Tardis Cake - Easy Way?

Decorating By GarciaGM Updated 6 Dec 2013 , 1:45pm by CakeChemistry

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GarciaGM Posted 17 Oct 2011 , 1:47am
post #1 of 21

I have a friend who requested a Tardis cake for her husband's birthday. The cake is only for 8 people, but the amount of work for a 3D sculpted cake like that really drove the price up, so she is asking if I could just do a Tardis cake topper and Dr. Who logo instead to save time and money. I was thinking of doing a RKT Tardis topper, but I don't see how that will really save her much over me just doing the entire 3D cake. Do you guys have any thoughts on a quick and easy way to do something like that? I'm not convinced that a gumpaste topper will be any better.

I sort of think she's asking for the impossible, but I thought I'd at least throw this out there and see if you guys have any tricks up your sleeves. Thanks!!

20 replies
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cupadeecakes Posted 17 Oct 2011 , 11:24pm
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Have you worked with modeling chocolate before? If I were making a topper, that's probably what I would use for the topper and the logo.

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jeartist Posted 17 Oct 2011 , 11:48pm
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One of the cake artists on Fabulous Cakes did a Dr Who cake recently with the Tardis on the top. Can't remember which one it was. Maybe the one whose shop was called The Butter End. Anyway, maybe you can run the show online and see how she made it.

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GarciaGM Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 12:00pm
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Thanks Cupadee! No, I haven't worked with modeling chocolate, but I seem to have everything on hand to make a batch. Well, I *say* that. Could I color white almond bark since Tardis is actually blue? I guess I could play around with it since I still have about ten days before it's due.

Jeartist, I tried to find that episode of Fabulous Cakes, but I didn't run across a video of the episode. Thanks for the suggestion, I may keep looking.

I think the bigger problem is that she wants something she's not able or willing to pay for. Any of these techniques will require more work than just a plain ole' cake, and that's where I think the problem lies. (She even suggested using a cardboard cutout for Tardis - was she joking?)

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heyjules Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 12:22pm
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I've been wanting to do a Tardis cake for some time...so I've put a bit of thought into it. I don't think it requires much sculpting...it's a box. But it would take a lot of detail work to make it nice, so you're right about the time there. What about a royal icing plaque on a sheet cake? I think you're right that it's a price issue...maybe that'd be a more affordable option.

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cupadeecakes Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 12:49pm
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Don't we all have the problem of people wanting cakes they can't pay for?! I really like for my cakes to be all edible, but I'm not willing to go broke painstakingly recreating some object for free. In these cases, I suggest to the client that they could perhaps buy a toy or model and I will use that as a topper. They can even keep it and play with it afterwards. Tell them it will be a keepsake of their awesome birthday cake!

Having said that, there are occasions where I have let my foolish heart override my business brain and made something I really wanted to make for less money just for my experience / portfolio.

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GarciaGM Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 1:17pm
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HeyJules, you are right. I don't think it would require much sculpting per se (I was just going to cut a sheet cake into squares and stack them), but it's the detail on the outside that will take time. Too, I think she must be convinced that surely there's a way to make something 3D or at least upright for really cheap (thus the cardboard comment).

And yes Cupadee, I was initially pretty excited about doing such a cool cake, but when she decided that my price was too high, I figured it wasn't really worth it for me. I didn't even know what Tardis was until she asked for it.

Is the modeling chocolate easy to work with? The recipe I saw for it called for corn syrup and chocolate chips. If I used white chocolate chips, could I color that with my Americolor gels, or do I have to buy the powders? I'm just not interested in going to any further expense on this.

Thanks guys!!

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karensjustdessert Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 1:40pm
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Personally, I would do a 2D Tardis, and use it as a deco on the side of a round cake. I'd do a couple of other Dr. Who items (A Dalek, a bow tie,...) as well. Would this be within budget? It would be a somewhat comic book effect if done right.

(I love Dr. Who!!!)

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cupadeecakes Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 1:52pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GarciaGM


Is the modeling chocolate easy to work with? The recipe I saw for it called for corn syrup and chocolate chips. If I used white chocolate chips, could I color that with my Americolor gels, or do I have to buy the powders? I'm just not interested in going to any further expense on this.




I love working with it! It rolls out and molds a lot like fondant. You can cut shapes out of it. Pop it in the freezer for a few minutes and it gets hard and stiff. At room temp, thicker pieces will hold its shape well, but still be pliable. Smaller, thinner pieces will be very flexible, but it won't pull out of shape. You can color your chocolate beforehand with gel colors, but certain colors (like red / black) I use powder color because too much color will cause it to be runny.

I must admit that I'm not a Dr Who fan, but my DH is, and he would want me to make it just so he could help make the TARDIS.

