Hey everyone.. Ok heres the deal.. My baby sister is having a Beauty and the beast themed Quinceanera.. I want to offer to make the cake.. As long as they buy everything I need for it.. Labor will be free... Crazy I know.. But it's for my baby sister.. Should I incorporate the beast?? I'm thinking a 2 tier cake with the pillars inbetween.. Some sort of Hurricane glass shade with one red stem rose in it VS the Fountain at the bottom. Bell doll cake at the top.. Stairs on either side going to other cakes sitting on the table.. I will need to feed 300 people.. (not really, but step mother will have it no other way. She's afraid of not having enough cake!!)

Anyway.. What sizes should I use to feed 300 people??? And How would I incorporate the Beast? He's so hairy!!! LOL

Look in www.Earlenescakes.com/Index1.htm to find out what size of pans you need. Hope this helps.

like this

(that's the beast lower left!)

as drawn:
10 in middle
12 in bottom
8 in satellite tiers

but only gets you to about 150 at wilton size wedding portions. so would need sheet cakes for the final 150.

otherwise would have to have much bigger tiers or add yet more tiers under the main stack or more satellite cakes which are bigger still (like 10 in)

Doug.. Thanks.. Here I go shopping!!! Never would have thought to put him on the side..

Ok.. If I used 14inch round the middle tier.
I measured the doll pan with the size of pans I have.. and it looks perfect to fit on top of the 14inch.. So would I use 16 or 18 for the bottom??
According to Earlenes 14 inch will feed 115. and 18inch would feed 150. Thinking 8 inch for either side of the cakes..

Go to the 18inch, it'll be extra cake but, you can always freeze the leftovers for later use.

take two

14in middle tier

18 in bottom tier

(drawn to scale BTW)

and note the flip of position of 15 and Beast.
to me looks better this way.

Doug.. You just blow my mind!!! Ok.. Take Three???

I have my pans out.. I have a 18inch dummy cake.. I placed it onto the table, then using pillars a(so I can add the hurricane lamp underneath the 14inch)
I added 14inch, 12inch and doll on top.. Maybe thinking of using 12inch as dummy cake.. Just for more height? So that I can still use the 8 inch on either side..

hurricane lamp???

where'd that come from?

got a pic??

I want to use a Hurricane Vase.. LOL Not Lamp! upside down with a single red rose.. Sitting on my cake topper that rotates... It's to replicate the red rose that is in the movie.. For the center of the cake.. I dont like using Fountains..

yes, your idea would work -- tho' that puts a lot of cake and stuff up HIGH in the air as would use same size pillars as if putting a fountain underneath.

so....

may I offer a slightly different arrangement -- see drawing.

----

and still one more option.

put the "15" as a plaque on one of the tiers and then put the vase/flower on the other satellite tier where the "15" is now.

Oh man.. I have so many Ideas running through my head!!!! I have a few pics of other ways of making this cake.. Can you give me advise on how high these cake holders are and what might be the sizes.. AND how many people you think this might feed??? TIA

one source for the top pic's acrylic stands
http://www.weddingcakestands.com/acrylicstands/crystal.htm

note how the highest one they see is 19"

and in this set http://www.weddingcakestands.com/acrylicstands/sarijane.htm
the highest is just over 24"

(both also list size of cake plate which would be a match for the cake.)

on the one w/ the fountain --
smallest plate for it -- 14 in
shortest rise is 13 in.
could that one be 14 / 12 / 8 with a side stack of 10 / 6??

I can't wait to see this cake!! i love beauty and the beast.
I like the design Doug has created w/her over the rose.
Very cute!! When is this cake for?

Wow!!! Fantastic ideas!!!! Love the idea of the rose in the glass vase.

Doug, where do you draw your cake sketches? What program or application do you use?

Thanks, Doug!

The Cake is for Sept. 1st.. And I'm so nervous.. I called my baby sister and asked.. Have you ordered your cake yet.. And to my surprise she said, No.. My mom has a meeting with 3 ladies this weekend.. And it came so natural to say " well no need to go to the ladies.. Do you trust me?" She said, " huh? ". I said "do you trust me". She said yeah, with a giggle.. I said " Good, because I want to be the sponsor for your cake and not only pay for it, but make it for you.." She started screaming at her mom " Mom! Christy is gonna make my cake'. Her mom got on the phone and was all excited.. She said " christy I swear this morning I felt like I was coming down with the flu.. But after you took that big load off of me, I feel so much better. OMG I can breath better.. I dont think it's the flu.. I think I'm having anxiety because of all the stress of the Quince..

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.. I just said it with so much confidence that I can do this.. OMG I'M SCARED OUT OF MY MIND!!!!!

