I have decided to enter a cake in the State Fair, I know I'm stupid. The rules state, "Cakes will be judged on visual effect and will not be cut, therefore cakes need not be real. Styrofoam dummies may be used. However, all cakes should be constructed in a way that could be accomplished in a real cake. Failure to observe this guideline will result in deductiobns in the score for execution of the design."

This is my questions, does this mean I have to use dowels, or can I just use royal icing to stick the layers together?

Thanks for the help.

You can use royal icing. you don't have to use dowel rods. Hope this helps

Yeah, I made a wedding cake for the county fair and didn't bother with dowel rods. They have the same exact statement. It has more to do with the shape of the cake. Like a really intricate carving that probably wouldn't been able to be done in real cake. Along those lines.

HTH

If you are using cake dummies, then Royal icing will work fine. You only need dowel rods for real cake.

If your design requires carving the cake then the cake has to be actual cake and not styrofoam.

Good luck and we want to see photos!

Michele

Thanks guys, you just made my life a lot easier.

I'm also entering a competition and I've been wondering if a carved staircase on my bottom tier would be acceptable in a dummy cake? That doesn't seem like enough carving to require me to use real cake... Opinions?

I entered a competition earlier this year where I did a wedding and grooms cake....I didn't know we were allowed to do styrofoam for the wedding cake so I did all real...but when judging, they DID check to make sure my carved doggie grooms cake was real cake.

Thanks so much for the heads up...I would have been really bummed out to go to all that work only to be disqualified Re-thinking my design now.

If in doubt, call and ask whoever is in charge of that competition. If nothing else it will put your mind at ease and you will know 100% what is allowed and what isn't. I have seen a few competitions that had varying rules. That is one reason I haven't entered yet. Gotta get a little more nerve up I guess. lol HTH

Teresa

I have decided not to enter. I covered the styrofoam with fondant today, and I hate it. I have already made 200 roses and it's not near enough to cover the top layer, little lone the middle layer. I am so frustrated and tired.

I would much rather enter a "real" cake. I guess I need way more experience.

Don't give up so easily! And every level of experience is generally welcomed at any competition!

And remember....if there isn't a size guideline (must be 3 tiers, at least 20" tall), why can't you simply downsize the design? I remember in my early days I thought I had to create some huge, eye-catching tiered cake. Then I got smart and began entering smaller cakes, which I was able to better design and decorate with a higher level of skill.

good luck to you!

I've entered a carved styrofoam cake into our county fair and it got Best of Show. I think it all depends on the rules and type of judging. Calling the superintendent of the department will clear up any confusion.