Hey everyone! Okay, so Duff is coming to Illinois next month and is having a Totally Awesome Cake Contest. I am one of the 50 contestents. The rules are simple:

Cake must fit on a 24"X24" table and there is no height limit.
Cake can be foam but must be able to be reproduced in real cake.
All edible materials on the outside of cake (except for wires/picks to hold things in place).

Now, Duff himself says he NEVER follows the rules and rarely even READS them! So, I figure the more extreme the better right??

I need some help with some extreme cake ideas! PLEEEEEAAASSSSE!!! Just throw out some ideas to me...anything??

is there anything really cool that illinois is famous for? a building or land structure?

do you have to be able to carry it? Or can you assemble the cake there?

How about an Abe Lincoln cake? Is there any kind of theme they're looking for? Be honest with yourself and play to your strengths.

i'd incorporate a lot of the things famous in illinois or things like the state flower, state bird, etc.

Duff likes to blow things up. Didnt you Illinois explode a sports stadium not too long ago? You could make a replica then demolish it!!

I know, make a replica of his bakery and all his staff members!!!

Oh how exciting!

If there is a theme, that will help!

I have no suggestions at this point, other than what others have said about maybe using things specific to the state.

Good luck, can't wait to see the results. I wonder if they will televise this at some point?

I live in northern Illinois and I want to know where this contest is? I would LOVE to go see this. If I know where it is, maybe I could give you some ideas.

A replica of the buildings/places Illinois is famous for...
Sears Tower
Harpo
That sculpture in MILLENNIUM Park
Wine trails

I can't think of anything else...

Hope this helps.

It is in Rockford, IL at the Discovery Museum

If the contest is close to Halloween, maybe a spooky theme?
Like a Haunted House with windows that swing open on their own and creatures that pop out? Maybe even glowing lights inside?

I'm not good with motors and electrical things, but I know Duff loves that stuff.

OMG I am so excited for you!! Duff is my hero...my dream is to meet him one day!

As far as a cake goes, I vote for an Abe Lincoln bust...the more realistic the better! And I bet Duff would give extra points if Abe was winking or doing a "fist of rock"!

I'm so sad I have to go to a wedding in the opposite direction that day. I'm with album angel. I don't know how experienced you are but I was thinking Halloween. If you go to Michaels, they were showing displays of the hollow craft pumpkins, some with moving parts and lights. You can see all the little diaramas inside the pumpkin. You could make them out of fondant or gumpaste. You could make flying ghosts or something. Let the imagination go wild.

If I remember properly, on the ACE of Cakes episodes that dealt with the engine cake for Leno, did n't Leno's prop guy say taht "blowing up a cake" is actually harder to do than you'd think because the sponginess of the cake will absorb the explosion or something? Anyhow - unless you really know what you're doing, I'd stay away from anything explosive... But I agree with others - you should try something innovative...take whatever your particular stengths are are exploit the daylights out of them!!

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for offering up some ideas! The contest is in Rockford Illinois on Oct 20! I am thrilled and scared to death!

As for a theme, the name of the competition is Ace of Cakes- Rockin Rockford: Totally Awesome Cake Contest.

As for things related to Illinois: The Sears Tower, Farming, Abe Lincoln that's about it.

So far I like all of these themes. Anyone else have anything different??? PLEEEASSE!!

bump

Wow! Doug - that is some great brain storming I am imagining some pretty spectacular things now... If Corn is a big thing what if you did a "popcorn"cake - could you maybe do something like popcorn popping inside the cake...like make a cake that looks like one of those popcorn stand things, and have a real popper inside so you could flip a switch and start things up....
Or what about honest Abe eating a deep dish pizza?
If you are really good with fondant I think you could really do a great scene with the Al Capone idea

I agree with staying away with explosives if you're not experienced with this, but I think it would be cool to add a few built-in bowls with dry ice/liquid for a fog/smoke effect.

cake can also be made to explode by blowing up a small balloon planted inside until it bursts.

not as flashy as fireworks (which for the most part are illegal in Illinois for non-pros to use.)

I would tell you my idea, but we would have to split the prize. LOL!

Hey, Doug, you forgot Sinatra singing Chicago -- his swinging tribute to "that toddling town."

Theresa

oops, sorry, missed it.

T.

I think a replica of charm city cakes would be cool with his staff all there, but the extreme part would be that one of Duff's exploding cakes has gone horribly wrong. You could make it look like the roof blew off the building, Duff holding a cake w/ flames shooting out of it flying through the air, a fire truck and ambulance outside of the bakery, and his staff lying around in various positions or on stretchers with bandages. bits of other cakes and cake tools strewn about for some extra effects and smoke and flames coming out the top. Cotton candy dyed gray could be used as the smoke so that it is light and fluffly and won't weigh too much. I think that cake would totally rock! LOL is this competition going to be televised?

ooh ooh.....and you could have a little sign that says, was this an accident or foul play? And then have a masked chicken running around. OKay, so maybe that part only apppeals to my warped sense of humor, but I digress! LOL

Doug has it! The Blues Brothers! You get Chicago plus the "Rockin'" part. Somebody here just recently posted some Jake and Elroy fondant figures. Could be the competition!

Illinois corn now is the one and only Garrett's popcorn! Could you make a cake with marshmallow "popcorn" blowing out the top? Now I'm drooling...

What about forming the words ACE OF CAKES and have minitures of the staff hanging off the words and make the words a little cock-eyed and a small model of the charms city cakes building proping it up like that.

Then have duff looking up at the workers laughing or something like that you get the general idea.

Good luck, wish i could be there to support you. After all we are all part of the cc family. LOL

oh....and more Chicago "institution"...

how could we not mention ....

OPRAH!

Here's one that Doug left out.....the original Playboy mansion and club are in Chicago. Now there would be an interesting cake! lol

I kinda think it'd be interesting to have a large Abe Lincoln climbing the Sears Tower holding a screaming Duff in his hands... in the style of King Kong. (And going with someone elses suggestion above) have a fire making its way through the rest of the city on one side of the building with a cow stampeding toward the Sears Tower? Maybe a field of corn on the other side of the building with parts of it turning into a trail of popcorn (bc of the fire). Maybe have another famous figure like Oprah riding the cow? Dunno if that might be offensive though.

That's all I've got! Good luck!!! I bet you're so excited!

~Carrie

I'm in IL too and didn't know about this! Wow, how exciting for you! Congrats!
I love all the ideas on here. Since it's not in Chicago, I think the corn idea is a great one. Especially this time of year, with harvest and all. Also, don't forget about the Bears and Cubs...Duff has done cakes of both. Your options are unlimited. I'm about 3 hours from there but I want to come so bad!!

Good luck!