Cross Cake Is Done! (This Is Long, Sorry)
Decorating By Joshsmom Updated 1 May 2005 , 4:44am by Lisa
As usual nothing went as planned even though I drew everything out on paper 
but I think it turned out ok and I posted my picture under the Communion section because I didn't know where else to put it (its for DH grandmothers memorial today).
Everything was going ok until I put the cross on top. I had a board under the cross, it was doweled in and then I thought how am I going to cut this cake with the board??? And, then I thought with the board on top when we go to cut under it how is it going to look?? I lifted the corner of the cross and saw that the icing would pull up if we lifted it to cut 
........ How do you stack this type and still get to cut a good looking piece of cake to serve? I really need suggestions on this one as it would have been just cake.
So, I yanked the cross off, re-iced where the cross sat and reattached the cross, the cross almost broke as now I'm trying to lay it on top and with no support under it well, I think you get the picture.
With the cross chocolate I had a heck of a time getting the corners covered so I tried adding more icing, but then couldn't get it smooth.
Make a long story short, I ended up making the design as I went along, its nothing like I planned. I'm very critical of it but MIL and FIL LOVE it so in the end everything turned out ok
JOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it turned out awesome!! I absolutely Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOu did a GREAT JOB!! when i logged on and in the photo part, i saw the pic and knew it was yours! LOL!!
Did you put the cross on top and then decorate.. or did you decorate it seperately??
I love the work on the sides of the cross too!!! if i decide to do this.. any suggestions???? 
Well, I think it is beautiful!!
You can put powdered sugar under where you are going to place the top layer and it'll help prevent the icing peel that you experienced.
I wished I had done that when I made my tool cake because when I pulled up the tool belt, the icing came with it. It was a mess. I knew to do that, but just didn't. I was trying to get the dern cake done and relax!! LOL! Live and learn!
I heard a suggestion once about putting granulated sugar, or coconut (thin layer) or something sort of coarse under where you are going to place another cake on top to keep it from sticking and peeling the layer of frosting off. I agree you cake is beautiful though 
Your cake is lovely.
You could also cut some parchment or wax paper in the shape of the board and place it underneath your board to keep your frosting from lifting up.
Thanks for the compliments everyone.
And dern it, I had coconut too if I would have known I could have put it under, next time I'll remember.
Momof3, I did ice the 1/2 sheet first and planned all along to then put the cross on top and then ice. Its a good thing I did because I took the cross off when I realized all the icing would come up underneath. If I would have decorated the cross separately then pulled it up just my luck I would have screwed up the decorating on the cross.
Since I'm really a beginner beginner, what I would do next time is:
Bake the cakes one day (which I did)
Make the icing then assemble and ice the cake but not do the actual decorating until the following day.
It took me over 3 hours last night to make the icing, then ice and decorate the cake. Then realizing all the icing UNDER the cross would pull up I started to really stress in tearing it apart and hoping I wouldn't ruin the whole blasted thing and have to start all over from square one.
Your probably more experienced than me so you'll whip right through yours. 
Thanks for the compliments everyone.
And dern it, I had coconut too if I would have known I could have put it under, next time I'll remember.
Momof3, I did ice the 1/2 sheet first and planned all along to then put the cross on top and then ice. Its a good thing I did because I took the cross off when I realized all the icing would come up underneath. If I would have decorated the cross separately then pulled it up just my luck I would have screwed up the decorating on the cross.
Since I'm really a beginner beginner, what I would do next time is:
Bake the cakes one day (which I did)
Make the icing then assemble and ice the cake but not do the actual decorating until the following day.
It took me over 3 hours last night to make the icing, then ice and decorate the cake. Then realizing all the icing UNDER the cross would pull up I started to really stress in tearing it apart and hoping I wouldn't ruin the whole blasted thing and have to start all over from square one.
Your probably more experienced than me so you'll whip right through yours.
So, are you saying to ice cake with the cross on it already?
I think that turned out great! You did a great job!
Sorry for all your problems, but it truned out great!
I think that the cake turned out beautifully!!. Sorry that you had such a bad time with it. I just hate when that happens. But it sounds like things went well. And you can always chalk this one up as a great learning experience. Take care!
Tanya
Hi Joshsmom, your cake turned out beautifully in spite of all your trouble!
My teacher said he wraps the board for the top cake layer tightly in Saran (well, any plastic wrap of course) over the foil, etc. before he puts the cake layer on that board, it doesn't show and it won't pull up the icing below when you take that layer off. I haven't done that as yet, but a couple of times I should have.
Janice
Turned our very nice Joshmom!!! You did a wonderful job~
Joshsmom...pretty cake!
If I'm stacking a cake like this, I don't put a board under the top cake because it takes up so much area, it's not likely to sink much. When it's cut, I cut the part where the cross would be as if it were 2 layers (smaller cuts).
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