icing dummy cakes

[In2Pastry]

Would anyone be willing to share how they ice dummy cakes for cake show competitions? I have done some before with royal icing (and I still don't have that down real well. ) I would like to do one with fondant and I'm not quite sure how to go about that. If I use the styrofoam circles with fondant do I need to round the corners so it doesn't tear? What do I put under the fondant to stick to the foam?

I appreciate any help.

Kelli

[Sugarella]

For fondant, just spritz the dummy with water and cover. It'll stay put, and can be removed later just by chipping at it. (or kicking it.... hehehe)

Don't round the dummy corners unless that's the look you're going for. The fondant won't / shouldn't tear on the corners, provided you roll it out at least 1/4" thick. Use p. sugar to dust instead of cornstarch too.... kepps the fondant from drying out quicker and you won't end up with crackling at the edges.

Do you want a dummy buttercream too, or are you just doing fondant?

[bripastryguy]

i would luv the dummy buttercream

[Sugarella]

^^ Here you go.... works well for dummies because you can thin it or leave it thick depending on what you're used to using, and it will eventually dry solid all the way through. Depending on humidity it may take a week or so, but will be dry to the touch within a couple of hours. I wouldn't necessarily eat this stuff (gah!) but an awful lot of people use something similar as their regular cake icing, so it is technically edible, if not pallatable. Once dried out the dummy will be good for years and years. You can use butter-coloured crisco if you want a more authentic colour, or add some vanilla, or just tint it with paste colours.

Dummy Buttercream / Practice Icing:

454 g. / 1 lb. vegetable shortening

2 kg. / 2.2 lb. confectioner's sugar

10 Tbsp. meringue powder

1/2 cup (up to 1 1/2 cups) VERY HOT water, depending

Combine 1/2 cup hot water and meringue powder in mixer until powder is dissolved; add vegetable shortening and blend until smooth. Whip in confectioner's sugar in small batches until the mixture apears like standard american buttercream. At this point, you can use it the same as that type of icing, or if you're used to a meringue buttercream just blend in more hot water, a little at a time, until you've got the consistency you want.

Unused portions ....... will likely outlive surviving cockroaches after a nuclear holocaust.

Seriously though.....like any wet sugar that'll attract bacteria, either throw it out within a week or wrap it tigh in plastic and freeze for later use.

[cakesuite]

It helps to tape the dummy down to your turntable. The styro. is light, and tends to move around more than a real cake will.

[Wendy DeBord]

I've used the permanent non-edible frosting before on dummy cakes. If you thin it down to a consistacy you like (similar to buttercream) it works just as easily and lasts forever. You can wash down your dummy cake when it get's dusty. Also, it doesn't attract bugs.

[In2Pastry]

Thank you so much for the tips! I might just have to try the buttercream also, thank you. I have another question regarding a fondant cake-- will the fondant shrink on the styrofoam over time? I want to get a head start on this cake, but I don't want it to look awful by the time the cake show comes around. Plus I would like to have it around for awhile after to display.

Thanks again, you are all very helpful.

Kelli

[JeanneCake]

It won't shrink, it just dries rock hard. Depending on where you get the styrofoam, you may want to fill in any gaps (and uneven spots that can develop if it's not packed well during shipping), with royal icing first.

Personally, I find the styrofoam from The Dummy Place in CT to be superior to anything else I've bought, I never have to do anything to it before I cover it with fondant. If you like the look, he'll even round the edges if you like, and this chamfering can be a lot or just barely there (the just barely there is nice for square corners, which sometimes will cause a tear, and that would be bad for a show cake).

Keep us posted on things as you get ready for the show, and good luck!

[In2Pastry]

Thank you JeanneCake for the tips. I will check out The Dummy Place for my stryofoam. I will post some pictures of it when I'm done, if I can ever get the hang of posting pictures.

Thanks again!!

[In2Pastry]

JeanneCake, do you have a phone number or web address that I can find The Dummy Place? I searched on google, but didn't come up with anything to do with stryofaom.

thanks

[JeanneCake]

The Dummy Place - 860-875-1736. The gentleman's name is Lenny and he's very, very nice.

He can send you the catalogue of shapes/sizes and foam boards that are cut to your specs or you could just tell him what you want and he can invoice you if you don't want (or have the time) to wait for the catalogue to arrive.

