Our church is having a party for missionaries leaving for France next week and I've been asked to do a surprise cake at their send-off party (Sunday). I'd really like this to be special for them. I would really like to do a suitcase with some cute details, a chocolate transfer Eiffel tower sitting on top and the couple sitting in front of the eiffel tower having a picnic. I could do the suitcase in choc. buttercream or fondant- but I've never covered a cake in fondant before. What do you think would look better? Also, I've never done figures before either. Can you please advise me on this cake and/or point me to a book, video or tutorial that may help? I know I'm still learning the "ropes" of cake decorating, but I'm willing to work really hard on this cake. The couple leaving for France has been planning this mission for sometime now and are very sweet people. I'd love for them to walk in the room and see a cake that is personalized and celebrates them. Thanks so, so much for your input. I truly need it and appreciate it so much

Okay, I went and bought some play doh today to give "free hand" figure sculpting a try - and it's definitely not something I can do! A Kindergartener could do better! LOL Is there a way I can use anything as a "mold" to get these done? TIA

Aine2 has some great tutorials for sculpting figures. I had VERY limited experience with this but once I watched her tutorials it just made sense and I got a lot better.

I use a mixture of MMF and Gumpaste (50/50) and they dry in about 48hrs depending on the size of course.

If you click on the "member list" tab above and search for "aine2" she has the link to her youtube tutorials in her profile.

I've never made a suitcase cake but I think if you're uncomfortable with fondant that chocolate bc would be just fine and delicious. You could make the Eiffel Tower out of Rice Krispy Treats to get some height and dimension.

It sounds like a great cake and I'm sure they'll love whatever you come up with.

Have fun!

Thank you so much - off to find the tutorials right now

http://extra-icing.blogspot.com/search/label/HOWTO

OK I did a little searching for you and here's a link to some of her tutorials. I think once you go to one, you'll see some others by different people that may also help you.

I love Aine2's work, her figures are so inspiring........she's a true artist!

I hope this helps you as much as it did me...........the little St Paddy's cake topper in my photos was made after I watched her videos.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for finding that for me. I've went from monster-looking to pig-like to Q-bert. I wonder if that's progress? LOL

If free-hand sculpting isn't working, have you considered using molds designed for polymer clay? I read somewhere that they work for fondant/gumpaste, and I know they have people molds at Michael's, etc.

People molds? I would be thrilled to have a solution like that! Anyone have experience with these? Advice much appreciated, thank you!

I have gotten several food-safe molds for all manner of things (people too) from first impressions molds. (Put all the words together and add the traditional dotcom) and used them with candy clay. You could also use gumpaste, etc...... easy, peasy!

editted to add that they have directions there as well.

The molds I was referring to are simple, small and inexpensive, and in the Sculpey section at Michael's. The ones at the website mentioned here are gorgeous, but expensive and very detailed.

I'll settle for anything that helps mine look less alien and sesame-street like!

I might scrap the fondant figure idea for this cake. I think I'll need the molds to make it look nice. I'm thinking the same base - suitcase with chocolate buttecream - with chocolate transfers to represent France. I'll have the Eiffel tower in the background - what else should I add? Poodle? The flag? What else says "France" to most people? TIA You have all been so helpful

I have never gotten a catalog. The molds are fabulous though. I don't think I have any cakes on here where I used them......oh, yeah I have one. The Halloween one. The tombstones are from their molds and choc. candy clay. You can't tell from the pic, but they even had cracks and skulls and inscriptions on the tombstones. So much little detail and so easy to do.
They may be more than you want for this purpose, but I recommend them highly.

France: cigarettes and skinny bitch*$ eating chocolate. Salut!

And if anyone is offended by that, get over it. I am way jealous of skinny French women. And their cigarettes.

I threw this together the other day experimenting with candy melts, thought it might help you! I printed out Word-art and used it as an outline, made two of them waited for them to harden and then connected them at the edge with more candy melts.

Wine bottles...bread....cheese...sunflowers (are they reminiscent of Tuscany or the French countryside?)

Kitty...that's gorgeous!

I made a retirement cake for a lady moving to France. I made the Eiffel tower (didn't look awesome but I got over it), lamp posts, a sidewalk, tables with mini vases and flowers coming out of them. There are so many things you could put on this, but I definitely love your suitcase idea! You could either make some cool labels for it or get some edible images!

Ohh......how about the Arc de Triomphe? I have made stand-up chocolate transfer statues before, from internet pictures, and they turn out pretty fun! Of course, you have to know Richmond to recognize my statues, but the local crowd was quite enamored of them.

Kitty that was very nice of you! Looks great! I love it!

Kitty: How pretty! If you have a minute, could you PM directions to me? I'm not sure what Word-art is? TIA

You've got mail. Thanks for the compliments! I was playing around and there wasnt a cake for it to go onto, but the next day when my husband bit it in half it still hurt a little!

i LOVE LOVE LOVE using molds!....i use almond bark in them....it's goof proof.

Amymnn...lovin your avatar!

littlecake: How does the almond bark take color? I have been using wilton melts to make my candy clay, but the bark would be cheaper.

you use candy colors...they are sold near the candy melts...they come in a 4 jar pack at my hobby lobby

This website has the best price I've been able to find for people molds but they are still a little expensive http://www.icingonlinestore.com/product_info.php?products_id=629