So I'm finally working on this beach cake (some may remember the shells I posted a week or two ago) and I used crushed vanilla oreos for the sand, right? Well, customer wants writing in the sand (my fault for not doing a dry run with the oreos!) and I can't get clear writing! I misted the top with water but now I'm working on a mushy mess on the top of my cake!!!

Suggestions??

I did 2 cakes this week with graham crackers as sand. On 1 cake I used candy letters in the water. On the other one I wrote happy birthday on the cake board.

I have also put candy letters in the sand. Trying to use icing just will not work.

I would scrape off the icing and then sprinkle more crumbs over it. The customer may have to settle for something else. Sometimes it is hard for them to understand what will not work on a cake! LOL

But she desperately wants this! I'm so screwed. LOL

Sorry, I wasn't specific enough - she wants the cake to LOOK like a beach, with writing in the sand (as if you wrote on the sand on the beach...you know?) - I've "written" in sand before - but never on an actual "sandy" surface - just on icing where ya trace a toothpick on it.

As for real writing, I've melted chocolate and used that.

I don't think my cookies are firm enough to hold the toothpick lines. I should have said tracing in the sand.

Does anyone else think maybe you could add a little melted butter to the cookie crumbs. Just like when you make those no bake pies with the graham cracker crust and you mix in the butter. I bet that would work. It would definitely be worth a try and you could test it with just a tiny amount. Good luck, let us know if you find something that works.

Try using cinnamon sugar for your sand. It looks like real sand and it will hold the lettering. Look at my picture with the shells and you can see the cinnamon sugar I used there. I personally think it looks better than anything else if you want the "real" beach look.

Hope this helps you!! I can't wait to see a picture of this cake you're making!

Valerie in "Sandy Eggo" ) Sorry, couldn't help myself!!!)

Try to use a sculpting tool to lightly write maybe? Possibly even the end of a fork or spoon?

Wow. Some good ideas, but I had to get back to it and finish. I ended up carving out the letters and filling in with icing. Here's a pic...

Of course, I had to pull off the chair and the big shell on the front as they are fondant and hadn't set yet - I just put them on for the photo!

Awww that is cute, very beachy! Your sand looks great.

That cake is adorable! I'm glad it all worked out for you!

That looks great! Really neat idea of the 'writing in the sand'...have to remember that one! Glad it turned out for you

Wow that looks great!!!! love the chair!!

Lorris

oops, didn't get to you in time, your cake looks beautiful though.......I did a writing in the sand cake before for my son's bday it was a desert island and I wrote Happy Birthday in the sand and put a little guy with a pretzel stick in his hand like he wrote it........I lightly frosted the board, I"m sure you could do it right on a cake though too...and I used brown sugar for the sand and just simply used the pretzel stick to carve it out...the frosting was the same color as the sand (brown sugar) so it looked very realistic I also went back and sprinkled just a touch more sugar over it and it looked exactlly like it was carved in wet sand!!!

I love your cake! That is such a great idea and your sand looks perfect!

I love this cake!!!! Very nice work.

Nice job!! Makes me want to go sit in the sun!!

Nice job!! Makes me want to go sit in the sun!!

Thanks everyone! I've used brown sugar but don't like the overall taste when eating the cake. Too sweet. The cinnamon sugar idea sounds pretty good though.

So the chair hadn't finished drying, but she just wanted to EAT this cake....the real cake (this was the demo LOL same size) is next month - she wants the chair a natural wood look but liked everything else. Phew! She was difficult!



Btw, the guy holding the pretzel stick sounds cute!