http://www.winbeckler.com/roland.asp

You have to take a look at this guys website. Can you believe this is all cake?!

Oh wow! i bet that took forever!!

Okay, I can appreciate how detailed, difficult and meticulous this cake is... but it completely skeeves me out!

Roland Winbeckler is a renowned decorator and a fabulous figure piper.

He is always at every ICES convention. When he was at Columbus, Ohio, he had a life size figure of Christopher Columbus in the lobby of the hotel. He gave a class in doing these life size models at that convention.

He builds an elaborate support system with wood, and supports all the tiers of cakes with drinking straws.

He has several books he has written.

drinking straws??? I would be SOOOOOOOOOOOOoo nervous!!1 I have a book of his on doing sheetcakes and buttercream flowers.......that guy is insanely talented!!

Drinking straws or Boba (bubble) straws? (Not that you don't drink out of Boba straws....)

Boba straws would be much sturdier. Drinking straws - I think I'd be freaking out, too!

I kid you not....drinking straws. For instance, the legs are separate wooden poles with small cakes on them. Then at the "hips" the wood support would be fastened to the legs, so that weight is carried by the wood, not the "legs." Most of those cakes are assembled on site though I believe he said he has transported also....I think!

Not only is he a talented decorator (along with his wife Marsha), but they are incredibly nice! I look forward to seeing them whenever I am at cake camp or ICES.

I agree with Sweetflower. They are very humble and approachable. Marsha is known for her rolled buttercream work.

If anyone gets an opportunity to take a class from the Winbecklers, they will be pleased with the results.