Okay so I had a disaster last night ! I am doing my first doll cake. I suggested the doll cake because I *thought* it would be easy and it was something I had never done before.

So after having to rebake once already because I tried flipping the cake out while talking on the phone and broke one I was good to go. I decided against the wondermold and carved the shape. After two tries of getting the fondant on the cake (again...more waste) I was pretty satisfied with the way it looked. I decided it was time to have cinderella plunge into her "dress." Anyway I TOTALLY DEMOLISHED the cake! Her legs just popped out the side and chewed the cake to pieces. So my DH had to go to the store last night to get more ingredients and I rebaked and made new filling last night. Still have to make more BC.

What do I do? What is the best way to get her in there??? My DH says I need to core out the middle. I also thought I could replace her head onto one of those doll picks (so there would be no legs). Or could I just take her legs off? HOW IS THIS DONE? I guess I was thinking it would be and easy cake so I didnt do the research.

Please, advice needed. Sorry for this being so long!

now Iv'e only made two of these cakes and I didn't use the wondermold I used a deep round bottomed bowl and then finished off the shape with carving. but when it came time to put the doll in I took her legs off and inserted just the torso part worked out fine HTH

I can sympathize with you. I put an Ariel doll into a wondermold (a rock in the ocean) last fall. I thought it would be so easy. But, Ariel's hips seemed a little wide, and as I got her in there, the rock began to crack. I patched up the buttercream and prayed that she wouldn't tumble out of the cake overnight. She didn't, but it was scary.

I would guess that Cinderella might need a hole for her legs too. Perhaps you could switch the heads on a pick if the proportions are OK. Or maybe you could try the Wondermold again and put her in before you decorate the skirt??

Good luck!

Wrap the dolls legs in saran wrap tightly so the legs won't flail...I carve a little hole or divit where I want to stick it in.Then I just poke her down through..I have never had one come through the cake or break it...Hmmmmm

Hi
What you need to do it cut a hole for her , I ice the cake as normal , let it sit a while , then i get 2 knifes (like bread knifes , serrated and large) and I hold them about an inch and a half apart at the top of the cake where I will be inserting the doll, then I slowly push that all the way down and then turn the cake and do it the other side , so I am cutting out a deep long square , you leave the knife in after the last incision and squeeze it together so that you are grabbing the square bit of cake from the centre and you lift it out , depending on the size of the dolls hips you may need to widen it one way more than the other , look at my pics I have a few of these dolls there , then you just dress her in fondant , its good fun , I love doing these cakes , and the best bit is , you get to eat the long square centre which is the best part of the cake lol

I did what Kittykakes did.. wrapped the doll up tight and carved a little hole to get it started.. I used the Wondermold pan and it worked out fine. They sell the pick dolls that might prevent this from happening again though..

Wendy

I cored my cake and wrapped the dolls legs in saran wrap. I used a papertowel roll to core my cake - it was the perfect size! Good luck with this one!

Debbie

I've only done one doll cake. http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_980.html

Because the Barbie I was using was too tall for the wonder mold I made a single layer round to use as a base for the doll cake. That allowed leg room, so I didn't have to dismantle the doll. I believe I did hollow out a narrow space down into the center of the doll cake then put bc in it to act as cement to support the doll. I wrapped her legs in saran wrap and carefully placed her in the cake. Then I iced the cake and decorated the dress.

You have to consider that if you shove something into cake something has to give. Toothpicks are one thing, doll legs are quite another story. I'm sure sorry you gals has such problems. Next time it'll go smoothly, I'm sure.

I've never seen a doll pick I'd consider using. They all look like they've been in a toy box for ages. Probably because they're not pretty enough to be played with. JMO

I've made a few doll cakes w/ no problem. They've always been chocolate so I'm not sure if that helped or not. I wrap the dolls legs in Reynolds Wrap before inserting and I've just used an ordinary kitchen knife to expand the hole where the wonder mold heating core was inserted. Better luck next time!!!

Thanks everyone! I did actually wrap her in saran and I *sort of* made a hole for her. But not enough apparently. It was getting late and I was not thinking I guess.

I did not use the wondermold. I just used rounds and carved. It is 7 inches tall, which is the height of her legs, but it is more narrow than if I used the wondermold I think. The bottom layer is 7 inches. Do you think if I cored out the inside that I might compromise the cake by taking too much out of the center? I guess that is what I am worried about now.

