He will be 65 and we are having a small, family party for him but I want to make his cake special. I started working with fondant but never painted on fondant before and need some ideas. He's not retiring and plans to work till he can and so I can't do a "retirement" cake. I was thinking since he loves wine, cheese and bread to paint a "watercolor" with the icing colors on a fondant cake? What do you think of that? Or am I getting myself to doing too much work? I went to community colloge for art and love to watercolor and draw. What do you all think? I need to do a search here in galleries for "painted" cakes. would love your ideas and links if you see any cakes with a wine bottle painted on. I don't want to make a shape of a wine bottle because I don't have time to build anything. Thanks in advance.

whats his job? can ya do something thats related to his work?

I had the same problem a few weeks back. I couldn't think of a thing to put on my dad's b-day cake, so I decided to put HIM! I'm good at drawing and you say you are too, so it shouldn't be a problem. I attempted to transfer his face onto the cake with piping gel but it didn't work so I drew him freehand. I added the hat for fun. Good luck with whatever you do!

Wendoger, He happened to own a italian and swiss bakery his whole life till 1995 when he closed it. Now he works at a food store chain in the bakery department but he mostly makes the dough and bakes bread and pizza too!

Wow Berl, what an awesome cake you made for your dad. What a great idea! I am still thinking of the wine thing because I was always bad with drawing faces (it took me a while) but this is a great idea that I don't have to draw every detail and it still would look like him. Now I have decisions to make soon. I need to work on it tomorrow. I baked all the cakes tonight, (another cake for my SIL too), made icing and fondant too! I will let you all know what I decide. Thanks so much for posting the photo of it. It's awesome.

my brother is a wine collector/master I guses- makes his own wine, has it made, his obsession I guess among other things lol. Anyway for his birthday this year his eldest daughter and son set up on the counter with a white tablecloth to look nice, a bottle and glass of wine and some grapes and cheese or i cant remember what else was on there. But they took a photo (his son is taking photography in HS so developped the pics)- did one BW and one Colour. They looked awesome, maybe you could google/yahoo image search something like that. A 'scene' - Bottle of wine and a glass and a cheeseboard and a baguette and then FBCT that or painting it on I like that idea- would look good as a watercolour (people always paint fruit bowls and wine and food lol)

cant wait to see it

Berl, you are a genius.

I decided to stick with the wine/Italian theme for my dad's cake and saw a photo in a Wegmans magazine and kindof copied some of the ideas. (I changed it around a little and loved doing "watercolor". I know he will love it. I also posted it in Birthday cakes last uploads and it'll be in my photos in my profile too!

Thanks so much for your replies and giving me great ideas! I just love this board! This is my first painting on a cake. I also did one today for my sister-in-law and posted that too. I will post both here so you won't miss it.

Have a great Labor Day! I can't wait to see their faces when they see their cake!

P.S. I erased my dad's first and last name to stay anonymous

Susan, your cakes are GORGEOUS! You were right to go with the watercolors since you are truly talented. They're gonna flip over them. Congrats!

P.S. Thanks nikinimal for the compliment!

those are so pretty and so delicately done.

you have an amazing hand for this kind of painted cake work.

looking forward to many more masterpieces!

Thanks everyone for your compliments. I can't wait to do another painted cake.

Berl that is a fantastic likeness congrats on a job superbly done. Susan I am in love with that b-day for Beth cake lol I cant stop looking at it the colors just draw me to it you truly have a gift. Keep making these beautiful cakes both of you I cant wait to see more.

thanks darcat for compliments on beth's cake. I will let you all know when I paint some more. This is so much fun.

Susan, those cakes are gorgeous!! You are truly an artist!!!!