I am pretty sure I can make the ball and the dragon, but I was wondering how this talented cake maker made the fire effect on the base cake. I tried painting on black but nothing showed... Perhaps royal icing? But this version looks painted...

if you tried it and there was no colour, id do a test run with some coloured royal icing, i think that would work quite effectivly

I can't see it well enough to tell but did they possibly start out with white fondant and airbrush/paint on the black part? I see white in the middle so thought maybe it started out white. No clue though...cool effect. Hope you figure it out!

holy smokes, I have no clue but I can't wait for one of our pros to explain it.

I am certainly not a pro but I would bet that is simply a white fondant covered board painted to look like flames (likely with an airbrush).

Not sure, but I sort of think the bottom cake the dragon ball is sitting on looks like like it is frosted in buttercream not fondant(see how the reds are different). They then could paint the flames on and fill in airbrush the black. I have done this on buttercream cakes and it works(my Darth vader cake is all hand painted buttercream).

Wish I could get buttercream that smooth (if it is buttercream). Good luck!

I think airbrush too. Start with a white base (I'd do fondant myself) and then add the other colors. Personally I airbrush the black first with a cake board over the top so none of the black misted on to the top. Then I would add the orange and red flames to the top. If by chance any of the orange misted onto the black...it probably wouldn't show or...you could repeat when the top was dry (cover it again) and spray the bottom black again. Love this cake...I bet my boys would love it for their birthday. Post a pic. when you do it!!

Here's a larger picture, It's from cakerific.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_12-UEr_--OA/SYnNAyExiwI/AAAAAAAAAhw/i0TEbbs9DnU/s1600/Bakugan%2Bcake.jpg

Based on the larger pic, I think the bottom could be airbrushed(black), but the flames are definitely handpainted(looks like a feathering brush stroke). Fondant not buttercream, probably white with color painted on.

Thank you all for your suggestions! I was late posting the question and ended up having to make the cake the next day... before I got to read your suggestions.
Anyway, what I ended up doing was covering the base in black fondant. Then I had three separate batches of royal icing in red, orange and yellow, and applied it with a paintbrush. Used a little water to make it more spreadable - but watch out, too much water makes it bleed out.
This was a good solution at it also helped keep the ball cake in place (which I also stuck a wooden skewer through!).

Looks fantastic, Great Job!