Ok...I've been asked to make a cake to look like this old store for a local Relay for Life team. I've never "built" a store.

How do you all recommend me do this one? They want the store front windows with the things hanging in them and the doors also. Do I make it all out of cake and carve the windows...if so, what would I make the window glass out of and how do I "hang" the things in the windows? Or would it be better to make the store out of something else and have it sitting on cake to resemble the street? Fondant/buttercream...????

I greatly, greatly appreciate any and all help on this one!!! It has me a little stumped!!

I'm going to try to attach a picture.

Oh...It will be outside in the MS humidity.

Thanks for all the help!!!!!!!

If you carbe the cake to be a 3-D store (which actually wouldn't be too hard, given this store's shape), you could get it big enough to where, if make the windows simply be blue fondant squares, you can decorate and detail them easily by handpainting or modelling some small fondant figures.

Good luck!

Hi: I would also carve the cake out of 9X13's. But RKT is another option. I would cover in fondant not BC, personally. I think you can get more detail and a more realistic look. Then I would do the overhang with tylose/fondant and let it dry (at least a couple of days) , 'glue' to the cake and use lollipop sticks for the poles(assist in supporting). You don't have to carve the windows.I would use gelatin sheets for the windows (and a bit of dark BC behind the gelatin sheets). You could use a small LED light inside (behind one glass) to make it look lit up.Then you paint a thin coat of vanilla and yellow on the window to hide the light (see my traffic lights and caving helmet in pictures)
You wouldn't have to have it sit on a cake to resemble the street. If you covered your cake board with fondant, you have lots of options (you could even 'paint' the street')
It's hard to tell from the photos what's hanging in the windows but you could put those behind the gelatin sheets (and carve out the cake a bit). I would also do the doors with gumpaste or fondant/tylose and just make small gumpaste or even RI decorations to hang off (like I said, it's hard to tell what's hanging off).
HTH! Have fun and please post 'after' photo!
Terri[/quote]

This is exactly how I'd go about this. If you break the whole project down into "segments" it's really do-able...good luck!

WOW!!! Thanks for all the help! I actually think this might be doable now! Y'all are awesome! Thanks again!

Hi Terri, as the others have said doing a cake in a box shape is pretty doable its just the detail. Another option would be to cover in fondant and cut the window shapes out then how about using photos of the windows and having them put on edible icing sheets (edible photos) and putting these in the window cut outs. that way you wouldn't need to do hand painting but could keep in all the detail as it is. good luck

Hi, I would make the square cake the size you need, cover it with fondant and make detailed gumpaste "tilt up walls". I did one like this long ago and the trick was getting the corners to match up. Post a photo when you finish...can't wait to see how it turns out!

I really like the edible image idea!! The store is 100 years old and still operating like it did "back in the day". Wood floors that squeak and creak when you walk, old timey candy jars on the counter filled with "sell by the piece candy", and the old, old cash register. I grew up walking to this store to buy candy. So to get this one "perfect" is very very important to me.

You can't really tell in the picture because it's so small, but the outer walls are horizontal boards, not overlapping like siding. Would y'all put just solid fondant then press the board lines into it, instead of putting stips of fondant?

And what about the front where the store name is, the roof is a regular pitch roof then the front is built differently and "put on". What do y'all recommend making that out of so it will stand well enough on it's on?

Thank y'all so, so much for all the help!!!!!! I couldn't do it without you!

Oh, I love old stores like that!

Yes to making the side boards out of one piece and scoring the horizontal lines.

I would make both the porch and sign piece separately using a 50/50 mix of fondant/gumpaste (I just usually add some Tylose to my fondant), let them dry and then attach them to the building with royal icing. You have the advantage of having posts on the porch and the roof-line to add support.

I can't wait to see this cake!

Great!!!!!! Thanks again!!! I think I've got it figured out section by section, thanks to all of you!

I've got about two weeks until I have to have it done and I'm actually starting to get excited about it! (I was really dreading it with a passion!!!!!)

I appreciate all the help!

another idea to make the porch front is using pastillage. its really light and dries extremely hard and holds up a lot better than any other gumpaste or fondant. You can roll it into sticks and let then dry overnight and use those as supports for the porch and roof pieces