My niece LOVES jigsaw puzzles and Dora so the design (on paper so far) is a Dora scene jigsaw puzzle. (I found this cool program online where you insert your photos/pics and it turns them into puzzles). My crazy idea is to FBCT the scene on top of the cake and then carve the individual jigsaw pieces out of the cake. The pieces are quite large (serving size) otherwise I don't think 'carving' out the individual cake puzzles pieces would work.
So here's the question, for all you people who have experience with carving pieces of cake: what is your preferred method of icing delicate pieces of carved cake? quick pour fondant? or something else? Any other tips re carving cake pieces or icing them or handling them would be appreciated also. Thanks! Or maybe I'm insane for undertaking this at all 
wow...what a great idea!!!
to cut the "holes" (sockets?) i'd take a small round tube or cookie cutter.
then I'd used the cut out piece to make the tab on the other side glueing it place w/ BC
then I'd probably do a poured icing for ease of getting around all the complex shapes.
the trick will cutting up the image to fit onto the pieces
I take it you're doing an edible image of dora?
Thanks Doug for the advice- I was going to just use a knife and wing it cutting out the 'knobs' and 'holes' of the puzzle pieces, lol. You mentioned poured icing, do you have any ideas? See I have a few brainstorms- the dora picture is FBCT by the way, not edible image- my 'best idea' is to put the FBCT on the solid cake (freeze it for carving), and then cut out the pieces (the outline of the puzzle pieces will also be on the FBCT), then I have to ice the sides of the cut pieces (after crumbcoating). The second idea was to crumbcoat the cake, cut out the puzzle pieces, pour icing (whatever is the best to use) over each piece of cake, THEN do the FBCT of the dora scene, and cut that out separately, although I don't know (from lack of experience with FBCT) if cutting the FBCT would work without cracking/breaking it. Any suggestions? lol
wow...what a great idea!!!
to cut the "holes" (sockets?) i'd take a small round tube or cookie cutter.
then I'd used the cut out piece to make the tab on the other side glueing it place w/ BC
then I'd probably do a poured icing for ease of getting around all the complex shapes.
the trick will cutting up the image to fit onto the pieces
I take it you're doing an edible image of dora?
is the puzzle going to be separated? like as if it were to be assembled, or will it be assembled but already cut in jigsaw pieces. if it's all together i don't see why you couldnt just leave the sides of the pieces raw. in fact, that would look more like a real jigsaw puzzle. i love the idea of the puzzle! 
You know, I am not sure LOL, I've had this cake 'designed' for several weeks now already and I can't decide on that part - that thought did occur to me, and I think you have a good point 
mostly because it's less labour intensive LOL I think I was swaying towards icing the sides mainly for freshness reasons. I guess I could have the cake as a whole crumbcoated/iced and the FBCT on top and in the freezer overnight, and then cut it just before the party at noon. Maybe pull out one of the pieces a bit to make it look like it hasnt been totally finished yet? Her mom wants her to have a 'special piece' (smash cake I think those are called right?) and I havent figured out how to do that yet, lol, still brainstorming
ok...with more input...
thanks lasidus1 -- yep, leaving the sides uniced would make it look more the rough edges on a real puzzel.
i fear cutting the FBCT after it's on the cake would smear the design no matter how carefully done.
w/ the exception of one section not finished -- the piece removed for a smash cake-- i'd leave everything intact and cut as serving it.
if really concernd about freshness, what about a cupcake cake. could use ribbion to make the edge..
FBCT just lies on top and easy to have one corner missing.
that cupcake idea is really great. i wonder if it would be possible to put little balls of foam or something in the muffin pan to sort of shape the cupcakes? hmm, that seems like it might be hard. ohhhhh, could you make them in a sheet pan? or 9x13 or whatever? sort of overcrowd and allow natural curves to form? hmmmmmm. i wonder....
Well unless the brainstorms keep coming, which I'm sure they will and I appreciate the ideas so far- I'm thinking of going with the idea of keeping all of the cake whole cept for one puzzle piece 'pullled to the side' and the puzzle design will be FBCT on top of the whole thing. Turns out I don't have to use the transfer onto wax paper for the puzzle template, as I was at my niece's house today and she had a Max and Ruby puzzle the exact same size of her cake so I keep the Dora scene as FBCT but I can trace the puzzle pieces (frozen) with these real puzzles pieces I have now
oh and I almost changed everything as they decided her buddy's birthday is 3 days earlier and since he's coming to the party she asked if I could make the cake to include him. I'm thinkin NO WAY but I said yeah I'll figure something out- thinkin OH LORD now I have to change my whole plan 
but I'm making him his own cake because the one cake wont be enough with all the people coming anyway
The foam thing is interesting, thanks for that idea- i'm going to store it away for future reference and use it for something else probably
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