I'm wanting to make a 3d tree to stand on top of a regular cake. I tried chocolate but it's still 100 here in Texas. I'm wanting it about 8" tall and about 6" across.

This is what I've done. I drew a pattern with the trunk on the left and branches on the right side only. I"ve made several of these and plan to join them at the trunk. (Hope that makes sense). I mixed up some royal icing and then added powdered gum paste to the mix. I think piped it out on wax paper.

Has anyone had any success with this type of figure. Do you think this might work?

I need this for a cake on saturday. It's a family tree cake. I plan on putting the names of all the kids/grandkids on the tree, also in royal which I hope to spray with gold luster dust. It's for a 50th wedding anniversary.

Thanks for reading.

If all the branches are going to be on one side I would think the weight will make it fall over. Maybe they should be on both sides.

It will have branches on all sides once I join them in the center. I know it's confusing. I put all the trunk sides in the center and then the branch sides each reach out a different direction.

If you cut a small x in a box(shoe box...cake box...a box as deep as your cake is to be), cover the top with waxed or parchment paper, and secure it with tape, cut paper where x is on box.

Using one of those plastic tubular dowels, stick it in the x on the box...sliding it all the way down, 6-8 inches should be exposed(depending on box used). Using med-stiff brown RI, ice tube and extend some out for roots. Using an open star tip or a 10-12 round tip, pull some lower hanging branches. set aside and allow to dry.

Using med-stiff green (or whatever color you choose), and a bowl/ball pan half/or other similar shape, cover with plastic/waxed/parchment or LIGHTLY greased foil. Cover with leaf tip or using an open star...pull-out stars. You can also use the brown and pull out random branches.

Allow all pieces to dry for several days then remove from paper and allow to dry an additional day or so (placing them on a cooling rack or other vented item after removing paper allows piece to dry better)

Decorate the tree top with names.

After decorating cake, insert tube to allow roots to rest on cake surface(add grass or leaves around base). Place some RI at top of trunk of tree and position tree top after cake is on table.

If you start it tonight, there should be plenty of time for drying and it will be sturdy.

I'm not sure if I comprehend what you have in mind to do...sounds similar to a 3D snowflake or heart. If so, I would be afraid it wouldn't be sturdy enough to stand without some sort of support. I'm sure it would work if you were able to secure the pieces to something you could insert into the cake for stability.

I think your idea would work if you piped it thick enough.

Have you actually made the tree you described in your post. I really appreciate the time you took to give such details. I'm having trouble with my royal icing drying hard. What recipe would you use?

8 cups sifted ps...6 tblsp meringue powder and 11-13 tblsp water.

I've made them on candy sticks ...a bit smaller...
and on those big peppermint sticks.

I've made other items using the plastic tubes for support.

The tubes seem to be the most stable...maybe because the cake filled the hollow area and locking it in place...I dunno.
The underside of your treetop is going to be hollow. you can add some branches on the underside after it's dry.

If you made pieces yesterday, I wouldn't think they'd be dry enough to check yet. I think I would've made a lot of extras and wouldn't attempt to turn them over for at least two days.

If you have a small fan you can direct on your pieces use it to help dry them sooner.

Well, I got my cake made. I used a different method from yours but I still want to try yours some day. I just didn't think it would support all the names I had to add. Thanks for your help.

Do share how you managed success with your tree...how did you finally wind up doing it?

If you need strenght i would pipe it with RI on top of dowels and wire..

The tree is modeled out of gum paste with a wooden barbeque squer going up to where the limbs branch off. The name plaques are gum paste air brushed with luster dust and names written with royal and the leaves are royal. I am very pleased with the way it turned out.

Oh, I forgot.... thanks again to those of you who posted to help me with this project. I'm glad I stuck it out, I think the results were worth it and I've learned alot.