I'm making a beer stein/mug cake for my husband, and I'd really like the lid to be open. Like all the way open, not propped up--see attached pic. The reason I'd like it to be fully open is because I'm going to do the gravity-defying "pouring beer" from a can.
Are there any structural geniuses out there who can figure out how to support the lid? In the picture, the lid is attached to the handle, but I'll just have it attached to the edge mug. My preliminary thoughts are to make the lid out of styrofoam covered in fondant so it's light, then hot glue the lid
to a wire covered in floral tape. Then I would put a center dowel through the cake (which I'm going to make out of 6 inch rounds) and drill a hole through the dowel so I can thread the wire through. Hopefully that should keep the lid supported?
My other thought is to curl the end of the wire around the center dowel and adhere it with melted chocolate. Then cover the whole mess with buttercream for the beer foam.
Does anyone else have any ideas? For either of the above scenarios, do you think I need to screw the center dowel to a wooden cakeboard rather than just pushing it through a stacked cake into a foamboard base? I'm wondering if the weight of the lid would necessitate actually adhering the dowel to the cakeboard.
I'm probably way off - but what I envision would not have that metal part of the opener - but just a lid proped up. Make it out of gumpast with toothpicks or sucker sticks stuck in & pushed into the cake at an angle. But then....your idea of using styro sounds good too. I'm sue someone like Sandra will have a better idea as so does so much w/fondant & sculpting.
My first thought was to take a strong wire, like 14 gauge (or three or four lighter gauge wires twisted together to make one strong wire) and form a circle on one end to support the lid and build it from gum paste. If you choose to use styrofoam, you could forgo the circle and run the wire directly into the styrofoam and secure with melted chocolate.
My thoughts exactly, Sandra! How would you attach the wire to the cake (beer stein itself)? Does threading it through a hole in the center dowel sound plausible? And then covering it with buttercream to look like beer foam? If I just stick the wire into the cake, since it’s on the edge and the lid is big, I’m afraid it’ll tear out.
I would use a straw instead of going to the trouble of drilling a hole through a dowel. The only thing that is bugging me is that I would like to see the wire go straight down into the cake??
I've go it! Create the wire with the circle at the top, as above. Create a "C" shaped wire for the handle. Where your top wire makes a 45 degree angle, attach it to the top of the "C" wire, which will support the handle, using floral tape. Leave both ends of the "C" about 3" long to be inserted into the cake. That shoud make for a very stable support for the top and the handle. Do be sure and insert the ends into straws so the wire n ever comes into contact with the cake, even if it is wrapped in floral tape.
I really hope this makes sense because I think it would be very sturdy and the position and angle of the top would be perfect.
That sounds amazing, and WAAAY easier than what I was planning! (Btw, by drill a hole through a dowel, I meant like the attached picture. Not sure if I made that clear).
My only hesitation with your suggestion is that it sounds like a lot of weight will be resting on those wires sticking into the cake (the ends of the C). My only fear would that it would be so heavy that it leans out of the side and falls off. But you may be right--if I stick the ends of the C straight in to cake, and not filling, and make sure it's three inches into solid cake, it should hold?
I'll be sure to make the lid nice and light. The beer stein will be six inches in diameter, but I'll make the lid smaller.
Thank you!!
Haha! That is a lot better than what I envisioned! I thought you were trying to drill a hole all the way from top to bottom of the dowel. That would be one long drill bit!
One second thought, instead of pushing the "C" wires straight intio the sides of the cake, they would probably be more sturdy if inserted at an angle toward the bottom, so the wires cross the inside of the cake at a diagonal. I would make the support wires as long as possible. By there being two points of support, I really believe it will be quite sturdy.
Sorry, Sandra, one last question. I'm going to form a handle around the C wire with modeling chocolate. Then I'll push the ends of the C (the wire) into the cake and use melted chocolate to adhere the modeling chocolate to the fondant side of the cake. Do you think I can do this prior to delivery? Ideally, I'd attach the handle onsite, but it might be a hassle to find a microwave to melt the chocolate onsite to adhere the handle. But if you think it's much safer, i'll do it. Thanks!
Sorry, Sandra, one last question. I'm going to form a handle around the C wire with modeling chocolate. Then I'll push the ends of the C (the wire) into the cake and use melted chocolate to adhere the modeling chocolate to the fondant side of the cake. Do you think I can do this prior to delivery? Ideally, I'd attach the handle onsite, but it might be a hassle to find a microwave to melt the chocolate onsite to adhere the handle. But if you think it's much safer, i'll do it. Thanks!
Honestly, unless you anticipate a rough delivery - hilly, curvy, unpaved road and a crazy driver - I think it will be fine to add it prior to delivery. You can mount the handle on the cake without the modeling chocolate, just to get an idea of how stable it will be. If it feels nice and secure, go ahead and add your melted chocolate glue and deliver completed. If you do not think it feels sturdy, maybe it would be best to add the top and handle at the venue. The chocolate is not strictly necessary, just an additional precaution. If you decide to add the handle on site, you could add a small blob of buttercream at the point of contact to help seal.
I just wanted to report back with pictures of the finished cake. SandraSmiley, you are a genius! I used your instructions exactly. One thing that helped is that I put on the handle at home but didn't put the lid on until I reached the destination. That prevented the handle from swaying around on the car ride.
Thanks so much for your help, Sandra and Kakeladi!
This is brilliant, girl!!!! The best beer stein I've ever seen in anything other than the real thing!!! The whole thing is wonderful - love the pretzels!! Congratulations on a fabulous job!
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