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heyjules Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 3:20pm
post #10 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by karensjustdessert

Personally, I would do a 2D Tardis, and use it as a deco on the side of a round cake. I'd do a couple of other Dr. Who items (A Dalek, a bow tie,...) as well. Would this be within budget? It would be a somewhat comic book effect if done right.

(I love Dr. Who!!!)




That's a neat idea too! Bowties are cool.

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Misoranomegami Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 9:26pm
post #11 of 21

Personally I always wanted to do a Tardis cake! Make a big 2 teired cake blue iced cake (nothing fancy for decor) and hide it in the kitchen. The make a cupcake with no wrapper and ice it in a real simple blue with darker windows. Present the cupcake and then take it in the kitchen to cut it. Bring out full size slices and declare it was bigger on the inside! icon_smile.gif

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carmijok Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 9:57pm
post #12 of 21

Does it have to be a 3-D cake? What if you made it flat?

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mirda6275 Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 10:04pm
post #13 of 21

I made a small Tardis for my husband and sister-in-law's birthday. I made several 4" squares and stacked as a rectangle. Instead of making it tall, I laid it out like a long rectangle. I only put detail work into the top side which saved time ($) and made the pieces out of fondant.

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zetasilver Posted 18 Oct 2011 , 10:14pm
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http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2145520 Benja googled the signs and printed them on normal paper. Maybe it would be ok as a topper made from RKT along with the Dalek and bow tie? Love the cupcake idea by the way...!!

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jswiderski Posted 12 Aug 2013 , 9:41pm
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I too have been asked to make a Tardis cake for an 18th Birthday celebration. The customer says it is for only 10 people. I was thinking of doing a 6" square or an 8" square. I have never made a cake of this magnitude or detail before, and have no idea how to price something like this. Any advice??? I was thinking of using fondant, since I have never used sculpting chocolate for anything but flowers. HELP!!!

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jswiderski Posted 12 Aug 2013 , 9:41pm
post #16 of 21

I too have been asked to make a Tardis cake for an 18th Birthday celebration. The customer says it is for only 10 people. I was thinking of doing a 6" square or an 8" square. I have never made a cake of this magnitude or detail before, and have no idea how to price something like this. Any advice??? I was thinking of using fondant, since I have never used sculpting chocolate for anything but flowers. HELP!!!

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patticake1951 Posted 12 Aug 2013 , 10:35pm
post #17 of 21

My daughter and I made one last year, and we used an angel food square cake and and covered it in fondant She painted it all the way around.

it is supposed to landing on a hill.

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Shannon72 Posted 6 Dec 2013 , 10:14am
post #18 of 21

Hello!  :-DI just found this forum when i was looking up some stuff on Tardis cakes.  I wanted to share the one i'm currently working on. It has to be about 8 years since i've decorated a cake. 

These are the toppers i made for the cake i'm putting together this weekend.  It was my first time using fondant and modeling chocolate.  The fondant is MM and i made both using recipes i found online.  I prefer the chocolate.  I still have to do the "police box" sign but otherwise it's pretty much done.  The cake is a double layered 10 in and it's already been crumb coated in a sort of lavender grey.  I am going to make some wired stars to float about the top. I'm really happy with the way the Matt SMith figure turned out.  It  was a happy surprise that it actually looks like him a little :) Oh, excuse the blinds lol.  The cat is a maniac! 






 

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cazza1 Posted 6 Dec 2013 , 11:16am
post #19 of 21

2 weeks ago was the 50th anniversary of Dr Who.  Getting side tracked here but 30 years or so ago (showing my age here) I signed a petition to keep Dr Who on air when they wanted to axe him.  He has come a long way and matured a lot since then but hasn't all t.v.

Back on track.  Paul Bradford did a Tardis Cake on his tutorial site to celebrate. You might not want to join the site but you can still have a look at the cake to give yourself ideas.

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CakeChemistry Posted 6 Dec 2013 , 1:43pm
post #20 of 21

ATry not to overthink the tardis! Think in shapes. It is a box, covered in fondant with squares on it of different sizes to pick out the bevelling and the windows! Use small square cake tin, piece your fondant to get it flush. Print out a tardis net off deviant art http://cyberdrone.deviantart.com/art/Cubee-Classic-TARDIS-1980s-173833443, size it appropriately, use these as a template to cut your windows and bevelling out of fondant. Stick on. Pick out detail with paint. Voila. Ganache your cake to get the square edges crisp if you are a stickler for detail like me.

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CakeChemistry Posted 6 Dec 2013 , 1:45pm
post #21 of 21

APs GERONIMO! Love the time and relative dimension in space xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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