Help Needed With Wedding Cake!!

Decorating By Lazy_Susan Updated 2 Apr 2006 , 6:16pm by lisascakes

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Lazy_Susan Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 6:04am
post #1 of 16

Hi y'all,
I may have the opportunity to make a wedding cake for a co-worker. She needs a 3-tiered round cake to feed 175 people. What sizes would I need to make for each tier to feed that many people?

Also, the cake is lined with pearls going around the upper edges of the cake. Should I put the pearls on with piping gel? Will that hold them? Or what would work best? I'm just concerned about transporting the cake with the pearls looking like they are on edge!!! What if the vibration of transporting them makes them fall down the side of the cake??? How can I prevent this or do you think this would even be an issue?

All help desperately needed!!!!!!!! icon_biggrin.gif

Thanks,
Lazy_Susan

15 replies
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Lazy_Susan Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 6:15am
post #2 of 16

I forgot to mention that she wants the color of the cake to be...... get ready for this.... Fuschia!!!!!

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AmberCakes Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 8:01am
post #3 of 16

Wow, Susan! Fuschia? Dark but hey she's the bride. LOL. I don't know any answers to your ?'s, sorry, I would only think I know the answers from all the reading of posts here. LOL. But, I'll let the experts post. icon_smile.gif So, I'm bumping you too. LOL. Good Luck!

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franjmc Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 8:44am
post #4 of 16

Susan,

Are you using buttercream or fondant?

If you're using fondant then you'll need somthing stronger to hold the pearls on like royal icing.

If you're using buttercream someone else will have to help, I'm clueless icon_smile.gif

Cheers,
Fran

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Lazy_Susan Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 9:02am
post #5 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by franjmc

Susan,

Are you using buttercream or fondant?

If you're using fondant then you'll need somthing stronger to hold the pearls on like royal icing.

If you're using buttercream someone else will have to help, I'm clueless icon_smile.gif

Cheers,
Fran




Right now I'm not sure if it's going to be fondant or BC. I haven't spoken to the bride yet. All the conversation so far has been mediated with a nurse here at work and notes from the bride. I did call her last night and left a message on her machine. So, we'll see icon_smile.gif

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IHATEFONDANT Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 11:05am
post #6 of 16

Do a Google search....type in cake servings...and you will find sites with serving charts. Earlenes is a good one. She has a very detailed chart for servings...number of pearls needed..etc.

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 11:09am
post #7 of 16

For 175 people, I'd say a 18, 12, 10in round tiered cake (plus a 6in as an anniversary tier if you want?). Hope that helps!

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 11:20am
post #8 of 16

Earlene's chart says 16, 13 & 10in pans for 175 - so I'd go by what pans you have available (and at least you can bake a 16in in one pan!).

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eleets_treats Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 11:27am
post #9 of 16

i would go sizes 16, 14, 12 inches, measure your oven first though, as some ovens are smaller than 16 inches.

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adven68 Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 12:37pm
post #10 of 16

Fuschia? for a wedding? Holy cow.

Thinking about this, I believe fuschia fondant would be a little more inviting than fuschia buttercream. At least then, you can put a more appetizing color frosting underneath it...like white or chocolate....

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loriemoms Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 12:52pm
post #11 of 16

oh my, fushia! Maybe you can suggest to her to go with an nice ivory cake and add fushia flowers of some sort?
I think a fushia wedding cake would glow in the dark, no?

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lsawyer Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 12:57pm
post #12 of 16

Can you add the pearls when you get to the site?

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Lazy_Susan Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 1:53pm
post #13 of 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by lsawyer

Can you add the pearls when you get to the site?




I thought about this but there will be sooooooo many of them!! I guess I could do a trial run to see how long it takes to apply them. Then do a bit of algebra to see how long it would take me to edge each layer with the pearls.

icon_smile.gif

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lsawyer Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 2:17pm
post #14 of 16

Can you buy the pearls that are already strung together? Or do they have to be edible?

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tatetart Posted 1 Apr 2006 , 2:27pm
post #15 of 16

I bought a pearl former. Just put fondant in the former and you can make 6 inches of pearls at a time. Brush them with pearlized luster dust. It sounds overwhelming at first, but it actually goes fairly quickly. And they are easily applied. I used buttercream to apply my pearls, but you can use royal icing too. Just ran a thin line of icing and placed the pearls on top of the line.
But I would definately apply them before I got there.

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lisascakes Posted 2 Apr 2006 , 6:16pm
post #16 of 16

Good Morning All,

I have used pearls several times on a wedding cake using buttercreme frosting. The best way I have found is to do the scollops how ever you like and then put the pearls on while the frosting is still wet. As it dries they will hold tight even in transporting. I would suggest doing the fushia with the pearls and not as the complete cake color. Hope this helps - any more questions feel free to email me anytime.

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