Hi!! I'm going to be making a blacksmiths cake for my husband next weekend. My plans for this cake is to do a red velvet cheesecake (1 layer of real cheesecake sandwiched between 2 layers of red velvet cake) and I want to make this look like a barrel. He doesn't really like fondant..so to achieve the cool wood grain look of a real barrel, I am going to make modeling chocolate and roll it out to fit my cake. I am going to try to make some shallow marks on it to make the wood grain. Has anyone ever tried this or does it sound like a disaster waiting to happen? Lol I also need to make an 3d anvil for the top. What can I use for the "filling" of the anvil so I don't have to use a huge chunk of fodant or anything. Thanks :-)

I've never tried a barrel before, but I do cover big cakes in modeling chocolate all the time so it should work. Just make sure you roll your modeling chocolate nice a big because it is not going stretch like fondant. For the anvil filling: I use rice Krispy treats for my large toppers and then I cover it in fondant. I know some people use foam. 

Do you use the store bought rice Krispy or do you make your own?

Thank you for your help.

I would use modeling chocolate as well, but I would apply it in 'planks' instead of trying to cover the whole thing in one go. Adds to the look and easier to do.  I'd probably even try to do the wood grain before applying to the cake.  Any marks made from applying may help with an aged/used barrel look.  And I make my own treats.  You could also use modeling chocolate to make the anvil.  If you color it silver/gray, you could do the anvil and the strips around the barrel.  You wouldn't have to use any fondant.

You can get wood grain impression mats to press the pattern into the chocolate clay, then paint it and rub it off to give it the variegated look of the wood.