Ok, on the cake I'm planing right now, I want to put christmas lights around the edge. I've thought of two ways to do this, but there are problems with both, so I'm looking for another idea...
Idea 1) Real lights, one of the small strands that is battery opperated
Problem 1) Don't most light strands have lead in the wires? How could I do this without poisoning everyone?
Idea 2) Frosting, Gel, or Icing lights
Problem 2) Is there any way I could get a translucent look?

Thanks

maybe colored piping gel? I'd love to see it when ur done!

I don't know how big of lights you are looking to have, but how about the ones that go on doll house trees that are connected by string.

You could buy some real lights, make your own molds using the Amazing Mold Putty stuff and then grind up Jolly Rancher candies and melt that and mold some out of clear candy. Would be way cool!

Sounds really neat!! I think you should try the real battery operated ones. I don't know anything about the lead content, but would be inclined not to worry about it much. I can't see that it would be a big deal if it just touched the icing. But, like I said I don't know for sure so don't trust me. Good luck! You have to post a picture when you are done.

I think even if there are lead in the wires, aren't they plastic coated?

Plus, you could buy an acetate strip to put around the cake side so the lights don't touch it, and nobody would see the strip since it's see through. I think there are some great ideas on this post already, so it would depend on how much time you have. But I like the battery operated idea so you can turn them on. But that's just me.

I have a chocolate mold of Christmas bulbs.. So you could make chocolate ones and then connect them with icing.

Bonnie, where did you get that mold?

I got it here...
http://www.candylandcrafts.com/Catalog/christmasc17.htm

these are the size of the large bulbs that you would put on the outside of your house.
HTH

I saw a cake on this site that had christmas likes made out of fondant and then painted with lustre dust.... I thought looked great!

One thing I like to do with my Christmas punch powl is to put it on a table with a lit wreath around the base. I don't think I would put wires on my cake. But the fondant/lustre lights on the cake would be pretty and the lights in the wreath around the base would make the fondant lights have a beautiful sheen.

I know most chrismas light have a plastic coating on the wires. But what if you wrapped the wire in fondant in a color that matches the cake. Ex: if the cake is white maybe wrap in red or green fondant. it would keep the wiired away from the rest of the cake and also you would be able to hide the wire nicely

I have the battery ones for my gingerbread house. It has a warning label saying to wash your hands because it contains lead. The house is for competition so no one will eat it. It says it contains lead which is known to cause cancer.