or carving a cake. The judging wll be done the 1st day but a real cake will be looking pretty nasty by the 4th or 5th day.
So, here's my question...can I bake and/or carve my cake and then seal it in something like Modge Podge to make a home made cake dummy?
Thanks!
OMG! Seriously? How do they think they'll get anyone to participate with a 1st prize of $4.00? I think you've already wasted $4 of your time trying to figure out how/what to make! I don't get it... I'd pass.
haha! I Know it is such a small amount for a contest...even for a kids contest it will be too small 
HOWEVER!!!! if you see you will be getting tons of exposure and your work will be known and recognized by future customers,then invest!
specially if you get to bring your dummy cakes home.GO FOR IT!!! just for the heck of fun and creativity
thats what I'll say...but hey,I am crazy like that...I love to take risks 
GOOD LUCK!
- h
I agree with honeyscakes! Exposure and then bringing home your cake dummy may be worth it. Plus it sounds like a fun way to be creative!
Get some of the plaster of paris that comes on a guaze strip. Line your cake pan well, then you wet the strips and line the pan with them.
I did this once for the stand up teddy bear pan.
Get some of the plaster of paris that comes on a guaze strip. Line your cake pan well, then you wet the strips and line the pan with them.
I did this once for the stand up teddy bear pan.
I think I know what TS is talking about. They may sell these at the pharmacy. It's the stuff that they make casts (like when you break your arm) with. I have some at home because I learned how to make body casts for sculpting. They are pretty inexpensive and neat for various craft projects. I had to order mine online though, because I couldn't get it at Walgreens or CVS.
I can't see that working (maybe I'm wrong)
Do you mean you don't think it would work at all or that it doesn't seem worth it?
if you see you will be getting tons of exposure and your work will be known and recognized by future customers,then invest!
specially if you get to bring your dummy cakes home.GO FOR IT!!! just for the heck of fun and creativity
I enter contests for fun and creativity, I've done 3 so far and really enjoy the competitions ...sadly, no customers for me, I live in a state where I can't license a home kitchen.
I'd say invest in a dummy--you can always re-use them afterwards.
I plan on investing in traditional round dummies for a show next year but the I don't want to for this because I would either do a 3D heart or try to carve a baseball glove.
Thanks for all of your input, I appreciate it and will take all of your advice and comments into consderation...I'll keep an eye on this topic until I have to get my entry form in (I need to mail it later today).
Get some of the plaster of paris that comes on a guaze strip. Line your cake pan well, then you wet the strips and line the pan with them.
I did this once for the stand up teddy bear pan.
I think I know what TS is talking about. They may sell these at the pharmacy. It's the stuff that they make casts (like when you break your arm) with. I have some at home because I learned how to make body casts for sculpting. They are pretty inexpensive and neat for various craft projects. I had to order mine online though, because I couldn't get it at Walgreens or CVS.
Duh, I forgot they have these at craft stores too.
Like this:
http://www.dickblick.com/products/artmolds-instant-mold-plaster-bandages/?wmcp=google&wmcid=products&wmckw=33580-1045-9398
Duh, I forgot they have these at craft stores too.
Like this:
http://www.dickblick.com/products/artmolds-instant-mold-plaster-bandages/?wmcp=google&wmcid=products&wmckw=33580-1045-9398
Well, I guess I'll just have to SACRIFICE and FORCE myself to make stops at Michael's and Hobby Lobby, too! 
Thanks again!
Michaels and Hobby Lobby both carry it. I am not sure about Walmart.
I can't think of the name of it at Michaels, but it is with the other plaster stuff and comes in a clear bag with a paper folded over and stapled to it.
Found it, Michael's carries Rigid Wrap.
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/plasrigwrap.html
OMG! Seriously? How do they think they'll get anyone to participate with a 1st prize of $4.00? I think you've already wasted $4 of your time trying to figure out how/what to make! I don't get it... I'd pass.
Hey, I enter the 4th largest State Fair in the country and First prize is $6.00 --it's just the nature of the beast. I don't do it for the money, that's for sure.
Elcee: you can also buy the paper mache (sp?)boxes at your local hobby store... turned over and without their lid they make great dummies.
When using the plaster or the foam sprays I would be sure to cover the pan with some plastic wrap or foil or something.
I know you would wash the pan afterwards, but since those things aren't made to be eaten or probably come into contact with things that are, it is better to be safe about it.
