Football Helmet Face Mask

Decorating By Mom_of_one Updated 26 Oct 2011 , 4:45pm by BTmom

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Mom_of_one Posted 24 Jan 2011 , 11:55pm
post #1 of 10

I've seen some great football helmet on CC and am attempting my first one this weekend. Any tips you have would be greatly appreciated. My biggest concern is a fondant/gum paste face mask.

9 replies
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llbesq Posted 25 Jan 2011 , 12:15am
post #2 of 10

I made the facemask and let it dry over one of my Calphalon pots (with wax paper under it). When choosing the size, remember to take into account that you will probably carve away some of the bottom of the helmet to make it look more like a helmet. I didn't take that into consideration and when I went to assemble my cake, my facemask was too wide for my helmet. My wonderful husband saved me by his patient "sawing" through the gumpaste and reassembling it as a smaller facemask. It worked, but I don't recommend it icon_smile.gif)

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FlourPots Posted 25 Jan 2011 , 3:34am
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My tip is to have a plan B just in case your facemask doesn't cooperate.

My first helmet (avatar pic) went pretty smoothly. It was small...6" layers, and the 6" ball pan on top.

My second was done with 8" layers and the 8" soccer ball pan.
The mask for that one broke apart...I think it was too heavy.
I scrambled trying to repair it, and eventually just started looking for something non-cake related as a stand-in, but I couldn't find anything, LOL!!!

The "helmet" went on to my nephew's party and I was miserable the whole time. I think it looked awful...you gotta have a stupid facemask!
He didn't care, but I sure did!

I would never make one again without a back-up plan!

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mmmcake0072 Posted 26 Jan 2011 , 2:28pm
post #4 of 10

When I make my helmet cake I wait until the day The helmet has been filled, carved and crumb coated. I then lightly place a piece of plastic wrap over the helmet face. I used my extruder with gumpaste and form the first piece that goes down the sides and forms the first base by the mouth (all one piece). I then place it against the helmet (plastic wrap) and used a small piece of toothpick to pierce the cake to the underside of the face mask. Don't pierce all the way thru you don't want to see the holes. Just enough to hold it to the cake so that you can form it into the shape that you need. I allow to dry overnight before removing to finish the cake. The same day I make the other grills that go across the helmet and hole them up to the "attached "helmet piece to measure < and set the curve ,then set aside to dry a bit. The day that I assemble the cake I put all of the pieces onto the cake and then used my extruder to form the toppiece of the helmet (forehead piece) and attach. I hope this makes sense.

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mmmcake0072 Posted 26 Jan 2011 , 2:33pm
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To attach I use royal icing tinted to match the grill so you don't see it. The horizontal grills are attached to the cake (thru the one grill piece that runs down the side) with small pieces of toothpick in the ends and fondant covered toothpicks to work as the vertical grills that also support the horizontal grills. HTH!

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Mom_of_one Posted 26 Jan 2011 , 5:44pm
post #6 of 10

Boy, I'm nervous! Lol thank you CC'ers for the guidance.

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HaydenSC Posted 28 Jan 2011 , 2:01am
post #7 of 10

After unsuccessfully making making the mask ahead of time once, I decided from then on to "cheat"!

I use a plastic coated wire and mold it to fit the size of the helmet. I cover it entirely with gumpaste/fondant. I used tape to hold the vertical pieces together. Of course I explained that the mask was not edible when I delivered it. I also covered the pieces of wire that went into the cake so I wouldn't be poking wire into the cake.

It was still a pain to cover and mold to the right shape. I just didn't have to deal with breakage or with having a mask that didn't fit! It was a trade off I could deal with!

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tastyart Posted 28 Jan 2011 , 2:37am
post #8 of 10

I used modeling chocolate to form a face mask. It is much stronger than gumpaste and does not need dry time, just a few minutes on the freezer.

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cupadeecakes Posted 28 Jan 2011 , 4:01am
post #9 of 10

I have a helmet in my photos. I made snakes/ropes from fondant/gulper mix and started piecing my mask together using wire to attach the pieces. I too found a pot with a similar diameter and let the mask dry there.

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BTmom Posted 26 Oct 2011 , 4:45pm
post #10 of 10

Aloha from Hawaii! My first post...

I'm trying to make football helmet cake pops. The face mask will be small (I'm having trouble finding something to mold it around). Should I be making the face mask out of fondant or gum paste?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

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