ack! calling all Cakemakers!!!

[TaraLee4]

I'm attempting to make a cake for my cousins sweet 16 party tomorrow. She requested that it have to do with shopping.

I came up with the idea to make little mini shopping bags (a coach bag, a tiffanys bag, victorias secret) etc. to put around the layers of the cake.

I was going to do with with rice krispy treats wrapped in fondant and pipe on the lettering.

Well, it's so hot and humid here right now that the krispy treats are melting and the fondant isn't holding it's shape either.

So i tried with buttercream icing instead...looks awful!!

HELP!! i'm totally opening to changing the idea of the cake, except that it's a 2 tiered round cake (cuz they're already baked!!) or coming up with some creative way to make the shopping bags some other way.

Any ideas/thoughts/pictures etc. will be a great help!!

 

[Shadow Dancer]

I'm attempting to make a cake for my cousins sweet 16 party tomorrow. She requested that it have to do with shopping.

I came up with the idea to make little mini shopping bags (a coach bag, a tiffanys bag, victorias secret) etc. to put around the layers of the cake.

I was going to do with with rice krispy treats wrapped in fondant and pipe on the lettering.

Well, it's so hot and humid here right now that the krispy treats are melting and the fondant isn't holding it's shape either.

So i tried with buttercream icing instead...looks awful!!

HELP!! i'm totally opening to changing the idea of the cake, except that it's a 2 tiered round cake (cuz they're already baked!!) or coming up with some creative way to make the shopping bags some other way.

Any ideas/thoughts/pictures etc. will be a great help!!

I'm not a baker or a cake decorator - but could you post over at www.cakecentral.com and ask for their help/advice?

Good luck!

 

[Shadow Dancer]

Here's a link to the cake thread here on the DIS:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1474332&page=98

 

[mchames]

Okay, here's a couple of suggestions:

If you aren't already, use the pre-made Rice Krispy Treats you get in the supermarket in the snack aisle. They are much firmer than homemade rice krispy treats. They are easy to cut down and trim with a paring knife. If you need them bigger than the size they come in, pop a couple in the microwave for a few seconds and then mold them together. If necessary, you can put it in the fridge to stiffen up again.

To get your fondant to harden faster, knead in a little bit of gumpaste powder into the fondant. It will hold its shape much better this way. You can get gumpaste powder at Michael's.

Also, crank up your air conditioning to get your house as cool as possible. I also keep my ceiling fans on when I'm doing cakes in the summertime. If you have a small table fan put it on low near the fondant/rice krispy pieces. It will help to dry them out. I'm in Atlanta and I battle with heat and humidity while cake decorating all the time.

Hope this helps!

 

[LJC1861]

I was going to suggest the same thing as the previous poster. Gumpaste powder added to your fondant will help. Also, the house needs to be cool....but do NOT put the completed cake into the refrigerator. It will cause the fondant to sweat when removed from the fridge and this is not a good thing.

Good luck!