I made a pirate ship cake that I had really high hopes for. It was one of those cakes that I had been picturing in my mind for months...you know what mean?

I really not experienced with fondant so I did the ships planks in buttercream and thought it would be a piece of cake (lol) to make the rail with fondant. I had read instruction on how to make the rail that actually used modeling chocolate, but I didn't think it would matter.

I made the rail by rolling a pea-sized ball and then a longer oval shape. I made an indent in the ball to put the oval part in (hope that makes sense) then I thought I could just lay a long piece of fondant across the top.

Well, it was a disaster -- the top of the rail wouldn't stay on the top of the little oval pieces. They kept falling over and it was just a mess. It looks awful and I am so disappointed. I thought I knew what I would do and feel bad that this ended up being so out of my league. I changed the way I did the back rail but it still looked yuck!

I probably won't ever attempt this again but wonder if anyone has any comments on how I should have built the railing?

Pic is in my photos.

I'm sorry to hear you had such a difficult time. It's just so frustrating when you have this great cake in your head/mind's eye and you know how you want it to look upon completion and instead you're met with one obstacle after another and end up with something very different. Trust me; I've been there.

My suggestion would be to go click on the Gallery tab and do a search for pirate ships. Find out who else has done them (the one's you like or have elements close to what you want to accomplish) and PM that member asking how they accomplished it.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

So sorry about your disaster. The cake looks great in your pics, though!

Sugar Plum has great advice. Best help is from somebody that has already done it.

And how about pretzel sticks for the balusters? You could sink them into the cake a bit for stability, even wrap a little fondant around them so they don't look like pretzels.

Sorry to hear you went through all that- but on the upside, it looks great. My daughter would LOVE a cake like that - she's 2 and in love with Captain Feathersword from the WIGGLES.

by the way, love all your cakes.

I think it looks great you are to hard on your self

I think it looks great, too!

The pretzel stick idea is great- I was going to suggest even using toothpicks or something to make the rail stronger- and just making really sure no kids got a toothpick in their serving, but the pretzel sticks would solve that problem...Also, maybe letting the fondant dry before putting the rope of fondant on top?

are you kidding me? reading that I was expecting to click on your photo and see a disaster...this cake so totally rocks!!!! My son would loose his little kid mind over this cake. It is fantastic.
As far as the fondant issue the only thing I can think of to make life for you a bit easer should you do this again...which I totally think you'd be doing a great injustice to all little boys in your area should you choose not to, is too either make your railling laying down on a peice of wax or parchment paper and let dry completly before attaching to the ship or do them in gumpaste as they will dry harder and stay put.

I was thinking the same thing spongemom! (expected to open this and see a train wreck!). Your cake looks great!!!! I think you did an excellent job. Definitely dont give up on them, it was your first try. Many decorators do a practice run when doing something new so they know what works and what doesnt (I know I do). My dry runs are never exactly how I want them/envisioned them, but, they are necessary to get the expected end result!

Oh my goodness you all are so wonderfully nice! Thanks for saying you think it looked okay!

I think building it in advance and letting it dry is a good idea. Totally what I should have done.

Thanks so much for all your comments!

Totally agree, the picture looks great. I did a 3-D pirate ship cake and the bow kept falling, talk about a shipwreck! I drew my railings and traced them onto waxed paper with melted chocolate. Made some longer rails and used that as support which I stuck into the cake. Worked out well for me.

The cake looked really good on the picture!!!

Aww..it turned out cute! It is so frustrating for me to have an image in my mind and not be able to get it to take form in sugar. You made a great recovery. It may not have been what you originally envisioned, but we think it looks great.

I have had better luck adding some gumtex powder to the fondant to get it to hold its shape on little pieces like that. Or maybe colorflow pieces? I've never tried it myself, just adding another possible option.

I did a railing exactly like that on the pirate ship I did! Hollyanna has the right idea to let things harden before attaching the railing. I think what worked for me was to make the long ovals and let them harden for a little while. Then I stuck the soft fondant ball in place and stuck the oval piece into that. Do this all the way around then let it sit for a while before adding the railing.

I defnitely wouldn't call your cake a disaster!! I think it looks great!

Courtney

Definitely do it again. It's BRILLIANT. Next time, insert toothpicks into the vertical railing posts to hold it up and you'll be good to go.

These are all such good ideas!

Toothpicks!! That is so smart!! I feel like a complete idiot thinking about how I was literally sweating and so frustrated and something as simple as toothpicks never occured to me!

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments....I feel so much better now. I could just give every one of you a great big hug!