Did anyone else happen to catch Martha Stewart today?
She was showing a piece on Ron Ben Isreal's HUMUNGOUS hotel cake - 1000 servings, incredible detail. Insane.
Kinda wanting to make sure I wasn't imagining it!!!
The height/size/cost isn't even the crazy part (if you can believe that)
Someone's gotta find close up of the detail. I had it on mute while on a phonecall, I though the section was about model making!!! It wasn't till I caught a glimpse of Isreal that the "holy crap.. that's CAKE!" set in.
Maybe she'll post something on her site after the show.
That seriously inspired me to utter the words that strikes fear in the heart of my hubby.
"I have an IDEA!"
Muaha. I want to do something like this. Smaller scale, of course.. but I have an idea... and it's delicious. Muahaha!
Need to start making calls!
That is one giant cake!! I wonder what it tasted like and like someone else had said, did it taste fresh! Sorry if I sound harsh here but NO PIECE OF CAKE is worth $120 no matter what the detail and taste is!! Some people have to much money to spend I guess!! Share the wealth I say!!!
If Ron can do it, I can do it... Bwwaaahahahahahahaha... 
Incredible! Just so much detail . . . . W/ my luck, I would be on a ladder, leaning over to place the final flag on top, lose my balance and fall in! (Would that mean I would drown in buttercream? Maybe not so bad . . . ) I'm not sure I could handle the pressure! 
Here is a link to one story about the cake - It took them 3 months to make.
http://www.nysun.com/article/63674
Okay, I have a question: (Actually two questions
1) Was it to scale?
2) Was it assembled on site and if not, how the heck did they deliver it in NYC??? His studio is downtown in Soho and the party was uptown at the Plaza.
(Okay, so that was three questions... 
)
You could make just one cake a year for that price! WOW!!! I wish I could have seen it in person!
Here's another link that says it took them one month!
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/10/02/2007-10-02_plaza_hotel_celebrates_100th_birthday_wi.html
I have a question also! How would they keep it fresh? Always freeze it or decorate it in the freezer? I would just think that the cake would be stale to eat unless they did not eat the cake!!
OK one more - here is a quote from the last paragraph of this link:
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=7&a=310023
"The cake was to be a 12-foot scale model of The Plaza meticulously crafted by society baker Ron Ben-Israel, who said the cake was baked in sections Sunday and Monday to ensure freshness, while the sugar shell was fabricated over several weeks."
They also had it on the CBS Morning News yesterday with Harry Smith interviewing Ben and asking if he could stick his finger in the icing!
According to the article prompt above, the cake may not be 'actual cake'. They served 1,000 people from a precut white cloud vanilla cake with cookie 'n cream buttercream while the replica was left untouched.
As I sit and look at that cake in amazment... I have just one thought.
What if a bird flew over and craped on it?
I mean, it could happen.
And oh heavens, would it be noticable to the offical cake cutter?
Ugh... nevermind.
And now you all know why he's my favorite of the high-end cake decorators.
Theresa
You know, I would imagine that it's not SOLID. The servings and the size don't match up at all.
I'm thinking the "walls" were stacked sheet cakes, inside hollow .. and maybe some sort of support up the middle if there was a roof to it? It's so high up, it wouldn't have needed to have one, really.
The actual structure of the Plaza cake is hollow and made out of sugar dough like a gingerbread house. The surrounding streets make up the cake that will be eaten at the party, and the Plaza part will likely be displayed in a case for several months, the organizer of the party, Orly Daniell, said.
From the NY Sun article referenced above
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%