There is a contractors (plumbers) spray foam for spraying around pipes and other holes. You could spray that in a well greased pan. It swells pretty big, so be careful.
Yes. I've done this as well. Make sure you cut a cardboard "lid" to place over the top of the foam as it expands... this will keep it from leaving the pan. You have to weigh down the cardboard otherwise the foam will lift it right off --much like popcorn coming out of a too-full pot.
Hey, I enter the 4th largest State Fair in the country and First prize is $6.00 --it's just the nature of the beast. I don't do it for the money, that's for sure.
Wow, really? This is just a county fair...my state fair has a 1st prize of $50, last year I got $20 for 3rd place.
I was in a pinch once and my local cake store was out of the sizes I needed. There was no time to order online and the local craft stores only carry floral forms which end up being a but pricey.
I made rice crispy dummies. Not sure if this is actually the most cost effective way in the long run, but it certainly worked in my time crunch and budget for that particular project. Mix up the rice crispy treats and pack them VERY tightly into a pan the size you require. Pound it down really tightly with a can or glass jar to make it as dense as possible. Remove from the pan and cut any irregularities off with a serrated knife. Cover in buttercream (or RI) and then cover in fondant.
Worked like a charm, and you would never know they weren't cake forms.
Hey, I enter the 4th largest State Fair in the country and First prize is $6.00 --it's just the nature of the beast. I don't do it for the money, that's for sure.
Wow, really? This is just a county fair...my state fair has a 1st prize of $50, last year I got $20 for 3rd place.
Yea, it's kind of pitiful. Up until last year, the Culinary Board considered Fondant a "foreign" method. I argued that one until they changed the rules to include it as "any" method. I also have worked with them to change how they judge the cakes. It was so backwards.
The one cake that gets voted "Best of Show" gets a BIG ribbon (hootie-hoo) and one of the local cake supply stores provides a 25.00 gift certificate to the winner.
edited - typo
Hey, I enter the 4th largest State Fair in the country and First prize is $6.00 --it's just the nature of the beast. I don't do it for the money, that's for sure.
Wow, really? This is just a county fair...my state fair has a 1st prize of $50, last year I got $20 for 3rd place.
Yea, it's kind of pitiful. Up until last year, the Culinary Board considered Fondant a "foreign" method. I argued that one until they changed the rules to include it as "any" method. I also have worked with them to change how they judge the cakes. It was so backwards.
The one cake that gets voted "Best of Show" gets a BIF ribbon (hootie-hoo) and one of the local cake supply stores provides a 25.00 gift certificate to the winner.
Oops... I'm wrong --1st place wins $8.00, 2nd is $6.00, 3rd is $4.00 and 4th all you get is a "thanks for trying" ribbon.
I also have worked with them to change how they judge the cakes. It was so backwards.
Win, our state fair judging is nuts! I think the judges just picked the ones they liked the best! I was SHOCKED 
when I entered another competiton later in the year and actually got a sheet from each judge with POINTS awarded by each of them! This will be only the 3rd year our fair has had a cake decorating contest so I hope it will get better. I still like entering them, though.
Everyone, I'd like to reply to you all individually but I can't. I dropped my entry in the mail and will start figuring out which of all of your great suggestions to use. I'll keep you posted. If I win that crazy 1st prize I'll take you all out to lunch!
Thanks again!
~ can someone tell me where I can order I would try "The foam studio dot com" no spaces. They do custom, good prices, and are very fast delivery, love em.
Now back to the original post, a local artist uses foam insulation sheets (cheap!), glued together, then a heated wire (he made his but Michael's sells a version of it) to do the carving. Beautiful, but stinky, do it out side!
*UPDATE*
OK, plan B (plaster of paris strips) and plan C (the plumbers' foam, which DH has in the garage, BTW) turned out to be not needed. Plan A, the "modge podge" seems to have worked beautifully. I baked pound cake and carved it to the best of my ability into a baseball glove shape (not bad for my first try at carving, if I may say so). I then used a mix of 1 part water, 2 parts white craft glue (my generic modge podge) and painted it on to seal the cake. I did 3 coats both top and bottom, allowing to dry several hours between coats. Below are pics of the sealed, carved cake and the fondant covered baseball glove. The finished cake will have a ball in the glove . It will be sitting on a square dummy that my DH made for me out of isulation sheets cut and glued together as deMuralist mentioned, although he came up with the same idea without me mentioning it. That is some nice styrofoam, BTW, dense and not as crumbly as some.
Thanks again for all of your help and input on this project!
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