When I read your post, I thought of this cake topper: http://cgi.ebay.com/BELLE-BEAUTY-BEAST-CAKE-TOPPER-Disney-Princess-Figurine_W0QQitemZ300135617501QQihZ020QQcategoryZ50759QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I love the idea of the rotating bell jar and rose!! I think you should make that your topper!
If you did that, you could to 8-12-16, stacking the 16" tier on top of a circle of five 10" tiers. One of the five 10" rounds would face the front, and you could place the topper there, or between the layers. Red roses are a must! That would give you 300 servings.
The obvious choice would be to do the cake in yellow/gold fondant with the fondant swags mimicing Belle's dress with dots at the joinings. A fine spray or brushing with gold luster dust would add the sparkle and glamour!
Doing the "15" in a stained glass on fondant effect with piping gel would complete the look. (This will take a month to dry completely.)
Going with a topper will give your sis a keepsake to treasure and remind her of all the love you put into her special cake!

omg, i cannot wait to see the finished cake

Doug I was just going to ask you the same question marialovescakes asked...what program do you use to make all these sketches?? You are GREAT!!! Everytime someone asks a question, there you are to answer them. thank you so much. we are so blessed to have you in this forum.
I can't wait to see the finished product.
BLESSINGS

FrostinGal... Can you give me a picture of this idea..
Doing the "15" in a stained glass on fondant effect with piping gel would complete the look. (This will take a month to dry completely.)
That sounds great.. But I would need the How To??
That is a great Idea..
Your idea sounds great.. BUT Doug,, can you give a picture of her explanation??? OMG THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT AND IDEAS..
Oh.. I found the porcelain Bell Doll.. thinking of using her body and making the dress out of cake.. It would be the doll cake, just in a bigger version.

OK Ladies and Gentlemen... For all those who have made Big Cakes, stacked Cakes, Tiered Cakes, Wedding Cakes and even Quince Cakes..
How advance should I start this whole Quince Cake?? The Quince is on Sept. 1st.. That's like just a few weeks from now.. Counting down.
I need help here.. I'm so freaking nervous!
But with some tips, advice and your encouragement.. I know I can do this!!!!

TIA!

I was thinking either cutting out the numbers for "15" from fondant and outlining them in royal icing to resemble stained glass, then filling in the open areas with colored piping gels to mimic glass. After it is all dry, paint the royal outlines with gold luster dust mixed with a small amount of vodka.
Alternatively, you could do an entire arched window shape and make "15" part of the stained glass design. I think that is what I would do.
As for making the cake, it will help you immensely if you figure out all of your ingredients and supplies and pick up the non-perishable items now.
You can cover cake boards and assemble some items, like red GP roses, "stained glass", if you will make them. Two weeks before you can bake the cakes and freeze them to help make final prep easier. Let each tier cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap followed by foil. Label each cake.
Figure out how much fondant, frosting, and filling you will need and spend a whole day making those, I usually do this on Wednesday. Thursday you can fill and ice your cakes. Friday can be spent on decorating. On Saturday, all you have left is delivery and set-up. And figure that it will actually take twice as long to do something as you think it will take.
To give you an idea, It took me Monday-Friday, working 8am to 5pm to make a simple buttercream stacked 7 tier cake, all one flavor except the top tier, and one two tiered Harley-themed grooms cake. And I had the help of a dishwasher, (my aunt.) Monday and Tuesday were spent baking, Wednesday making filling and frostings, Thursday torting and filling and icing, Friday decorating and placing supports. Saturday I went to the ceremony, then high-tailed it back for set-up. (Thank goodness they had a lag between the ceremony and reception, or I wouldn't have been able to go.)
You can totally do this, but get started! Time will creep up on you before you know it!

Frostingal.. This is amazing!!! That is alot of help. I guess what I'm afraid of.. Is freshness.. I really dont freeze cakes.. But your advice really really sounds reasonable.. Oh.. My.. I have only a few weeks to prepare.. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!!

I don't often freeze cakes, either, but I've never had a problem with freshness after freezing. Make sure you wrap them with plastic wrap and foil and thaw them in the fridge.
Good luck and I can't wait to see the finished cake! Your sis is very lucky!

Ok.. I'm Stressed!!!! I cannot at the moment purchase 300 dollars worth of cake stands for this cake. I dont want the traditional tier cake stand with the bottom fountain.. Damn! SOOOOOOOOO what would you guys think if I turned this beautiful cake idea into a cupcake tower???? I still want this to be beautiful.. Have you ever did cupcake tower for a big event??????

$300?!?! Heaven's, what supports are you trying to buy? Do you have a sketch you could show us of your final design, or the website of the items you are thinking of buying?
I'm thinking you can support a cake for much less!
Cupcakes are way more work, IMO. I know there are those who prefer them, but I'm not one of them. Fewer cakes=fewer expense=less time to me.
There's got to be a way to modify the design to make the cost less....

http://www.weddingcakestands.c.....rystal.htm

I would need 2 sets of the ones shown in the site.. PLUS i'm renting that god awful fountain.. I want the cake stands to be on either side going like stair steps.. with the bell doll in the center at the top.. Make sense?

i found those exact ones at my local cake shop for rent. Just 4 of them are 20 bucks each, with a 300 credit card hold.. MAN! that's 160 bucks plus a 600 credit card hold for 8 .. PLUS THE FOUNTAIN!!! Renting it is 60 or 80 cant remember with a 150 credit card hold.. Thinking of making two sets of (smaller version) of Antonia74's cake towers. each set to hold 100.. then making one tall box tower for the doll.. and forget the fountain!