[Grovite]

Wow, great tips about the dummies! I do have one question, and it may be stupid, so bear with me: We have been doing "First Monday" type shows selling various breads and cookies (no cakes during the summer, Texas heat and all).

We are wanting to promote our wedding/birthday cakes, when not at home in the bakery, by bringing our dummies to the shows. Most of these shows are outdoors or under a pavillion. My question is, will a dummy iced with "fake" buttercream, fondant and/or royal icing, once hardened, hold up to the high temps that are the norm at these shows?

[Sugarella]

My question is, will a dummy iced with "fake" buttercream, fondant and/or royal icing, once hardened, hold up to the high temps that are the norm at these shows?

←

Fondant and royal icing dry solid so of course once they're dry they're on there permanently. Fake butercream like the one I posted above with an oily base will remain soft in that kind of heat, unless you've given it a chance to dry out beforehand.

Just remember that if you depict your wedding cakes as being able to hold up in that kind of heat, customers will expect real cakes with real icings will be able to also, which is not the case.

[Donna14]

On 3/12/2006 at 6:26 PM, Sugarella said:

^^ Here you go.... works well for dummies because you can thin it or leave it thick depending on what you're used to using, and it will eventually dry solid all the way through. Depending on humidity it may take a week or so, but will be dry to the touch within a couple of hours. I wouldn't necessarily eat this stuff (gah!) but an awful lot of people use something similar as their regular cake icing, so it is technically edible, if not pallatable. Once dried out the dummy will be good for years and years. You can use butter-coloured crisco if you want a more authentic colour, or add some vanilla, or just tint it with paste colours.

Dummy Buttercream / Practice Icing:

454 g. / 1 lb. vegetable shortening

2 kg. / 2.2 lb. confectioner's sugar

10 Tbsp. meringue powder

1/2 cup (up to 1 1/2 cups) VERY HOT water, depending

Combine 1/2 cup hot water and meringue powder in mixer until powder is dissolved; add vegetable shortening and blend until smooth. Whip in confectioner's sugar in small batches until the mixture apears like standard american buttercream. At this point, you can use it the same as that type of icing, or if you're used to a meringue buttercream just blend in more hot water, a little at a time, until you've got the consistency you want.

Unused portions ....... will likely outlive surviving cockroaches after a nuclear holocaust.

Seriously though.....like any wet sugar that'll attract bacteria, either throw it out within a week or wrap it tigh in plastic and freeze for later use.

Good morning @Sugarella  I need to frost a 4 tier stacked dummy cake - 12" x 3", 10" x 4", 8" x 3" and 6" x 4" round - do you think that this recipe would be enough? Thanks !

[Kerry Beal]

@Donna14 - @Sugarella hasn't visited eG since 2008 so I suspect she won't be answering your question. @JeanneCake or @pastrygirl likely know the answer and should be able to help. 

Edited July 13, 2019 by Kerry Beal (log)

[pastrygirl]

I'm trying to figure out how much it makes beyond the obvious 3+ lb.

 

According to this random chart that I just googled because my Cake Bible is at work, you'd need about 12 cups or 3 qt (since you won't be filling the dummies).  https://www.wedding-cakes-for-you.com/wedding-cake-icing-chart.html

 

My meringue buttercream with a pound of butter and far less sugar makes about a quart and a half so I think you're going to need to double it.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Edited July 13, 2019 by pastrygirl (log)

[JeanneCake]

It's also going to depend on how you want to frost it - with a smooth finish or a more rustic/rough one; I think @pastrygirl is right you are going to need to at least double it.

 

If you're going for a smooth finish, I think you'd be better off to use fondant instead of royal icing

[Donna14]

On 7/12/2019 at 7:00 PM, Kerry Beal said:

@Donna14 - @Sugarella hasn't visited eG since 2008 so I suspect she won't be answering your question. @JeanneCake or @pastrygirl likely know the answer and should be able to h

On 7/12/2019 at 7:00 PM, Kerry Beal said:

@Donna14 - @Sugarella hasn't visited eG since 2008 so I suspect she won't be answering your question. @JeanneCake or @pastrygirl likely know the answer and should be able to help. 

 

 

 

Thank you @Kerry Beal, @JeanneCake and @pastrygirl!! Much appreciated help from you all  xo