I have a potential client asking for a cake shaped like the hawaiian islands. Right now the only was I can think to do it, is have a large cake carved a bit for the main island and then mini cake carved for all the smaller islands. Though this ends up as a $150 cake that's only meant to serve 25. Suggestions? Anyone done this before?

Can you make a half sphere cake, cover in blue icing or fondant and pipe the Island chain? A satellite view of the Islands, as it were.
That way you could control the size of the portions desired if they wanted a small cake.

Just a suggestion. Hope it helps you to think outside of the box.
(By the way, I graduated from Hilo High School, the year the Tsunami hit Hilo, not that that has anything to do with cake.)

Jan