Best Cake Construction For The Fair?

Decorating By shannonann Updated 22 Sep 2009 , 5:42am by KimAZ

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shannonann Posted 21 Sep 2009 , 4:48pm
post #1 of 6

I am interested in entering the cake decorating competition at our area fair. It must be be real cake (no dummies) and a soft icing (no royal). If you win, the cake will be displayed for 10 days in a relatively warm building. Does anyone have any input about the best kind of cake, coverings (buttercream, fondant, etc.), and decorations to use for these circumstances.

Thank you for your input!

5 replies
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Loucinda Posted 21 Sep 2009 , 6:00pm
post #2 of 6

I don't understand how you can have a cake on display for 10 days and they want it to be real cake and soft icing?? Are you in the U.S.?

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shannonann Posted 21 Sep 2009 , 10:51pm
post #3 of 6

Yes, I'm in northern Texas. I have baked and decorated some very small cakes and put them in my garage for test purposes. They don't hold up very well. It seems to me that ganache is definitely out. I tried a white chocolate fondant and it started sagging almost immediately.

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Elise87 Posted 22 Sep 2009 , 1:07am
post #4 of 6

I am in Australia and our city fair is similar in asking for real cakes with only 2 catergories saying we can use dummies, so i wondered the same thing. My answer was maybe using a fruitcake or a dense packet mix cake as i think they would hold up for longer and for the icing would tend to go more for fondant

HTH

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Loucinda Posted 22 Sep 2009 , 2:11am
post #5 of 6

I would do a pound cake and use sugarshacks' buttercream - I personally have set that icing out (on a cake) in 95 degree heat with 80% humidity and it held fine.

The buttercream cake I just won at our fair with is that same recipe - and it is hot and humid in that building - the cake is holding just fine! (I just went this evening and looked to see how it was doing, not a problem!)
Here it is:
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1468344

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KimAZ Posted 22 Sep 2009 , 5:42am
post #6 of 6

At our State Fair, the cakes sit out on display for an entire month! Many people make real cakes ( a lot do dummies) and some fall apart within days, others make it a couple weeks and believe it or not some even make it for the whole month. They are VERY sad looking by then though. Many of them get taken out of the display cases and thrown away because they just fall apart, sink or melt.

I don't understand why there is even a category for decorated real cakes since they're only judged on decoration, not taste. I only make dummy cakes for the fairs.

Good luck!
KimAZ

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