Ok.....I've been researching the gift box cakes and am ready to give it a try but.....how are yall propping the tops up?? Someone said drive a dowel for it to rest on but then wouldn't the dowel possibly come through the box top or even make the top split in half from the pressure?

I was thinking to make my box top out of Krispies or candy melts using the pan shape of choice then wrap in fondant to correspond with the color of the rest of the cake. I see a few cakes actually have the top leaning on the side of the cake and I can't logically see how the box top (cake) wouldn't split, buckle, crack, etc. Am I right about the Krispies or candy melts to give me a harder even surface?

EXAMPLES:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1271291&sub=1366501

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1422466

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1352728&sub=1352730

First and third picture - simply make a wedge under the top tier. This could be cake - coming in the world of topsy turvy, or polystyrene. The decorations hide it.

The middle one is polystyrene (cake dummy), covered and decorated, I think. It isn't supported as such, only leaning on the two cake tiers.

I did one just recently

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1449863

I did the lid by gluing two cake boards together and then covering them in chocolate paste.

I stuck a dowel in the cake, near-ish to the front and left it sticking out about an inch or so so the lid would balance on it.

Didn't put the lid on yet. Placed the gumpaste 'tissue paper' in place and then I put the lid where I wanted it, using royal icing at the back and on the end of the dowel to secure it in place.

HTH

Suzanne x

I have never attempted a cake box either but am making one for a baby shower this weekend.. I was going to make my box lid from gumpaste.. just molded onto the cake tin bottom... that way it is stiff and the dowels will not push through.. will thats my plan anyway..

That looks unreal cakeprincess! I'm trialling mine this week .. hope mine comes out half as good as yours!

I recommend Sugarshack's Boxes & Bows DVD. It is great. Shows step by step how to do different type boxes, bows and lids.

I haven't done a gift box, but did a toy box using some of her techniques. For the lid on the toy box, I used 1/2" foamcore, covered it in Fondant mixed with tylose. I held the lid open by supporting it with the toys inside and for extra strength and to hold the lid in place, I attached it to the back of the box with white chocolate tinted to the same color as my fondant.

Good luck, have fun and be sure to post a picture of your finished cake!

I have done a topic search with no luck & I hope you don't mind me asking here instead of starting a new topic. I am wondering if I can cover the "box" part of the cake with fondant panels instead of 1 big piece of fondant? I'm not fondant savy yet & squares/rectangles have given me issues in the past. I thought it might be easier to cut fondant panels to size & attach them to the sides of the cake. Would this work or should I try to cover the entire cake w/ 1 piece of fondant?

Thanks majka_ze, I have another week before the cake, so I may practice covering a dummy fully & w/ a top panels & wrap the rest to see which is easier for me. I just need to practice, but am terrified.

You can definitely use panels, but it will be more time consuming than just covering your cake with fondant. To use panels, you would need to roll out the fondant and let it dry for about a day before cutting them. You would have to cut your first panel, put it on the cake and measure for the next piece and so on until you have measured, cut and applied all 4 panels.