Okay, now that I've started posting....watch out..here I go..I'm on a roll

I have come up with another question. After much research, I am under the impression that pound cakes and sponge cakes are the recipes that I should be using for 3D cakes. Is this true or can I use any recipe on the recipe board?

I guess I'm wondering because I looked at other websites that do 3d cakes and there are so many flavors that these bakeries offer and was just wondering where all these pound cake recipes come from? I can do choc and yellow.

If I can use any recipe on tthis board, I am so excited because I'm anxious to try them.

Guess I should have done a little more research before posting. I just realized that in the recipe forum, the recipes are split and I can go into pound or sponge and get lots of flavors.

But would still like to know if they HAVE to be a pound cake recipe? I know they are more dense and probably best, but doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks again for all the help. Ya'll are great!!!!!!!!!

I use box cake mixes doctored w/pudding and an extra egg. I have also used some of my firm scratch cake recipes w/o problems... just depends on how much I need to carve for the 3D cake.

You just need to make sure it is a firm cake. You don't want to use an angel food cake and then it can't support itself when cut etc....

you can use box mixes, but scratch is easier to carve.

I don't have much experience with sculptured cake, just the clown in my pics, but it was made just using a Pillsbury white cake mix in a class I took. The cake was pretty soft and we had no problems. Bronwen Weber taught the class and wanted these cakes specifically to show that anything can be used. I'll be working on a Noah's Ark tomorrow and I'm going to make 3 different kinds of cake for it. I may have more information after I start carving.

Some more people with more experience may have more, and better, information.

If the sculpture is small (see my sculpted buttercream dog cakes), you can use a regular box mix because there isn't so much detail and the cakes don't have to support much weight or jet out into space. For other cakes (see Father Christmas or Roger the dinosaur) that are taller or have things sticking out, a sturdier cake is best.

Deanna

i use box mix w/ pudding, buttermilk, sour cream and an extra egg...oh and oil too. very easy to carve!!! love it

Thanks for all the valuable information.

I made the cake today and carved it and now am in the process of putting the buttercream on. Well, actually, I've done the crust coat and I'm having a heck of a time getting the icing to stick where the cake was carved. So, I thinned out the icing and put it on. A little wet and is taking longer to crust over, but at least it stayed.

I wasn't planning on using fondant, just smoothing out the buttercream, but if it goes as badly as the crust coat did, I'll pull out the fondant.

I am going to try scratch the next time. The chocolate did great, but the yellow is not doing so good.

Will keep you all posted.