I am trying to make a cake (or possibly cupcakes) with the following design. (see file)

I was looking for an octagon cake pan, but all I can find is an octagon cake ring (what is a cake ring? does that mean I make a round cake and then use the ring to cut the shape almost like a cookie cutter?)

I was thinking I could make an octagon, and then use a circle cookie cutter to make the scalloped sides. Would that work?

I found a fleur de lis cake pan, so I was going to simply put the fleur de lis cake on the octagon cake, and then use icing for the green palmetto leaf. How fragile is color flow? I was thinking maybe I could make a giant palmetto leaf using color flow, put it on the octagon cake, and then put the fleur de lis cake on top. Would that work?

I know it would probably be easier to just use fondant, but I wanted to try something different. I also thought of maybe just doing cupcakes. I would use green frosting for the center, yellow for the outside, and put a white chocolate (using a mold) fleur de lis in the center?

I would appreciate any advice, as this is my first cake. After practicing with smaller versions, I plan on making cake & giant cupcake display for about 1000 soldiers when they come home in june. (my idea is to cut a huge cupcake stand out of plywood to mimic the otcagonal shape. Then I will use cupcakes with yellow frosting, and cupcakes with green frosting to make the unit crest. Then, in the center I will put a color flow fleur de lis.

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyDUISSICOA/ArmyHeraldryUnit.aspx?u=3110


Click link, and Scroll down to bottom of page
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2acr.htm

This is pretty ambitious for your first cake!

First, cake for 1000 people is A LOT of cake. You'll probably want to do most or all of the baking in advance and freeze, provided you have the freezer space.

Some things to consider: a 2-layer 16-inch square cake serves approx. 100. That's probably the biggest cake pan you'll be able to fit in your oven. You'd need TEN of those, or TWENTY individual layers.

A standard cupcake pan holds 12 cupcakes. You may be able to fit up to 4 cupcake pans in your oven (tho I wouldn't recommend over stuffing the oven like this). That's only 48 cupcakes per batch.

Regarding your design ideas, the octagon shaped cake would be easy to make, but VERY DIFFICULT to ice - especially if this is your first cake. Bake a round cake. Cut a piece of paper the same size as your cake. Fold the paper in half. Fold in half again, and then one more time. The paper should be in the shape of a flat ice cream cone. Cut a scallop out of the wide end of the cone. Open up the paper and you'll have an octagon to place it on top of your cake as a template.

Icing cut cake takes some practice. Adding to the challenge would be the 'points' of the octagon. Cake is very fragile. The likelihood of the points breaking or crumbling is pretty high. I think you'd be better off baking a round cake and use the emblem as decoration. That's just my opinion.

Colorflow is pretty fragile, but more importantly, it's not very tasty or easy to cut through. I would advise against a colorflow piece between two cakes. You could simple pipe the leaf with icing and place the fleur de lis cake right on top of that. Of course, the fleur de lis cake will need to be on it's own board and supported by dowels in the octagon cake.

I really like the cupcake-only idea. I would recommend baking a couple dozen cupcakes to use for experimentation purposes. See how much space they take up so you'll have an idea of how big to make your board. Try out a few configurations. It will also help to practice icing the cupcakes so you have an idea of how long it will take. Taking into consideration the fact that you'll be faster after the first 50. And that your hand will be falling off after the first 250.

Oh, the first link didn't work.

Diane has some very good advice...Couldn't have said it better myself!

Thanks for the advice.

I meant to say 100 soldiers, not 1000. Although it would be for spouses and kids as well, so maybe 300. (and I will have help and multiple ovens)


Making a round cake and just using icing to make the shield is a good idea.
I really want a cake that is easy, as I am not that experienced. (I have made plenty of cakes before, but usually just basic round cakes.) This will be mostly for looks and photo op of cake cutting, and then the majority of people will have cupcakes.
Is it not possible to just put the fleur de lis on the round cake, so it looks like a shaped pan that has the design already built in?
If not, any other ideas for the fleur de llis instead of cake?

I really want to start practicing with smaller versions of the cupcake display (20-30 cupcakes). I figure with so many soldiers coming home, maybe I can market it for personal welcome home parties.

I don't have any real advice for you , but wanted to say Thank You for taking the time and energy to do a cake like this for our soldiers and thier families! The best advice I have for you is to practice, practice, practice! I will be praying that it all turns out like you want. And of course, be sure to post pics when you are done!!

Oh, PHEW! 300 is WAYYY different than 1000!

There's no reason you can't place the fleur de lis cake on top of the round cake. I suggest placing the fleur de lis on it's own board (cut to fit so that it can't be seen) for ease of cutting and serving. You can either remove the fleur de lis cake for serving or cut it while it's still on top of the round cake. You'll definitely need support dowels or straws under the fleur de lis, but that is easy enough to do.

I hope I understood your question.