I feel like a real cake dummy 
for asking this, but if you use real frosting for the cake dummy, won't it attract ants? Is there something else I can use?
I feel like a real cake dummy
for asking this, but if you use real frosting for the cake dummy, won't it attract ants? Is there something else I can use?
No one is ever a dummy! How is anyone supposed to learn if we don't ask questions? 
There is a product called "Perma-Ice Artificial Icing"
This is a completely non-edible non-food product. It is used for display cakes and dries rock hard.
It is basically fake buttercream icing. You can't use regular food coloring to color it, so you will need to buy some Acrylic non edible Color.
Here is some more info on "Perma-Ice"
What a great idea! I've never thought of using hairspray!
Thanks for the tips! I'll try both and see what happens!
For those who have tried the "hairspray trick," how long do cakes made with real frosting last this way?
Thank you.
Someone on another board uses spackle from home depot instead of perma ice. It's a lot cheaper and she said it works just as welll. I'll be making some dummy cakes next week with it and I'll let you know how it works for me. I did try the drywall cement (I think that's what they call it) and found it to be too thick and too grey.
These materials don't mess up the decorating tips and pans, etc.? I'd be worried about that.
I wouldn't have thought of the bleach. Thank you for explaining.
These materials don't mess up the decorating tips and pans, etc.? I'd be worried about that.
still waiting on this answer... PAAAALLLLEEEEEEEEASE!!!!
I am entering a cake contest in May. We can use dummies but they have to be iced in edible products (bc/fondant/whatever). So how long does this last?
We had cake dummies in the bakery where I worked, and they last a long time done in edible materials. One of them was covered in fondant with royal icing details and it just started fading after six months of sitting. It wasn't directly in the window, kinda off to the side of it. It did get a lot of sunlight and was done in shades of purple which fade easily. I think if you are careful with them, keeping them out of the sun, they will last a long time. The fondant gets rock hard but doesn't change in appearance.
As for the perma-ice and spackle damaging the tips etc. It's fine as long as you wash everything right away. Don't give it a chance to dry hard.
the cakes i used the hairspray on lasted quite a while ... a few months at least, then we just chipped the icing off with an old spatula or used super hot water (i worked in a bakery at the time) and melted it off and started over again. actually the last ones i did at my previous job are still in the window and seem to be in decent shape still, they were made in july i think and are still holding up 8 months later.
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