I couldn't even BEGIN to try to figure that cake out, but it is crazy beautiful! Good luck. 
A very cool cake! I would guess that the cakes were stacked up without support and carved for the effect and then restacked with supports 'permanently'. But that's my guess. I'm sure someone else would know for sure.
if you look closely....
each tier, like normal is 2 layers of cake....
but....
in each tier -- each layer is twisted as well.
then the tiers are twisted as it rises.
so a double twist -- each layer in each tier and each tier
could probably just use lots of bc, instead of carving, to smooth out the shape
While CC was down today and I was going through WD symptoms, I started doing Google searches for wedding cakes and one of the sites I came across was this one: http://www.brides.com/brides/cakes.
Take a look at the last cake in the third row. Look familiar? Hey, maybe someone can e-mail Polly Schoonmaker to find out exactly how she did it. We'll see if Doug is right again.
-Grace
awesome cake!!! but i dont understand the twisting thing?
awesome cake!!! but i dont understand the twisting thing?
I don't understand your question. Are you saying that you don't understand how it's twisted; or why it's twisted?
While CC was down today and I was going through WD symptoms, I started doing Google searches for wedding cakes and one of the sites I came across was this one: http://www.brides.com/brides/cakes.
Take a look at the last cake in the third row. Look familiar? Hey, maybe someone can e-mail Polly Schoonmaker to find out exactly how she did it. We'll see if Doug is right again.
-Grace
went to her site....
she doesn't accept email...phone calls only!
and has a
$2,000 minimum for any cake!!!
this cake looks really complicated!!
my guess (i have never carved a cake in my life) is if you look at the bottom tier, you can see that she "offsets" (if that is the right term) the cutting of the square; i would place a toothpick about 2" from the bottom left and 2" from the top right (more or less if you prefer). and then carve out cake moving from the opposite corner to the toothpick.
dont carve out too much on the sides because you have to do the same thing at the back of the tier
Take a look at the last cake in the third row. Look familiar? Hey, maybe someone can e-mail Polly Schoonmaker to find out exactly how she did it. We'll see if Doug is right again.
-Grace
Some how I dont think that she's going to be giving up any secrets when this is what is posted on her website! It is in regard to mad hatter, topsy turvy, whimsical cakes... whatever you want to call it.
* The âWhimsy Cakesâ name and Whimsy cake designs are legally protected by registered trademark ® as three-dimensional sculpture. Click here to learn more about your legal obligations under trademark law. See very bottom of page.
All cake designs are protected by copyright, and may not be reproduced without express permission of Polly's Cakes. Please protect artisans and uphold the law . . . buy the original.
Doug I think you're right about her stacking technique, but to get the smoothness of the twist of each layer within the tier, I still think something by the corners has to be shaven off a bit, so some carving is involved, at least in my mind's eye.
I like your graphic presentation though. Still don't think you can somehow come up with a wedding cake program?! 
I think Doug's right about stacking & you're right about having to shave some off b/c it would be a pain in the tush to ice that way & tons of icing. I would hate to ice it shaving off some or not!
$2000. I might if I made that cake! lol
I think Doug's right on about the rotated layers within each tier, but I'm with Sugar about having to do a little shaving to get the smooth contour on it too. It's a gorgeous cake! Very unique! I hope ole Polly doesn't have a program to track cakes similar in design on the net, because you know people are going to be trying this one. Is she saying "Whimsy" in regards to cakes belongs to her? When I get another size square pan I might give it a go "my own self".
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carolann when you do you better post a pic because it looks like a hard one but like everyone else it is very pretty..
If you really really really would like to master it, this is what I would suggest, and I am suggesting this because I have watched meticulous pepole work presicely and I am in awe of them becuase I can never ever ever have the patience to do so. But what I would do, if I had the patience and precision is I would start off with styrophom pieces to represent your layers. I would carve out the general angle based on what the picture looks like.
So what do we know? We know that Doug has outlined a basic concept of how to stack the layers.
We also know that all the corners are being lined up as you can see the picture the cakes are twisted so that the corners are lined up.
We also know if you pay really close attention the first layer has a really indented carve out or curve, the next layer up the angle is less and the next layer up is even more less and so on. You can really see it becuase by the time you get up to the top one there not much of an angle. This cake is kinda like one of those illusion 3D posters where if you looke really hard at it you see the hidden picture. I think it creates an illussion of twisty. And basically you can tell its accomplished with the edges lining up and the decreased amount of carving as each layer goes up.
So back to my strategy, i would just play around and move around the layers and onces you have it, mark where they stack etc. Then put the styrophone side by side and use a really long knife and use that as a guide on how much you are going to carve out.
Personally I think it could be done, but i dont have the patience or precision to do it. That's the only thing. I hope this helps.....but I honestly dont think its that hard, to get the shape..beucase its really an illusion and that is what is throwing everyone off. As far as the whole icing and buttercream think you are on your own on that one...thats why I am FondantFrenzy....i am buttercreamlexic....Hope this helps GOOD LUCK
and if you get even close.....i will be bowing down to you...please let us know or even post pictures even if it doenst look good...beucase people will probably be able to give you tips on what went wrong...You are brave for wanting to try it.
I understand the twist, it's the angle of each layer that looks confusing. LOL! Lots of math went into figuring out the right angle, so it's not going to be a cake I will produce any time soon. I hate math! LOL!
I'm not a math person either, but I don't think this is as complicated as we're supposing it to be. I think each cake is constructed the same then they are rotated just so to create the twist which just boggles the mind into thinking it's very complex. Great use of illusion.
If you made five round tiers and iced them all with stripes going at an angle and maybe even put wavy stripes on some you could probably create an illusion that'd make people dizzy just looking at it. Some of the Turvy cakes do that for me! LOL
I really think each layer is carved at an angle also. I don't know, making me dizzy to look at it! LOL!
I keep on looking at the picture but I don't think each layer within a tier is twisted as mentioned before. I personally think the cake is just stacked and triangular sections are carved off then each tier is offset to create the illusion.
After thinking about it, I started carving the corners off juice boxes and I found that creates the illusion without offsetting each layer in the tiers.
If you look carefully at the 3rd tier you will see what I mean.
CarolAnn -
What do you mean, "when you get big...". Your cakes are Ab Fab now, but if you're going replicate those cakes, I'd be disappointed if you didn't ask for close to those prices! I know your market is different, but the same amount of work, same supplies, deserves the same price, if not close - the highest your market will bear, Girlfriend! Don't sell yourself short!
Theresa
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