got an order for this cake for someone's graduation in less than 2 weeks...omg...i've never done a building before...let alone one like this. the only thing i've done so far is buy the ball pan...i need serious help! anyone have any advice/suggestions/pointers, etc? thank you so much!!!!

ooh...i don't know. if you've haven't had much experience with 3d cakes, especially something this difficult, maybe you might ask her if she would consider something a little less difficult.

She's been watching too much Ace of Cakes.

Call Geoff Manthorne for help?? He does great looking buildings... haha

Sorry, I don't have any useful advice. Good luck.

Wow! You'll have to channel your inner "Duff"! How much actual cake does she need (to determine scale). Can some of it be done from cake dummies? ...maybe the bottom tier? If you think you can conquer it, go for it! ...just give yourself plenty of time to work on - and charge accordingly!! If you don't think you can tackle it... be honest, and tell her you'll give it your best shot, but no guarantees! Good luck!!

Forget Duff...Ask DOUG!!!! he's the only person I can think of that will be helpful...Good Luck

seriously, keep in mind that on the website it states that their cakes START at $500!!!!!
and I had a mom ask for a smaller replica of one of his cakes for a sweet 16 and she almost fell over when I told her it would be $150! lots of people don't understand

I'm curious, how many does she want it to feed? Personally I would probably make a small replica with only 2 weeks and then 2layer sheet cakes underneath with landscaping.

Yes and Duff has people. And we cant bleak out our mistakes.If you could only see what happens behind the curtains.I cant help you, only be honest with the people..And you are the only one that knows if you can do it or not, good luck.

Seriously, that is a minimum of $1500 for that cake. I'd probably quote $2700-$3200 to a) get them to go away, or b) compensate me really well to take on such a project. I hope that you have many years of experience!!

Break it down......a stack of 11x15s (6" tall?); one 12x8 cut in 1/2 long ways and stacked in front w/ plastic wedding pillars for the pillars in front,. On top of the sheets, a single hex w/a 1/2 ball on it.
then lots of trees and grass to finish off the board.

Ask Doug for help! I have a friend who wants me to recreate the Hans-Otto theater in cake and Doug broke it down so it actually looks feasible! Doug is tha bomb!

She's been watching too much Ace of Cakes.

I'm with Leahs on the charging part.

she actually only wants it to feed 10! i'm really not sure if this makes it easier, or more complicated... maybe i'll just try to do the bldg itself, and leave the steps and grass out of it...maybe some nice green board
and on that note...what would you charge for 10 people? $10pp??

Holy sheet cake! AND for 10 people???? I'd definitely quote more than $500.

It sounds like you're interested More power to you if you take this on.

10 people? Really? What size is she envisioning?

I so think you can do this...but I wouldn't have the room to even put that cake together if I wanted to do it. I agree.. I would charge per slice your cake + materials +50.00 a hour LOL. Seriously.. I'd say even for just 10 people it would be way more cake then she needs... Or I guess you could stack 7 x 10's and do the mini ball.. still alot of work AND still alot of cake. I'd tell her minimum for your materials and labor at least 500.00 .. if not 800.00 LOL Good luck my friend

10 servings is ridiculous. You'll have to use more cake than that to make it look right, so just figure out your per-hour charge and go from there. I immediately thought of the wedding cake Roman pillars to use on the front like another poster did, so you should base the total size of the cake on how big those are, and how big the rest of the cake will need to be. This isn't tremendously difficult, but if she's thinking that she'll get away with $30 for a 10-serving cake, forget it. Even if you charge her on the low end, it shouldn't be less than $250 or $300 depending on how fast you are. And that would be for very little detail!!!

How about make the building out of cake and the facade (is that the right word)?(front) out of architecture supplies like they use to build models??
There must be a supplier for the models that are built, Right?

this is one of those times pay by the slice is out the window. Unless it is $100 per person. If you charge $10 per person. You realize you are only making 100.
You aren't even going to be getting the material fees back.
Good Luck.

I would charge her a good amount of money, (I don't care if its only 10 people) that way I either get well compensated for such a time consuming cake or she will change her mind.

Well if you could make it small i think it would be easier. here is my 2 cents, take it for what it is worth. I personally enjoy this kind of cake more, so I would be dying to do it.

stack of 9x13's for the building.
6-8 in square for the roof, then the 1/2 ball on top.
the pillars can be made easily from gumpaste...you wrap a plastic pillar in saran wrap then wrap with gumpaste. let dry then remove (START NOW)

The stairs. i think I would make from gumpaste strips held together with gum glue. To make it more stable I would perhaps carve some foam and put under. Or carve the foam, and then put the gumpaste directly over (like covering a cake).

Trees...make them from royal....

I have to look at pic again, so I will add more if I forgot something.

HTH JUlia

10 people? A cake mix serves 24 (two 8" rounds). Anyone wanna try to mix up 1/2 a cake mix??? Not me!

This is just like the bride who wants a 6 tier cake to feed 75. Sometimes, you just have to tell them "you can't have that cake for only that many people."

$500 is a good starting number!

Well, I'm in late on the subject. But what about a photo transfer of the building onto a block of cake (standing up) and possibly make the 3-d dome on top. that could feed 10. I"m picturing you wrapping the block of cake with the transfer and having the front facade be the building front.

Or if all else fails a photo transfer onto a flat cake..

good luck!