AMy sister-in-law wants this exact cake for my niece's shower in May, but she is only having 60 guests. Plaus, she wants it in buttercream, not fondant. I told her that I don't think I can get the buttercream this smooth, plus the edges are rounded. Not sure how to do that.

Any ideas of how I can scale this same design down? And your thoughts on using modeling chocolate on top of the buttercream, perhaps, since I could practice 20 hours a day for the next two months and not get this look! She hates fondant, that's why the BC.

Oh, and how to get that color? Sorry to have so many questions - I thought I,would be making a nice, round two tiered cake! [IMG ALT=""]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3184019/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

Thanks much, Nancy

I am a bit confused, are you wanting to cover the cake in modeling chocolate or just the decorations?  I have never covered with modeling chocolate, just made figures and decorations with it. As far as the color, maybe ivory  with a bit of brown in it? I usally just play with the color until I get a match.

ASorry! She wants this exact look but no fondant. I can't do this in buttercream, so I was thinking modeling chocolate? Thank you!

8x6x4 is 58 ish servings-- so maybe 9x7x5 but that's way over 60 --up to about 76 give or take a few

i mean if you can't do it then that's your answer too--modeling chocolate is a thought but it's not without it's learning curve too--

but for the color question--to get it that even toned i'd suggest using brown food color--if you use chocolate buttercream it can streak--

hey what about a combination of ganaches--milk chocolate and white to get the color-- so buttercream iced underneath and then a poured ganache on top--but it will have bit different finish than the picture has--

i mean if you are intending to give her what she wants you'd use brown colored american buttercream or brown fondant though--and again if you can't do that then...

I don't think covering in modeling chocolate is the answer. Someone else may have a different answer though. The one thing I have learned is this...if you don't think you can do it, then don't.  If you are trying to build a business, you want your cakes to be spot on (or as close as can be).  If this is a free cake, then I would just tell your sis in law that you aren't comforable doing in buttercream , but there will be plenty of buttercream under the fondant so that she can peel it off. People eat with their eyes first.  It takes alot of practice to get buttercream that smooth, I still deal with it on occasion. Check youtube and see if there are any videos on how to get those corners rounded with buttercream. I don't know if I have helped you any, but I tried lol  I still have times when I do a cake, I may not be happy with it, but the customer loves it.  Good Luck!!

AI'd go with modelling choc over ganache (as in cover cake in ganache then MC not 'instead of' lol), even mix the MC 50:50 with fondant she'll never know and it'll be way easier for you to work with.

If you make MC with milk choc then mix 50:50 with white fondant you'll get close to that colour then add brown gel colour to get it perfect.

I wouldn't tell her it's half fondant she sounds like a bit of a pain and will prob argue, just say it'll be chocolate icing over rich chocolate ganache, smother her in mouth-watering jargon :-)

2 tiers, 10"-6" would give you 68 servings.  Placing the smaller cake on a pedestal stand would make the smaller cake appear larger.

A good crusting buttercream tinted with a touch of brown should get your color close and allow you to smooth the icing.  This does take practice though.  I have a much harder time with squares than with rounds. 

AI wonder if you could use white & chocolate almond bark?

AThank you! I don't think I can get the curved edges, even if I were much better at smoothing BC than I am. Is that a look you can get with BC? Nancy

AHi, Do you mean melt them? Or very thin? Nancy

AThank you! Great suggestion about the pedestal. Yes, I'm nervous about the shape.

AThanks! Yes, she is picky! I like your idea! Nancy

AThank you! I am going to attempt one layer and then send her pictures. I think she will back out pretty fast! I am getting better at round cakes but still...if a paying customer asked me to do this in BC, I would tell them flat out that I can't do,it, and that the cake is fondant, so we use that or she will have to look elsewhere. I know can do this in fondant very well. I just tried making my own fondant the other day, and it is pretty good. Doesn't taste like Wilton's!

Thank you all for your help! Nancy