My friend, an architecture major, will be graduating from UT next month and has requested a cake. He wants me to make the Hans-Otto theater in CAKE! Have you seen this building? He must have mistaken me for Geof on Ace of Cakes. Must be my beard.

So Doug, master of cake engineering, I need your expert advice on how to approach this. And anyone else who has suggestions, your help is much appreciated as well!

Here's the theater:

This looks interesting!
Can't wait to see Doug's reply and if it is possible.
Would love to see the end result

[quote="Charmaine49"]This looks interesting!
Can't wait to see Doug's reply and if it is possible.
Would love to see the end result[/quotte]

Possible? With Doug all things are possible! He lives in my time zone and should be asleep right now. After all it is 3 A.M. right now! I have GOT to go to bed!

Can't wait to see the finished masterpiece! Good luck!

well i am not such an expert but its looks like u can do it wid the three round cakes stacked on top of one another of diff sizes a by making them a bit slanting ( as i got the idea from the 1st pic) and for the red arcs u shd use the cake collar technique done by royal icing.

well dats wat i think but i am also waiting to c the post of doug

doug we r waiting for u

I did a cake replica of Arrowhead Football Stadium in Kansas City -- it's in my pics. I used pastillage to form all the walkways and the stadium seating area. If I was doing this cake, that's what I would use for all the red parts. It will dry nice and hard (but can still break, so I made a few extra) and be suitable for "overhangs" like this building has. I'd use cake for all the windowed parts.

That will be a great looking cake once you get it all figured out. Good luck with it.

HUGE picture for you to see details - http://www.hot.potsdam.de/images/3498_4097_dl191-13.jpg
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From the air, it looks like it might be shaped like a boat - http://www.berlin.ihk24.de/servicemarken/presse/berl_wirt/bwarchiv/Berliner_Wirtschaft_JuliAugust_2007/Anlagen/Hans-Otto-Theater.jpg
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Side and back views - http://www.ingenieurgruppe-bauen.de/Deutsch/Projekte/Hochbau/Theater/HOTB.html
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OMG! I hadn't even seen it from the top! I think my friend is smoking something. I am nowhere near the skill level needed to make this cake!

He is going to be helping me, that's for sure!

ok...I've seen the post...will return to this later tonight after play practice (so that will be LATE!)

thanks 7yyrt!!!!! those pictures are invaluable help to sort it all out.

the basic principal will be a combo of stacked sheets and rounds to get the basic shape (cutting back the front of some to get the stair step effect

and then creating custom shaped gumpaste pieces to mimic those wonderous red awnings

(WAAAAAAA!!!!! why can't I have a theater like that to play in!?!?!??!)

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BTW: just how much of the building does he want??? the whole thing? just the front lobby area?

I think just the front will do, since it's the most architecturally dramatic part of the building. AND THANK YOU DOUG! Your help will be invaluable.

due to rehearsal running overtime by 1 1/2 hours (i'm in cast, not the director or we would have ended on time!)...
I'll have to get to this tomorrow (iffy) or Sunday (more likely)

Whenever you have a chance! I know most people have a life outside of CC (I say most, because I don't and I know I'm not alone), and I just appreciate the help.

I can't wait for Doug's idea post! I've got an idea for the window though....you can make some RI "frames" fill them with clear geletin and then paint them with silver pearl dust...SHINY! Just a thought.....

Oh, that is a good idea. The only thing I could think of was poured sugar and I've never used that before.

ok the beginning....which will get finished starting tues night I hope (this show is killing me! -- another 6 hour rehearsal today! and OH NO! -- they expect me to DANCE -- great a baby elephant hits the stage! -- the kids got in lots of good natured ribbing on just how bad I am at it!)

first -- lots and lots of views of the building. first two rows give us a spin around the building.


note especially the 3rd row that shows the front from many angles basically as if walking from left to right in front of building. This really shows the very unique shape of the wings.

and at the bottom is the architect's original sketch of the building from the side (luckily, I know "ein bichen Deutsch" and was able to do a search in German for more info)

