Hello fellow Catholics--I have a question--anyone know if there are rules concerning the use of religious figures on a cake?
I have a 200 person cake to make for Christmas mass and I feel funny about putting the baby Jesus and the Blessed Mother on a cake and then proceeding to eat it 
Any thoughts?
Yeah, I'd have to agree with you about eating the baby Jesus - don't think it would go over well. YOu could just make a manger scene with the guiding star or a cool one with the wise men following the star? Just how "religious" do you want to be? My kids have always done a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake in Sunday School. I agree with StephW about the removable figurines a small nativity set could work - Hope these help some
Rebecca
Why would you feel funny about it? The images are not true interpretations of what they really looked like...no one knows what they looked like...the images are some artists interpretation of what a woman and child look like...albeit...supposedly Holy Mother and Child..
I don't mean to be difficult about this...but..it's just a picture..
Steph's idea is a good one if you feel truly disturbed by placing an image onto a cake of someone's representation of a Mother and Child.
Yep! I would feel funny about it--that's just me....but how dumb am I not to think of putting non-edible characters on the cake?
Thanks CC'er's.
I even think that a FBCT would be easier to take than figurines (though I love the idea of removing the figurines before eating). It would feel funny to "dig in" to Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus as figures but for some reason, the thought of cutting into a FBCT representation doesn't hold the same hesitation for me.
But I can see a great tiered cake with fondant figures . . . I imagine on the different "levels" of the cake having the different travelers who are coming to pay homage (the three kings, shepherds with their sheep, the little drummer boy, etc . . . ) all around the tiers of the cake and at the top, you could have Mary, Joseph, and Jesus by a manger with either a big star on floral wire up above or even an angel suspended above them (star is probably a lot easier!)
I'm Catholic and wouldn't feel funny about eating a cake with the nativity on it. If you think about it we eat cakes that are shaped as the cross, which in my mind is the most significant Catholic symbol of Christ. These are just symbols and aren't worshiped in and of themselves.
ck, what a nice idea. I too would feel just a wee bit weird eating what was supposed to be Jesus....but then I don't know if I could eat Risque's cakes either!! Perhaps my imagination is a tad too busy!!
But I can see a great tiered cake with fondant figures . . . I imagine on the different "levels" of the cake having the different travelers who are coming to pay homage (the three kings, shepherds with their sheep, the little drummer boy, etc . . . ) all around the tiers of the cake and at the top, you could have Mary, Joseph, and Jesus by a manger with either a big star on floral wire up above or even an angel suspended above them (star is probably a lot easier!)
Great idea!!!
ck, what a nice idea. I too would feel just a wee bit weird eating what was supposed to be Jesus....but then I don't know if I could eat Risque's cakes either!!
Perhaps my imagination is a tad too busy!!
That is TOO funny! Quite a leap from the nativity scene to some of Risque's cakes . . . buy yeah, I'd probably have a bit of trouble with those, too! 
CK, but you see, Risque didn't think she would have a problem eating a picture which was meant to represent Jesus and Mary....so....that's how I thought of that.....NO OFFENSE RISQUE!!! REALLY!!!
But, since you've posted your tiered idea, I have been building on it....in my head it is really beautiful, which means I could never do it!!!!
I love the idea of a tiered cake with fondant figures. You could use the lyrics of a carol such as O Little Town of Bethlehem as part of the decorations.
Also as Catholics every time we receive communion we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ, so don't worry about FBCT of the nativity.
CK, but you see, Risque didn't think she would have a problem eating a picture which was meant to represent Jesus and Mary....so....that's how I thought of that.....NO OFFENSE RISQUE!!! REALLY!!!
But, since you've posted your tiered idea, I have been building on it....in my head it is really beautiful, which means I could never do it!!!!
Ohhhh . . . now I get it. I didn't catch that Risque commented earlier. Makes more sense now . . . but I thought it was funny, either way, to compare the two.
Now come on . . . you could do a beautiful tiered Christmas cake. Don't sell yourself short. I get it, though . . .most of my cakes look their best before I pull out the mixer and get started on them.
Hello fellow Catholics--I have a question--anyone know if there are rules concerning the use of religious figures on a cake?
I have a 200 person cake to make for Christmas mass and I feel funny about putting the baby Jesus and the Blessed Mother on a cake and then proceeding to eat it
Any thoughts?
just wanted to say i love your avatar! did you know its mother mary's birthday tomarro?
