Ok... so I want to go out on a limb and make some outrageous cakes to have in my shop. (I'm the one opening soon with another cake baker to the left and right within a block of me.) I want to win the cake war here, so I'm kicking it up a notch. I have lots of standard styrofoams... round, square, hex, oval, paisley, etc. I know where I can get those locally... I can butcher them up if I want.. but I wanted to think outside the box before I ruin the ones I paid for if there is a better idea....

I want to make some whimsical cakes... Like a 70's theme with a TV shape and a bus shape and a disco ball.... and who hasn't seen them on TV? I really want to take them to a new level -- slices of watermelon.... cupcakes suspended on the top edge... CRAZY, "anything goes" stuff..... So -- any ideas? Will RKT hold up in the changing temps in the shop? Will paper mache (sp?) work? What about that plaster of paris cast style netting stuff?? anything I could FIND and use or try would be great!

Ideas, Please! and THANKS!

What about styro foam from Michaels using a coupon? I've used it to make dummy cakes before.

Just remember, what ever you do in 'fake' cake you want to be able to make sure it is something that can be translated to real cake.

I thought of it after I posted... I wasn't sure if it would hold up if I skewered it onto PVC or whatever...

dallas foam does custom shapes www .dallas-foam .com/store/cakedummies.html (take out the spaces)

I live about an hour from guildcraft, in York, PA and they make dummies too... I was just trying to think of something outside the box... www. guildcraftfurniture. com/cake_dummies. html

Look at the cakes from cake competitions -- they often have strange and unusual shapes. That will help you get some ideas.