Probably Crazy For Trying It, But I Know You Guys Can Help
Decorating By cakesbycathy Updated 17 May 2006 , 6:31pm by cakesbycathy
Okay so I am seriously thinking of making a cake that is a replica of the top of St Peter's Basilica. The cake is for a priest who is going over to Rome to study for the next 5 years. There is no way I could do all the intricate detailing, but I thought a general replication might be possible (does that make sense 
).
I am thinking of doing the Wondermold pan on top of a round pan (can't think of what size at the moment - 10"? 12"? ), and maybe using candy molds for the pillars on the sides.
The cake needs to feed 25-30 people. Should I put this on top of a quarter sheet? How do I dowel it?
I am making the cake at my sister's request and she has given me free reign to do whatever I want. The cake is for next weekend, so I need to get moving on this.
Am I just crazy 
Thanks for all your ideas! 
ok..some photos and a MS Publisher sketch to help
first note how the basic shape is two rectangles stuck together (gray areas)
superimposed on this is the cruciform shape (orange)
and then the dome is at the interstection of the arms (purple)
now...just how big do you want to go?
basic rectangles can simply be stacked rectanges.
curciform can be fondant or built up out of BC
dome (note in photo from front) sits on a collinade ...which would be standard rounds
so...
I'd go w/ 9x13 stacked for basic shape (that'd be 4 of them, 2 each for the two different gray sections)
then I'd use 2 6" rounds stacked for collinade
and half a sports ball for the actual dome
board w/ dowels (as in standard stacked construction) under rounds. Probably not necessary under dome, but could add there two if want to be more "sure"
HTH
it's the ability to see the "parts" that make up the "whole"...so I think in terms of the standard sizes and shapes of the basic pans most have.
sort of like working w/ the old toy blocks/legos/lincoln logs of childhood...only now yummy cake!
loved to take things apart as a child....
now if only I could always get it all back together again....
cakes are so much easier!!! than real life!
No, not at all. I have been dreaming of how to do The Duomo in Florence. That is my favorite spot on the planet. And isn't that Doug something. Do you think he sleeps? I bet his brain is on overdrive and there are color wheels and diagrams.just swirling inside his head. What do you think?
No, not at all. I have been dreaming of how to do The Duomo in Florence. That is my favorite spot on the planet. And isn't that Doug something. Do you think he sleeps? I bet his brain is on overdrive and there are color wheels and diagrams.just swirling inside his head. What do you think?
LOL!!!!!
how'd ya know...
(i'm watching Mythbusters as I do all this tonight...that should give you some idea of the wackyness I love)
as for lessons....well...hmmm...I'm game...just how do we do the logistics?
I am thinking of doing the Wondermold pan on top of a round pan (can't think of what size at the moment - 10"? 12"? ), and maybe using candy molds for the pillars on the sides.
The cake needs to feed 25-30 people. Should I put this on top of a quarter sheet? How do I dowel it?
The doll in my pictures, is a wondermold on top of a 9" cake. You might actually want to cut a little of the top of the wondermold cake off to make it more rounded and less pointy. I would actually put it on 2 - 9" cakes to give it a taller dome look like the picture and to make room for the pillars. That should feed 25-30 people. And I would dowel the double 9" layer, place the wondermold cake on a covered board and on top of the dowels, and then ice the whole thing.
you can also scale down from the standard wondermold to the mini-wondermold. (the one that comes 4 to a pan)
by the time you do the rectangles for the base and then the rounds and then the wonder mold...this thing is easily going to feed 30 people with leftovers to send home.
(and working on the Domo)
Okay so I am seriously thinking of making a cake that is a replica of the top of St Peter's Basilica.
Sorry, I must have misunderstood. I thought she only wanted to make the dome part.
yes, you're right, that's what she said -- the top ....but I have a distinct tendency to go "over the top" so why not go for the whole shebang! (I was even visuallizing how to do the piazza in front too!)
Well doug as far as logistics go, you could draw up lesson plans and email us students as to the cost of the lessons(either by lesson or by some buy 5 get thr 6th free thing or other). We could then send you our pymt using the good ole postal service ( by mo or certified check) or you could set up a paypal acct. Then you could email us our lesson with step by step instructions and then we could take pics and you could critique them. This could work if your "classes" stay small. 
Well doug as far as logistics go, you could draw up lesson plans and email us students as to the cost of the lessons(either by lesson or by some buy 5 get thr 6th free thing or other). We could then send you our pymt using the good ole postal service ( by mo or certified check) or you could set up a paypal acct. Then you could email us our lesson with step by step instructions and then we could take pics and you could critique them. This could work if your "classes" stay small.
hmmm...interesting.
exactly what kinds of lessons would be desired?
Doug - WOW!! No, really WOW!!! When you give help, you really go all out 
Seriously - I can't thank you enough for all your ideas!
I am planning on doing just the dome part. If I didn't have three children (3 yr. old twin boys and 20 month old daughter) or a need to sleep at all, I might tackle the whole thing 
I appreciate everyone's help!
(seems I've sketched myself into a corner....sooooo)
here's a sketch of what I was thinking as a striped down version
simple one-layer sheet cake (chocolate), not even torted..trimed as shown to get the little round parts (or bake two cupcakes and cut each in half and glue on w/ icing. -- remember, triming gives you stuff for cake balls) just iced in tinted buttercream...suggest a deep rich purple
cross is just a mound of icing ..suggest a rich gold
dome:
collande: 2 6" rounds
dome: wonder mold
for collonade, under coat in grey BC and then use white BC and a round tip to pipe columns up the side.
dome: white BC with pale grey outlines of shapes on dome.
message on large area of sheet cake as indicated.
If anyone is serious about the lessons thing I would be game to take them and if I ever become any good help in teaching them. I have seen many help sites set up a mock online class theme, and have taken many online classes myself to get a good idea of what you would need. I think that Doug would be exactly what this site would look for if it did want to set something like that up. You have a knack for explaining things to people so they truly understand. I think it would be a good idea and I would not be object to having a requirement, ex. post 10 times on the site for the first level class 15 for the second and so on or contribute a recipe. If anyone who works for this site likes that idea let me know I will offer any input I can and if I have any resources that would help I would offer them too. I think it would be a boost to the products you advertise on this site as well since you can create a list of supplies and provide the actual link to buy them. you could even make kits created for the classes themselves.
Sorry you know that whole visual thing I have a similar problem. I love MythBusters too 
Okay so now I am thinking of doing Doug's scaled down version.
I was ordinally planning on doing the wondermold on top of two 9" rounds, with cupcakes for the very top.
But, isn't a 6" too small under the wondermold? The 9" fits just right under there. Should I switch to half a sports ball pan instead for the dome? And what size sheet cake? This cake only needs to feed 30 people. Even if the cut huge slices, that still seems like a lot of cake.
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