I am by no means an expert but usually we celebrate her day on Jan 1. Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe--we are having a huge party at church--mass-- followed by tamales and hot chocolate...
and of course a cake
Feliz Dia!
I am by no means an expert but usually we celebrate her day on Jan 1. Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe--we are having a huge party at church--mass-- followed by tamales and hot chocolate...
and of course a cake
Feliz Dia!
Same hear in Pena Blanca NM we had a mass last night and also today !
I am by no means an expert but usually we celebrate her day on Jan 1. Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe--we are having a huge party at church--mass-- followed by tamales and hot chocolate...
and of course a cake
Feliz Dia!
yes, you're right! i'm mexican so we tend to celebrate it today : )
I have a question for you guys along the same line. I'm not Catholic and I'm pretty ignorant when you get right down to it about the Catholic religion. However, a friend of mine has married a Catholic and they're going to his parent's house for Christmas. She wants to take a cake but doesn't want to offend them.
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Do you guys have any suggestions of what to or not to decorate the cake with. She suggested maybe a cross with a purple sash. Doesn't say Christmas to me, but Easter, but like I said, I'm pretty ignorant with the Catholic religion.
Thanks guys!!
I have a question for you guys along the same line. I'm not Catholic and I'm pretty ignorant when you get right down to it about the Catholic religion. However, a friend of mine has married a Catholic and they're going to his parent's house for Christmas. She wants to take a cake but doesn't want to offend them.
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Do you guys have any suggestions of what to or not to decorate the cake with. She suggested maybe a cross with a purple sash. Doesn't say Christmas to me, but Easter, but like I said, I'm pretty ignorant with the Catholic religion.
Thanks guys!!
I absolutely agree that a cross with a sash is much more of an Easter symbol. There is a lot you could do for Christmas . . . you've got the nativity scene (stable, manger, bright shining star above), if you want to do figures (fondant or chocolate transfer) you could do Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and then there's the three kings, the shepherds with their sheep, the Little Drummer Boy. Angels are a big Christmas symbol and I love the image of angels Caroling with maybe music books in their hands and music notes soaring around the cake. You could even combine a winter theme with a Christmas theme and do an all white cake with snowflakes and evergreen trees and then have the angels.
There are so many directions you could go in . . . how do you want to make the cake? Will you mold out of fondant or stick to buttercream?
I'll probably stick with buttercream. It also has to be travelable, they're going from SC to Chicago (driving with 4 kids and a dog). I prefer tier cakes, but I'll have to stick with the single level thing this time. I'm just worried about offending them. She just got married in July and has no previous Catholic experience, so she doesn't want the first Christmas with them to be a bad one!
You guys are AWESOME!!! Thanks SO much for all the help!!
As a life long Catholic 60+ years, I really wouldn't expect a religious theme on a cake for Christmas. Holly or poinsettias are more my speed. Truthfully I have never seen a religious cake except for first communion or confirmation celebrations. Even Baptism cakes tend to look a bit baby showerish. I thought the Our Lady of Guadalupe Cake for the celebration supper at church was very cool, but I have never seen anything like it before. I thought your Angels caroling cake sounds interesting, a Mondonna and child image is a possibility. For Easter we had the lamb cake (Lamb of God thing) not a cross with the sash.
Tell your friend to ask her husband what the fancy cakes at Christmas looked like when he was growing up. It will more likely be a secular image of some kind. If the family is Italian, tell her not to be surprised if Christmas Eve dinner is the feast of 7 fishes.
I'm NOT Catholic, but I'm glad you're not going to make them edible. I would not want to eat, or see anyone else eat a religious figure of any faith -Jesus, Buddah, Ganesh, etc. To me, it is disrespectful. I applaud you for seeking opinions about this subject.
in one of my books i have a lovely cake which has the three kings-wise men done in color flow-accented with gold.
there is also another lovely cake which has a little scene of a church in the snow -painted on and with dots of royal for falling snow.
most though just have pretty generic holly and ivies
there is one that i favor which is all white with 3-d pine trees in white white chocolate- stunning-peaceful yet festive
just some thoughts
MsTonya, you should go with what Narie and ckkerber suggest, the holly or pointsettias, as a Catholic I wouldn't be offended by any religious ties to Christmas, but would feel strange chompin on Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
ckkerber I love your avatar, its too cute!
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