I have a ladybug cake to do for the weekend. The lady bug is to sit on a 6" tier. What is the easiest way to make the ladybug? Cake or RKT? I was thinking RKT since the bug looks a little curved and doesn't sit flat in the pic she sent me, but I could make it flat and cake if that is what you guys recommend. You guys make the best ladybugs ever! If out of cake, what do you recommend for making it? I was thinking about the Wilton sports-ball pan, but that looks like it might be too big....
Thanks in Advance [/img]

Either method would work;cake or RKT. just trim it to fit

Lady bug smash cake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJGMmvQ1Mkg&feature=related

I made a lady bug cake for my sisters baby shower. It needed it to be large so I used a 10" for the body and a 6" for the head and then just shaped it the way it needed to be by cutting off the excess. I will say though that it was hard for me to fill the cake with anything other than a buttercream filling since the mouse I was using would try to run out while carving. You can see a picture of it under my pics. Hope this helps a little. Good Luck!

I the sportsball pan looks too big do you have a smaller oven safe bowl you could bake it in?

First of all, there's no such thing as a dumb question...the only dumb ones are the ones that are never asked...Here is the ladybug I did a while back using the sports ball pan. It's sitting on a 8" round, so I'd say the diameter of the ball pan is 6". I don't see why you couldn't put it on top of a 6" round.
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1480961

I made mine as a cake with a pyrex bowl! Doing another in december...prob will do RKT for that...I think both are fine!

I have had good luck using styrofoam covered with fondant for my ladybugs. You can purchase half-balls and several sizes of regular balls at Michael's. I cover them with ganache and then place the fondant over them, making sure to cover all exposed styrofoam, so none of it touches the icing on top of the cake. They will easily fit a 6" round. Just another thought!

I used half of the Wilton sports ball pan to make the ladybug in my photos. It's sitting on a 9" round. I think it would definitely fit on a 6" cake but it depends how much room you want around the edge of the ladybug on top. It might seem a little big to put that size ladybug on a 6".

I made a ladybug for my daughters birthday. I didn't want to have to make more cake or use a ton of fondant, so I melted chocolate candy melts and pured into a small bowl lined with greased syran wrap and let harden overnight. Popped it out of the bowl and covered that with red fondant. I made the head and dots out of black fondant. I think there is a photo in my photos. Good Luck!

All right you guys, just STOP putting darling pictures of ladybugs and turtles and all the different ways to make them! I'm already behind about 200 cakes that I want to make someday and now I have to add 2 more to the list!

I did mine with cake in the Wilton mini ball pan. It's on a 6" tier. I thought the proportion was pretty good.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1788333

I have also used that pan to make a small dome of RKT (for a different project). It works out nicely for that too.

I made mine completely out of fondant....on a 6" tier...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/krissiecakes/4677224149/in/set-72157623952327085/

I've used both, neither is a problem but as far as a smash cake, I found an oven safe glass bowl that was the perfect size, not to big, not to small.

I think even a puffy cupcake can work - just slice the bottom of it off, a generous layer of buttercream on the rounded top, then fondant it - it'll be small enough to place on top of a 6" round but edible at the same time

[quote I will say though that it was hard for me to fill the cake with anything other than a buttercream filling since the mouse I was using would try to run out while carving.
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This sentence made me giggle

To keep costs down for my customer, I used styrofoam. Just like Bethkay, I also covered the bottom of the half ball with fondant. It was very easy plus the customer got to keep the ladybug.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1840393

Thanks Guys for all the Fantastic Ideas!!! I knew if I asked I would get the best advice possible!! Love all the pictures!! I was hoping to find a wilton mini ball pan, but I couldn't find one here at Michael's or Bulk Barn I am going to give it a try tonight!!