I "personally" would rather see a cake with plastic figures when it is a recognizable figure like Dora, etc. then a not so good handmade figure. I know I can't make a Dora that "looks" like Dora. When to comes to generic figures I make them by hand. I "personally" don't need to have everything on the cake edible. I hope I don't get attacked for my opinion. It seems you can't have a personal opinion on CC anymore without being attacked. I feel there is no wrong or right answer. It is what works for YOU!!!
I cant sculpt figures that look any good so I almost always use plastic. Actually I usually buy a candle that matches the cake theme and put that on the cake but here lately Ive been going with toys more often. The kids like them more.
One time someone here posted a picture of a cake shed done for a teen. It had this cute little picture holder as the topper with pictures of the birthday girl, starting as a baby and then ending with her now. It was really sweet. Your little boys probably wouldn't be interested in something like that but thought I'd throw that out there.
I personally have no skills with a figurine so I would use a plastic one. I think for a kids cake especially they would probably MUCH rather get another toy. Or at least the kids I know would never compain about getting another toy.
To those who said kids would rather be able to eat their favortite character, what are you making them out of. I have make gumpaste or fondant/gumpaste accents before and NO ONE ever actually eats them. I few have tried and declaired that they taste crappy and are rock hard so they quit. Are you using a different kind of GP? I guess this is why I have often wondered on threads like these why some bakers are so set on making everything "edible". I understand and appreciate that it certainly takes MUCH more talent to contruct some of these masterpieces, but if no one actually eats it and its just for looks than what is the point? I dont what my head bit off, I am just curious at peoples reasoning.
for my castle cake for 3 teachers' baby shower at our school, I ordered 3 little porcelain figurines which I put into minature chinese takeout boxes from Michaels for them to take home as a keepsake.
I think it's sometimes a nice touch to have a toy or keepsake!
So I guess Cake Central was encouraging people to break the law when they had the Alice In Wonderland and Twilight contests? I saw nothing in the contest rules that even suggested we contact the copyright owner to get permission, but maybe I overlooked it?
Kel58 - Modeling chocolate! It's easy to work with, and tastes pretty good, too.
I actually found peanut butter flavored candy melts and combined them with white chocolate ones. It was slime green and really gross to look at, but the kids loved it.
So I guess Cake Central was encouraging people to break the law when they had the Alice In Wonderland and Twilight contests? I saw nothing in the contest rules that even suggested we contact the copyright owner to get permission, but maybe I overlooked it?
The text of Alice in Wonderland is in the public domain, so your own interpretation of AiW characters would not infringe copyright (but copying an image from the recent movie would still be infringement). Some of the winners of both contests are infringing works though -- for example one of the Twilight winners was an exact copy of the cover of one of the books.
I have no idea whether or not CC staff contacted the copyright owners to obtain permission on behalf of all contest entrants, if not that would be an oversight on their part.
I "personally" would rather see a cake with plastic figures when it is a recognizable figure like Dora, etc. then a not so good handmade figure. I know I can't make a Dora that "looks" like Dora. When to comes to generic figures I make them by hand. I "personally" don't need to have everything on the cake edible. I hope I don't get attacked for my opinion. It seems you can't have a personal opinion on CC anymore without being attacked. I feel there is no wrong or right answer. It is what works for YOU!!!
I'm with you on that one...better to have a plastic figure than a homemade one that doesn't look like it's supposed to! And let's face it...it's really hard to make a figurine look exactly like a well known image - everyone knows what it SHOULD look like, so unfortunately if you get it a little wrong everyone can tell. 
I avoid making known characters for precisely this reason. Generic people/animals are SO much easier...something on them turns out a little different to how you planned and it just adds character, no big deal. 
OP, why not ask your kids which they'd prefer. And, no I don't think you'd be cheating.
As long as you make your child happy that's all that matters.
I agree with Coral3. I got a Dora and Boots cake for my daughter's 2nd birthday and the Dora was obvious was but Boots looked like the baker had seen a picture and tried to replicate him from memory. Not her greatest work. I had an extra sheet cake she made with the Decopac characters on top and I liked that much better and my DD still has those figures years later. Plastic isn't cheating.
Accidentally split thread. 
The first half is here:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-723795.html
OP, why not ask your kids which they'd prefer. And, no I don't think you'd be cheating.
As long as you make your child happy that's all that matters.
I have. He's going to be three so he really doesn't care. His big sister (who still has her sparkly gumpaste Dorothy slippers in a box on her dresser) looked at me like I was crazy for suggesting such a thing. LOL! Actually, I spent more than an hour online last night trying to find reasonably priced Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman figures with no luck. I might be forced to do something anyway.
I agree! Who made the "all edible" rule? A plastic keepsake/ toy is a winner! I bake a great cake, can decorate fairly well, but sculpt figures---- no way!
Anything made from gumpaste is technically edible, but who would want to? We spend hours and hours and tons of money learning how to make a flower that looks exactly like a flower. A flower which could be purchased for under $5. At the wedding site, the flowers are picked off by a caterer and trashed. Most of the guests had no idea if the flowers were real or gumpaste. Most of them don't care. Don't get me wrong - the cakes created by Ron Ben-Israel are totally amazing. But in the real world, not many people care. So - to each his own and let us not judge one another.
I enjoy making my own, but would not think twice about purchasing plastic toys if I'm running out of time (I have 2 young babies so my caking time is limited). With that being said, "I" still think it's cheating because I'm just a cake snob that way. 
The kids, however, couldn't care less. They seem to enjoy the plastic toys more, and the parents seem to like the handmade figures since they can display it as a keepsake.
I don't think it's cheating at all. When I was a kid, I loved getting plastic figures or toys on my cakes. The more toys the better hehe!!
I remember having a "zoo cake" with plastic animals for my birthday. I was more excited about the animals than the cake!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%