I need a bit of advice please.

I'm making an upright piano cake with a figure sitting on a stool. I think I've got the proportions right. The cake will be 8" long by 6" high. I've doubled the depth so it will be 3" deep. Does this sound like it will stand up OK?

The piano keyboard sticks out about halfway up and is supported on legs. Would it make sense to use a cake card sticking out of the cake to both support the top half of the cake and the keyboard?

Regarding the figure and stool, they will have skewers up the legs but how do I stick them into the board? Also what to make the bench out of so that it can be supported on 4 little legs but also take the weight of the body and head? 

I'd appreciate any advice you may have as I'm panicking a bit about this one.

Sorry no one can offer you any help:(   My thought is no it might not stay upright   You’re talking a bar 8” long x6” tall & only 3” wide   I’d put a cake board on the back & ice it   Maybe if the cake is iced with ganache— I have heard that is strong & is used when someone wants solidness   That’s all I can offer 

Thanks kakeladi. I hadn’t even considered that the cake itself might not stay upright. I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t agreed to this one. 

Well i certainly can be wrong  as the only thing similar I’ve done — years ago  — was an upright bunny using a Wilton shaped pan & the neck & ears broke off :(      Hopefully Sandra or someone else w/ more sculpting experience will jump in w/better advice 

Bump 

Hi louglou,

If you cake recipe is reasonably sturdy, it should stand up without a lot of problem.  If you want to reinforce it, sharpen two or three chop sticks or small dowels and drive them down through the cake into the cake drum.  I do this frequently for even single tier cakes, if they are on the fragile side.  Your idea of using a cake board between the layers of cake to support the keyboard sounds spot on, to me.  Go for it.

For the piano stool, I would use a piece of one inch thick styrofoam with wooden dowels for the legs.  Everything could be covered in fondant or assembled and dipped in chocolate.  (Notice that I am never concerned that every component be edible.)  There is really no need to anchor your sitting figure into the cake drum.  Be sure the stool is good and sturdy and attach the figure to the stool with a bit of melted chocolate.

If you would like to simplify, just make your piano stool out of a piece of styrofoam and cover the whole thing.  I am willing to be your customer will be so thrilled with the piano and the figure, the bench will get little attention.  Good luck!

Thanks Sandra. Styrofoam is a great idea. I’m excited about making this one now. 

Styrofoam is one of my best friends!  I am doing a bust from modeling chocolate right now and am at the stage where I'm carving the styrofoam body.  I hate how it goes and sticks everywhere, but it does a good job and is very sturdy. 

Here’s the piano cake. I decided to make a solid stool. It didn’t seem like an important enough part of the cake to spend too much time on. I’m really happy with the way it turned out. 

Happy and very proud you should be!  It's really nice and well done.   I probably would not even have noticed the bench if you hadn't mentioned it :)

It looks fabulous, louglou!  The bench looks just fine like this plus it is nice and stable.  Your little pianist is beautiful!

fabulous!!