It's gonna be awhile before I do this again because my cake is carved and defrosting right now. So anymore tips are appreciated. I am going back now to look at all your pics. Thanks a lot!

If you only take out the size of the doll and then put her back in there , then you are not compromising the cake at all
like I said I have done hundreds and never had a cake collapse after I have done the square cut out of centre

good luck
post a pick on here of the finsihed job

Merissa ... I'm so sorry to hear about your disaster. I have made several doll cakes (using the Wondermold pan). Like others have said, I wrap the legs tightly in saran wrap and then carve out a spot for the doll (with a serrated knife) down through the center of the cake. I don't think you'll have a problem with the hole compromising the stability of the cake. Like someone else said, once you replace the cut-out cake with the doll, the cake should be very stable. Good luck with the new cake! Please post a picture!

thanks again everyone! It definitely was a frustrating set back, but she is done now! I did carve out a hole for the legs and once she was in it, I felt better. The top edge though, I was a little worried about until i had the fondant on and it didnt collapse! It isnt as great as I had hoped but, I think I am satisfied! I havent uploaded my pic yet, but i will! Thanks again, couldnt have done it without ya!

YAY!!! Merissa rawks!!!
I knew you could do it! You are the carving master my cakelady!!!!

I ended up adding a bow to the back that isnt in the picture. But here she is anyway.

She is gorgeous!

Merissa I think you really did a TREMENDOUS job on her!!! She is GORGEOUS!!! I love it that you left her the way she is supposed to be.. elegant!

beautiful, great save

was there any doubt you'd nail it?? I think not, congrats!

Oh, I love Cinderella! You did a BEAUTIFUL job!

This thread was very educational. I had no idea anyone actually pushed a whole DOLL into the cake..... I thought it always done with the doll pick.

This is how dumb I am, I never had any idea you could actully but a doll in the cake. I always thought it was only pics. I think it's just beautiful even with the trouble. You do excellent work. I love her dress too.

I've done two regular doll cakes and 4 small doll cakes. The one big and 4 small were all done with the doll picks so I wasn't prepared when it was time for my daughter's cake. Here is the one of all 4 with picks, http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_398623.html

Here is the one for my daughter, http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_566883.html for my daughter's cake I simply told my husband "Get that damn fin off her ass so I can put her in this cake" He did so... and I wrapped her hips in plastic wrap that was green so if it was seen at all it wouldn't be THAT noticeable due to the colors of the icing. I will say that Ariel is one hippy woman lmfao She did bust the top opening of the cake (used the wonder mold) just a bit but once I got her in she stayed put. We didn't have any problems with her after that. We did however have problems with our little princess when she found out daddy took her favorite dolly apart lmfao. With all barbie's their legs come off very easily and it seems only men can put them back on :-| not sure why but hey! lol if they can do it go for it lol.

I recommend anyone who is doing doll cakes and would rather have the actual doll there and not a fake pick use a real barbie, remove her legs, wrap her bottom in plastic wrap and stick her in there. You can always give the doll as a gift to the child, once removed, washed, and put back together out of her sight lol...

I REALLY almost took her legs off, but I was sort of afraid of breaking it. (I do not have any girls, so I dont know much about Barbie leg repairs ) Also I was worried the girl would be sad if she saw the legless Cinderella come out. I had heard of that before!

came out beautifully! One would never know you had so much trouble making her.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud when you said her legs popped out! Too funny! I guess i must be into more bondage??!!! I always bound her ankles together with a rubber band! I guess the saran wrap is a better way. always did a bit of coring though.
She is perfect. very nicely done!

Good job with the barbie cake...it looks awesome. I actually do about 2 of these per weekend. I wrap them in saran and make a hole in the middle of my cakes. I use an 8" then a 6 and then a 4 to make mine. Have never had a problem.

Good luck in the future.

Chef Jackie
www.thecakedesignstudio.com

Oh she's lovely!! You did a great job. I prefer using a real doll myself. The hair on those picks always look to me like they just came out of the toy box. Whereas Barbie's hair is always nicely done and in some cases won't move without a lot of effort. I like that! I don't want frizz and I sure don't want to have to style the hair myself!

Merissa,
She turned out beautiful! Really flawless! So sorry you had trouble in the beginning. A lot of us are learning w/ you!

Melanie Mc.

What a fantastic doll cake! The dress is gorgeous (sp?).

I'm sure if your customers see this you'll be doing them again!

Great Job!