Hi 

I have agreed to make a replica of the palm house in sefton park in liverpool out of cake.  just trying to figure out the best way of doing it. my initial thought is a cake shaped and then covered in white fondant which i then paint palms etc on and then pipe over the outline of the palm house and add gelatin or sugar to form a window glaze on it...or create a sheet cake which I decorate in green fondant and then create a hollow shell of the palm house with sugar glass windows which i place on top of the grass. think the 2nd option will be more difficult but just not sure which way to go think I may have bitten off more than I can chew lol . I've enclosed a picture of the palm house. thanks Kirsten 

Girl, you are one brave soul!  If I had to do this (and that is the only way I would do it), I would carve cake, cover with white fondant, paint it to look like glass and make details with fondant to add dimension. I would choose this method mostly because I am comfortable with painting.  The best of luck to you!

Hi Sandra yes I think that is how I am going to go with it too. I am excited about doing it i think with the other way I would be worried about it just collapsing and snapping.  I don't think i'll be able to cope with people actually cutting into it lol.  

Thanks for the advice x 

Oh my, what a lot of work for people to eat!  Oh well, take lots of good pictures!

oh man, I think the second way would be possible by say forming it in a couple of hexagon shaped bowls ?? I don't even know. Even if you managed it would be so fragile and then it is bound to break right after you've finished it all !!!

I think the fondant painted is the safer option. Good luck to you brave baker!

I've never used it, and someone on here with more experience than me may be able to give you some advice, but if it were me, I think I would use pastillage (sp?) for the top dome.  Just saw a video by Ron Ben Israel where he talks about how much sturdier it is than gumpaste or fondant.  I think you could still paint it.  Just a thought.  Good luck with your project...that will be one awesome cake!

I have used pastillage and it is much sturdier than gum paste or fondant, but it drys very quickly.  I would  make the whole structure, including the top, from cake, cover with fondant, then paint to look like glass (with the sky reflections, etc.) and add fondant or gum paste details (building structure) for depth.