http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/mafeb/IMG_0687.jpg

A client sent me this photo and wants a 40th b-day cake made from this. It will be a 10" round - no sculpting, fondant desgin. I tried to get her to go for the open hat box cake with this design around the sides but it was a little too extravagant.

So now what do I do - and how do I get this design on the cake??? Of course it is due tomorrow Cake is baked, torted (choc with rasp meringue filling, choc rasp ganche icing - I can put fondant over that, right? Yikes I hope so!) not frosted yet since I think I have to have the fondant over the ganche before it fully sets or it won't be perfectly smooth - or am I better off waiting for it to set?

HELP!! I was hoping to finish this before dh got home tonight at 5:30 and i will be out of the house for 2 hours to serve lunch at ds school.

Oh boy - should have posted this earlier, but I thought something would pop into my head.

The link says it is blocked. Can you post a pic?

Kathi

Is it just the picture of the orange fabric? If so, have you considered making orange blocks and stacking them into a pyramid.

It is just a picture of orange fabric - did this work to post the pic?

Can you get an edible image done of this picture and cut it into ribbons to decorate the cake?

Just a though...do you have a Walmart with a bakery nearby?...they do edible pictures for about $5.

This design is a puzzler. I'll let you know if something else pops into my head. Good luck.

The first thing that pops in my head is that old atari (?) game Q-bert, but that would be too childish for a 40 year old.

I would cut the cake kinda squarish and then off center it making the opposing points a little longer and then cut the top at a slant..( sort of whimcal, one layer)

then you can make fondant panels of the different oranges.

then you can put the sentiment on the top?

or you can make a few smaller cakes just the same and pile on top of each other.

I know this doesn't help you at the last minute..but just an idea.

This is a quilt design. I don't know how much time you want to put into this, but, how about "quilting" the fondant and then using different shades of orange coloring to paint ?

Beth in KY

Beth I'm thinking that may be what I will have to do.

Karen - like the edible images for ribbon as well - I do have a printer here so I can print them myself.

We'll see how it goes - will post a picture tonight!

My first idea was to make the boxes side by side in the sides of the cake using fondant cut outs with the 3 shades of orange and make 3 big "boxes" (fondant - gumpaste) and place them with picks on top with a 40 cut out.
Hope it helps and you can picture this on your head like me

Does it have to be the exact design or something similar?

you could do the three different colors of the oranges and cut small fondant squares and make a double or triple high square fondant border (two or three rows of squares for border) alternating the three colors, that make sense? LOL

then border the top in a circle of fondant squares and write a message on top.

These may not be down the right road... but this site has a lot of simple, but really nice cakes using basically geometric shapes.
http://ledasbakeshop.com
look at custom party cakes

good luck!

very graphic intensive cakes, the website is unique as their cakes.

Thanks for the link!

Ok, a different spin on it. I look at it and see diamonds. What if you did a lighter shade of orange over the whole cake and then darker diamonds that meet at the points around the side? From there, I'm not sure, but that's what popped into my head. It's simple, but it would be easy.

LOL....oy! i used to draw that illusion all the time when bored in classes!!!!

it's the old cube illusion ... just which way do you see the 3-D cubes???

so here's a sketch of the most basic version of the illusion

and I've blown out the three parts to use as a template....

I'd cut all from 3 different colors of fondant and piece it all together mosaic style!


HTH!!

and here's a small quilt....

full size in templates gallery

Here it is....
BLECH!



Okay - wish I had left the fondant on top white and patchworked all the sides, spraying the first color on did not work so well, totally bummed because it looks pretty blotchy - anyone know how to fix that by 9am?

I still have to write Happy Birthday Dorothy in the circle. Procrastinating because I don't feel like coloring the RI I know I should just do it already and GO TO BED, it's now 1:30am and I'm tired!

Well - I guess it is what she wanted. Certainly NOT my favorite cake!!

Thanks for all your help everyone!!!

Laura

Wow, I'm impressed! I guess that's what your client wants and that's what your client's going to get.

I think they'll be more than happy with it. Now finish writing and go to sleep. Stop worrying.

Thanks SugarPlum! You are an angel - I got up off my butt when your message popped in and I just finished.

Will go to bed then get up to finish cleaning the kitchen tomorrow.

BTW - what are YOU doing up? It's late where you are too!

I have to say that I am stunned at what you did with this!!! I would still be sitting here crying over "what in the world do I did with THIS" syndrome.....
And you come up with this great cake! I am soo impressed! I just showed it to my dh and he said "wow!", and he doesn't say that often. Great job here!!!
She ought to be thrilled with this cake! If she's not, biff her for me! LOL

You did an AWESOME job! I think the cake looks great! Hope you got some rest last night!

But, let me say this....I'm NOT going to show my aunt (the quilter) because SHE will want ME to do one for HER!!! LOLL

Beth in KY

You did a beautiful job! That is an incredible cake!! I'm sure the customer will be VERY pleased!

That's quite an optical illusion. At first glance, I thought the cake had steps. I didn't read the beginning of the post, so I didn't see the pattern that you were using. Awesome looking cake.

OMGOSH, after reading hktaitai's message I looked again. I thought it was cut in on this side too!!! Man, does trick play with the eye! Wow! I hope these people won't be drinking heavily! LOL I'm more impressed than I was before!

OMIGOSH!!! I had to admit...I laughed when I saw what they gave you to go by. Some people think we can do anything..
Yours is just stunning...I would never of thought to come up with something so beautiful!!! fabulous job. They obviously know they have a fabulous cake lady..
Love it, Great job...Nicole

Great job.

It looks awesome - great job!

FANTASTIC!!!

I know you had some difficulty coming up with a design, but you really made it work!

great job! I really like it. if it were me, i would have made her some cupcakes and said my house burnt down or something... lol (just kidding!)

you did an awesome job. here's to some much needed sleep for you!

Beautiful cake!!!! It looks just like the fabric!!! I'm sure your client loved it!