Support For A Heavy Package Cake Lifted Lid.
Decorating By PattyT Updated 4 Oct 2009 , 6:58pm by PattyT
Hello: I'm making a baby shower cake very much like madicakes - package cake with lid lifted - http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=72893. I made the lid from rice krispie treats and thanks to advice from dkelly, finally came out stiff enough for the lid. I'm still using a thin foam board base, but the lid seems really HEAVY!
I made a package cake before but the lid seemed lighter. For that one, I put skewers into the lid itself, then pushed the skewers into the cake resting on the back edge of the cake. http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1224437
I'm very, very concerned about the weight of the lid. I'm thinking of putting bubble tea straws inside back edge about 1/2" to 3/4" and threading the skewers into them - ending up resting on the straws. Additional straws will hold the lid partly open.
Does this seem OK? It's a 10" square cake / lid. Pretty sturdy cake - covered in fondant.
Thanks in advance all.
Pat
for supporting your lid you will want either cuttable plastic columns or dowels depending on how much weight we are talking about but anyway you want to insert two dowels about 1" from the border of the cake and cut them just slightly higher than the cake (this would be the back) and then two more dowels for the front of the lid, cut those higher than the ones in the back depending on what you will be filling the gap with (flowers candy or decorations varied) then set your lid on top and secure it with at least two more dowels straight through the lid and into the bottom board.
HTH
Thanks so much jobueno for the advice. I was working on tiggy2's wedge idea and came up with a drawing of how I would do it. The reason I think I should use the wedge is I weighed the lid and with the RKT and chocolate...4 lbs!
3x bubbletea straws under the wedge - staggered. 2 skewers to hold the wedge. 2-3 skewers through in the lid, then shove through the wedge and into the cake.
Doug - if you're out there - I've seen you give fantastic advice on construction questions...Is this a disaster in the making?
Thanks so much.
won't work -- too much overhang (cantilever) -- it'll just flop over if it is just resting on the wedge/skewers. would have to pin the back edge down solid to cake with multiple skewers and then risk them tearing out due to weight of overhang
rather -- you need to build a support that is attached to the base and will hold the lid.
simple to do with either:
copper tubing
or
long pieces of metal like those use in L brackets
except in both case you need to make a support shaped like an open "C"
----
secure to bottom board (wood) and then place cake so that it touches the metal (or even cut little depressions in cake to make more flush and easier to hide under BC)
lid gets secured to angle section -- put on wood board for easy attaching.
if boards (top and bottom) are thick enough can cut dadoes (grooves) to inset metal flush with board.
if using copper tubing, can even smash the top angle section flat
If it is going to be similar to the one you did and your inspiration then I don't see why it needs to be so complicated. The lid isn't propped open that much. If you are going to have small fondant toys and tissue paper then just put a support through the toys and pack tissue paper around it. A baby block a ball anything that will be the height you are going for. You could also make the wedge from RKT and cover it with fondant.
Hmmm....all very good ideas. I'd like to keep it simple as sadsmile suggested, but the weight of the lid worries me.
If I reduce the angle of the wedge, would there be less chance of sliding off like Doug mentioned? This will be assembled on site, so doesn't need to travel...just survive a couple of hours.
I'm starting "construction" today...
look back at the cake you are using for inspiration...
note how it has the illusion of being open and self supporting ---
not -
by arranging items right at the front edge that the top rests on --- the teddy bear and the mound of tissue -- you can hide skewers or other supports inside them as well thereby directly supporting the front of the lid too.
look back at the cake you are using for inspiration...
note how it has the illusion of being open and self supporting ---
not -
by arranging items right at the front edge that the top rests on --- the teddy bear and the mound of tissue -- you can hide skewers or other supports inside them as well thereby directly supporting the front of the lid too.
Thank you Doug - good advice.
I do have a bear head and baby head made for the front. With some hidden skewers, something for the weight at back AND a bunch of luck....
Thanks all - appreciate the support (pun!)
Pat
Thank you eveyone who responded to my requests for help. I just assembled the package cake on-site and it seems to have worked.
I did use a styrofoam wedge with skewers through the cake. Seemed like it was going to hold. If I had assembled at home, I would have filled in with more "tissue" close to the wedge a little more - but it's up high enough to not be too obvious on the top of the tower..
Thank you again. Cake Central is a wonderful place.
Pat
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