So my daughter is turning 12 and the only thing she's asked for is a hissing cockroach. For a pet. In my house. Apparently I've lost my mind, because she'll be getting one... and I also want to make her a hissing cockroach shaped cake! I googled around and found one that someone had done, and I'd like to recreate it... any pointers will be greatly appreciated!

Does anyone know how that border around the bottom of the shell was done? It looks like some kind of imprint thing? She wants her favorite chocolate cake with peanut butter filling, so I'll make that and sculpt as much as I can... maybe I'll have to resort to krispy treats for the head? Any ideas on how to handle the antennas? I'm thinking I'll do chocolate MMF for the body, black for the head/legs. The one in the pic looks airbrushed... any tips on how to achieve something like that without that?

A real hissing cockroach, huh? For a pet. Hmmm. Well, I can't say anything - - we had everything from an iguana to flying squirrels to a ball python. You go, mom!

OK - - The Cake. The border around the bottom is done with a fondant crimper - you can find them in just about any cake shop and I think Global Sugar Art carries them. If you don't have an airbrush, you can use a regular paint brush or a sponge - makeup sponges work great. As far as the antennae are concerned, I would use fondant-covered wire (oh, dear - I used the "w" word). If you do the head in rkt, no one's going to be eating anything near it so it ought to be safe enough.

Good luck and be sure to post pics - - I really want to see the finished product!

Sounds like my house! I'm just glad I don't have to buy live food for this pet... it eats stuff I'm going to throw out anyway. Recycling?

Thanks for the info on the crimper thing... I'll check the cake shop in town. As for the airbrush stand-in... do you use a brush/sponge with straight gel color, or dilute it? I've not messed around with that very much.

I'll post pics when it's done! I wish I could make some kind of icky pudding filling for the gross factor, but then she wouldn't eat and and all that work would go to waste.

Sounds like a hoot! Love the idea of the pudding.

You can thin gel color with flavoring (I prefer lemon or mint) or vodka. Since it's a kiddo's cake I'd use the flavoring. Just don't get it too thin or it will drip.

if you have brown petal dust, just use that or cocoa would work as well. Colour the fondant brownish beige and brush on the petal dust and cocoa, that would look better in my opinion than gel colouring and look more natural

Finished her cake last night... got the crimping tool, and some black and cocoa colored petal dust, it really helped to make the shell realistic! The cake is scratch chocolate with peanut butter filling, the shell and head are covered in chocolate MMF. My daughter was THRILLED with it this morning. Thanks so much for the help!

Ok.. Mom!! That's an awesome job!!! Looks so real.. I am not particularly fond of roaches (detest them) but the work is awesome.

Happy Birthday to your daughter

That is a great cake! You did a fabulous job. Yay Mom!

so cool!

FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC !!!! you did a wonderful job Happy Birthday to your daughter <333><

That turned out awesome!