(again-- just how much of the building does he want? the whole thing would feel an army!)


the second image is the beginnings of stacking cake. --- do you want just the building or also the terrace lawn around the building (BTW: the lawn was obviously included as part of the design)

note how at the back (L) you got basic blocks of cake then a triangle of cake to get the slope that merges the fly tower (the big part that sticks up higher than all the rest of the building) into the front lobby -- the rounds that duplicate the 3 story lobby w/ those flying wings (for the theatre nerds out there -- that wedge is the main house of course).
I've included a slab for the terraced lawn under the foundation slab under the rounds.

those wings will be the real challenge as they will have to be made out of gumpaste -- all one piece each and then stuck onto the cake. it's not just the unique (like WOW!) cuts on the front but also the compound curve -- they curve up -- but also have a "cup" (or you might think of it as hump) to them. that will definitely take creating a special from to dry them on.) and then of course they have to bright, vibrant RED! and note how they blend into the stripes on the side of the building.

for windows -- i'd just ice the sides of rounds and then hit w/ luster dust (experiment w/ straight color, pearls, and even combos of them until you get a look at works. Pipe on RI frame lines in dark gray and hit with a dark silver dust.

more on those wings later.

WOW! You certainly don't disappoint! That is awesome! I think we're just going to do the front and maybe the lawn. Would buying red fondant and adding tylose work for the wings? That way I don't have to dye the gumpaste myself.

Good luck with your play btw!

I cannot wait to see this cake when you are done!

That's assuming I don't get frustrated and toss it out the back door for my Great Dane, Lady, to demolish! I hope it's worthy of posting. Any ideas for the kind of cake I should use?

All I can say is wow and good luck. This will be one heck of a masterpiece and what a theater! Doug is the go to man with these sort of challenges -

OMG Doug that is awesome. I looked at this and thought NO WAY would I tackle this cake. You make it look way less intimidating. Good job.

just a dense firm cake...

here's what i use lately and its SUPER yummy and great for carving:

French vanilla box mix (betty crocker, i think)
box of french vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs

mix 30 secs on low.
mix 4 minutes on medium/low

pour into pan, bake @ 325* until done (time depends on size of pan)

I bow to you Doug!!!!!!

Lu

Amen to that lu9129! Doug has a vision that is truly a gift!

Paula

Thanks butterflywings!

back w/ more.

an exploded view that show all the sections of cake and a basic indication of how they would have to be trimmed to fit together (doug's ever favorite gray for trimmings that will become cake balls)

then overlay of stacked parts on the architect's drawing to further show how things fit and have to be trimmed.

the an attempt at how those canopies are shaped -- note how on the "south"side the points each dive back in and are a series of curves and then the really big curve at front that has a huge reverse curve (part circle) cut in it before finally dying back to the "stem" if you will --- soft of a stylized crab claw if you ask me.

note also the canopies are curved like a spoon turned upside down -- both front to back and side to side. (in fact shaped sort of like a round spoon that has been creatively hacked at)

I included the tower and the side extension to add a bit of heft and "grounding" to the lobby -- make is look more like a building. Also, indicate a slab of cake under (or this could be stacked foam core) that can be trimmed to give the terraced lawn that surrounds building.

now -- it's your turn to impress us all and make us INSANELY jealous of your cake decorating skills --- look out Duff -- she's going to out do you!

Wow, thanks Doug! I don't know how you do it, but you're in the wrong profession! You should be a cake engineer! I should send you some cake balls for all your help too!

Wow doug you are amazing!!!

OMG, I thought I lost this thread! Okay guys, I'm doing this cake on Monday. Hope it goes well. I'll post pics here when it's finished. Wish me lots of luck!

amia1024

Baking on Monday? do you mean Monday 26/5???

I take my hat off to you for attempting this cake.
The way Doug has set it out, it looks quite easy.............BUT, I doubt if
I would have the guts to attempt something like this.

I wish you all the luck and hope you manage to pull this off.
Please keep us all posted as I have been watching this thread from the
beginning and can't wait to see the end result!!

Good luck!!! Can't wait to see pictures

Paula