Hi Everyone

I'm in need of some inspiration please.  I have to make a super hero cake for an 18th - favourite superhero is Batman. 

This is for a teenager who actually still really loves superheros, star wars, doctor who, lego etc etc but due to peer pressure keeps it all under wraps.  So to avoid teasing, the cake needs to be a very grown-up version of something superhero (the party is heroes and villians fancy dress) relating to the more recent darker film versions of Batman for example or the video games or souped-up cars etc. 

The batmobile is the obvious answer but I made this last year

so not ideal unless I pick a different version (which I may as a last resort).

The two cakes on here with Batman's mask by chef-lynch and xtrasweets got me thinking about whether making the cowl is possible - does anyone have any thoughts on that please?  I was thinking about a balloon inside that you burst (but it will give too much under pressure I suspect) or moulding in two halves and sticking together?  Mask looks more feasible!

Maybe the mask/cowl standing up somehow on top of a folded cape with a bit of belt peeking out or a glove or batarang or something? 

As it's an 18th it needs to have some wow factor though.  I was originally thinking something tiered, but that just doesn't seem to work for the theme unless you just want logos or skyline.  My basic icing isn't that great so it can't be something where a perfect finish is key and I'm not great at moulding characters either unfortunately (have done Debbie Brown's Loony Tunes train, but there were lots of instructions for the characters in the book)! 

Villains escaping from arkham asylum (with bits of characters faces/props at windows/in the shadows etc) has been suggested but I think a building like that is going to take me forever!  Plus I can't find any help on modelling batman characters except for lego ones and to me this has the potential to seem more childish (or have I got that wrong do you think?).

Sorry this is a bit long. Any thoughts please???

Thanks

Helen

so far i'm thinking something with real lights will bring it up notches

what about

making the logo so that when you put the light behind it

it shows the logo onto the cape

like the cape is standing up kinda

that mostly requires the lighting to be the big pazzazz rather than intense modeling

and it could just be a real light and it's just made to look like the light is making the logo appear

y'know like they do with spotlights (like the snowflake light things they do on houses now)

you can get any variety of battery powered lights at hobby stores

and you could even take poetic license and shine the light through the mask

and 'magically' make it be the logo that appears

the cape could just be kinda standing up draped over a rice krispie treat cone cleverly disguised as clark kent--no no wait i got my super heroes mixed up

the cape could be a very dramatic element

lights and logo/mask smaller like any other spotlight off to the side pointing up

but you could even make yellow--'strands' to portray the 'light' radiating out too

sugar strands come to mind--it's really not difficult

or even fondant 'rays' to help boost the idea visually

edited to say: nana nana nana nana nana nana nana nana BATMAN!

• so it's a spotlight with a real light in it

 

• a dramatic tall cape all unfurling on to the cake with the logo on it

 

• a batman mask or logo to shine the light through for effect

 

maybe

 

nana nana nana nana nana nana nana nana BATMAN!

Well, how about something inspired by Mystery Men?

Thanks for the input.  The idea of incorporating some lighting is something I'll definitely look into.  Don't know anything about Mystery Men - will investigate that too.

Any other thoughts still gratefully received while I'm following these up.

Thanks again.

btw--awesome batmobile!!! 

i don't know--this might be going the wrong direction

just a coupla maybe thoughts

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N5T8KA/?tag=cakecentral-20

worked into the cake it might be cool?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BWSW0E/?tag=cakecentral-20

i don't know much if anything about batman and this just looks like worlds of possibilities & fun

pricey for sure--i had found some for around $40- $50 but can't find 'em now

total brainstorm idea--just tossed it out there though

may be cheesey may be cool or somewhere in between

How about Resin batman Figure painted, as like a cake topper and build the base of the rest of cake like a diorama around the statue , if  you need help with that let me know , the figure anyways, that way the person would have a keepsake forever!

Thanks again for all the input.  Sorry about the lack of reply - have been having pc problems: (

Mystery Men looks like a great idea for the future but after he's actually seen it.  The topper is a good idea too, but I think I want to keep the whole thing technically edible - thanks for the offer.
 

I love the whole concept of keeping it simple and adding technology to help with the wow factor, but unfortunately I've been pressurised against my better judgement into the Escape from Arkham Asylum concept - model of Arkham on a cake hill with characters in the process of escaping. 

Working with pastillage for the house construction is completely new to me so if anyone has any tips I'd love to hear them.  Also any help on modelling Batman figures would be fantastic - as I said earlier, it's not my forte!

Thanks everyone.

Well, fortunately, Mystery Men is a cheap DVD. B&N has it on DVD for under $14, Blu-Ray for $20, or a triple feature DVD with 2 other movies for $19.