I need to make an ice chest and would like to know how to make fake ice cubes that look real.

I did mine out of Knox gelatin, but substituted white grape juice for the water so that they would have some taste to them. It made them slightly yellow, but I was still pleased with the result.

Also, I was worried about the gelatin melting in the heat, but did not have any problems.

HTH

I used rock candy for ice. You can look in my photos at the champagne bucket picture to see it!!

I have made a beer bucket cake, as well as a champagne bucket (you can check them out in my picture)anyway....I made sugar ice for each of those cakes....here is what you need and do:
light kayro syrup ( I usually get 2 bottles, and found the store brands to work better)
sugar
glass at least 3+cup pyrex measuring cup
silpat mat
cookie sheet or pampered chef stone with sides...bar pan

Mix 1/2 kayro with 1/2 sugar stir together to combine
microwave on 50% power for 6 minutes, then full power for 2 mintues (some times a few seconds more or less...depending on your microwave) do not over cook it, it will start to yellow and turn brown. May actually take you more than one batch to perfect.
*****BE CAREFUL, THIS STUFF IS HOT, AND WILL TAKE YOUR SKIN RIGHT OFF*****
pour hot sugar mixture on silpat on cookie sheet...can either make a thin layer or thicker...
I put mine in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. When set up take a meat hammer or regular clean hammer to it. It will shatter into pieces...just be careful this stuff is sharp and will go everywhere. I usually break mine then put it in a large plastic container, to finish smashing it. Keep it in the fridge for the most part, this time of year with the humidity it tends to get sticky. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions....

Bump- I need 2 know also!

You stated you keep it in the refrig...how long will it keep out ok on with the cake? I mean if the party is at lets say 5pm...but you have to deliver the cake by 1pm...or so. How long will the "ice" keep out?

for Knox ice cubes
and for Karo/sugar cubes

The sugar ice will be fine, the only thing is that it tends to get shiney and sticky, but doesn't really matter once you have it on the cake. Then it gives it a more melted/realistic appearance to it. I have done 3 cakes so far with it, and the cakes have sat out at a party and have had no problems, or complains. HTH

Here are a couple other threads that might help you on this:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=254901&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=147691&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

two things I will NEVER put on a cake again are 1) Gelatin and 2) cotton candy.

I made a bowl of soup cake and used a disk of gelatin that had set up in the fridge on top to look like the "soup" it was a melted mess by the time I got to the party. I think it might have had something to do with the gelatin disk sitting on top of the fondant, it wasn't a hot day so I can't explain why it melted.

I would go with ice cubes made of sugar. You can get silicone ice cube trays that would stand up to the heat of poured sugar.

it was knoxx gelatin that I used. I even reduced the amount of water so it would be even gellier. i dont know what happened but it was a bad ugly mess. the worst part is that my husband was carrying the cake in the box on his lap and his whole lap was soaked in gelatin, which later dried and cemented his pants to his legs.

it's funny now but he was really upset he had to sit through a dinner party looking like he wet himself.

Wow! I'm sorry to hear that about the knox gelatin. I make gelatin butterflies and flowers all the time and put them on cakes -- never had a problem. I wish I could troubleshoot it for you but I'm coming up blank.

i haven't ried the gelatin or the sugar ice cubes ( a little too risky for myself lol) i made cubes out of white fondant, let them dry over night, then srayed them with light blue food coloring and rum. i stuck some crystalized sugar to it and went on my merry way so to speak. it turned out cute i thought. its the ice bucket cake in my photos. HTH!

Well, I tried the knox and it was a huge mess. They melted and stared making all the colors from the fondant run. It only took a few min. to start melting. We put them on right before we served the cake. It looked really cool for the first 5 min. or so. I'll never try that again. I'll stick to the sugar, I've made the rock candy for my kids but I've never put it on a cake before. I'll just try that next time.!!!!

Well, I tried the knox and it was a huge mess. They melted and stared making all the colors from the fondant run. It only took a few min. to start melting. We put them on right before we served the cake. It looked really cool for the first 5 min. or so. I'll never try that again. I'll stick to the sugar, I've made the rock candy for my kids but I've never put it on a cake before. I'll just try that next time.!!!!

sorry about the melting.

I am seeing some consistency between your melting gelatin and mine. I think something happens to the gelatin when it's touching fondant. it doesn't make sense though because jello has sugar in it and it doesn't melt, but initially I thought the sugar in the fondant was causing the reaction.

now I am even more convinced no more gelatin on a cake ever.

the gelatin flowers and butterflies are fine though because they are dried, not set up in the fridge.

So sorry that happened!

I don't know what is causing it, because fondant has gelatin in it, so that's really weird. I will keep all this in mind if I have to put it on a fondant cake. Maybe I'll test first.