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Help!!! Fist of Rock cake

post #1 of 19
8/6/12 at 2:34am
Thread Starter 
Hi all

I am making a 'fist of rock' cake, and I'm really struggling with the actual devil horns hand. I'm using sugar dough and I just can't get it right. Originally started trying to do it in one solid piece but it's too big and heavy and can't support itself, so then I tried making the fingers individually with the idea that I will assemble and smooth the gaps at the end - but the 'bent' fingers are breaking up already.

Please help, I'm running out of time - has anyone made one successfully and how? Or any advice on modelling large objects in sugar dough in general would be SO appreciated right now!! icon_sad.gif

Rosie
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post #2 of 19
8/6/12 at 5:13am
The hand is too large to do well without any internal support. Also, I think 100% sugar dough is not the way to go. You can use a dowel surrounded by RKT or a fondant/tylose mix.

The fingers should not be individual. Instead they are merely "bumps" off of the main structure. Sort of like hills and valleys.

I always find it easier to make a good internal support. In the end it saves a lot of time and gives you something that you don't have to sorry about
LL
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post #3 of 19
8/6/12 at 6:45am
Thread Starter 
How would I go about making the support as you've shown in blue? Nightmare, I'm so going to run out of time :/ I've only ever made models soley from sugar dough.

We don't really have the RKT stuff over here, it's a very US thing! But I'm guessing what that would do is give a lightweight internal 'base' to build over?
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post #4 of 19
8/6/12 at 6:57am
Thread Starter 
OK, I've found a guide on here for RKT. I'm going to give it a go.

So, to be clear - would I still need the internal support for an RKT middle/core, or do I just make a 'block' of RKT and then carve/shape it and then cover in sugarpaste etc for colour and to add the detailing? I suppose I am not sure how to make the internal support...
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post #5 of 19
8/6/12 at 7:57am
Don't stress. The work in any figurine that's tall is the support. Once you have that. You are really on an easy road.
I don't know what you have available to you.

In my area I can easily get PVC pipe, wooden dowels, cardboard tubes. All of these work.

It depends on your product availability.

Do you know how to screw things together? I'm not asking a silly question. I was like a person with no ability years ago. Then I got a screw gun and I was like a master builder. Funny how capable we are when we need to be.

I would get a fat wooden dowel and a thin rectangular piece of wood. I would screw the rectangular piece of wood to the top of the wooden dowel. Then I would screw two narrower dowels to the top of the rectangular piece of wood. Those would be the support for your two fingers that stick up.

It sounds like a lot but it's really just about 4 or 5 screws and you're done.

Make sure you let the main dowel be long so it has length to stick into your cake.

If you prefer you can use a plastic pipe. It's wide, (about the width of a human wrist) and do the same thing with a need for less RKT on the arm part.
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post #6 of 19
8/6/12 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
Ahh ok, I suppose I had in my mind the plastic rods I use for internal tier support on the cakes, and couldn't see how they would fix together.

I am pretty handy with DIY stuff - typically my drill/screw driver completely died last week when I was decorating!! But I will try to borrow one and also try to find a DIY store near here tomorrow lunchtime for wood.

I like the plastic pipe idea, although, would they be hollow? Like thin drainpipe? If so, would you just push the end of that into the cake, or what? I guess I could disinfect it first, or am I not picturing the same thing as you? icon_smile.gif

Thanks so much for your help so far, I'm still stressing due to time but I may just pull it off :/
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post #7 of 19
8/6/12 at 10:08am
New PVC pipe from the store is just as clean as cake pans you buy from a bakery supply store. You just wash and use like any other product.

Yes, plastic pipe would be hollow.

If it is a normal height cake (4"), you can just push it in. You want to try to make the hand light in weight. There's no benefit to something heavy

.
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post #8 of 19
8/6/12 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
I think it will be 3" high, but I can measure as the icing layers & fondant will add some. That is great, it is what I had in mind from what you said but wanted to be sure.

I will go to the store tomorrow and see what they have and what looks like will work. Then I'll get learning about RKT. This could go either way!! icon_biggrin.gif
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post #9 of 19
8/6/12 at 1:31pm
If you use RKT remember, it is hard for RKT to stick to the smoothness of PVC. You can file (roughen up) your PVC, and do the following.

What I do is melt some marshmallows and paint it onto the PVC pipe. While it's soft I add the RKT.
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post #10 of 19
8/7/12 at 7:03am
Thread Starter 
Sorry - one more thing before I start on the RKT... I've got the dowel so I will assemble a frame, but with the RKT, so what do I do? Make it up and apply it while it's still warm/pliable kinda thing? Do I do it in layers and let each dry or get it all on there in one hit? Do I apply too much and carve/shape it back?

Sorry for all the questions, you really are helping SO much, I'm so grateful!
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post #11 of 19
8/7/12 at 7:54am
If you use a wooden dowel, there will be good "stick" for the RKT. Remember, the RKTs really compress a lot. You are not trying to do layers. You want to use a good size block. I would use a warm rectangle of RKT and roll them around the dowel. Remember, they have tons of air space that you will press out, so you want to have the RKT thick so after you compress them, they are the diameter that you are looking for. Try to keep the smooth side of the RKT on the outside and press inward, not rolling like a rolling pin.
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post #12 of 19
8/7/12 at 11:31am
Thread Starter 
OK! So I've read loads of stuff on here about RKT and am giving that on it's own a trial run tonight, i.e. making it, having a play, seeing how fast it sets up, that kinda thing, then pressing it into a box to see what it's like when set tomorrow and how it handles once set. I'm going with blitzing the RKs in a FP first too.

I've done my wood frame, but screws didn't work as the wood I have is pretty thin (like 15mm) so even with small screws it just splits when I try to join them, so I'm going with glue! I'll see how it looks & feels tomorrow and could try tape to reinforce I guess.

So tomorrow evening is the test! The frame will be done and I will mould RKT around it and see what happens. If that doesn't work then I have the back up of the solid RKT that I've made tonight that I could carve - or basically forget it, and, cry. Hahah.
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post #13 of 19
8/7/12 at 2:22pm
I did a Father's Day cake with the the rock n roll hand sign for my boyfriend, I am having trouble attaching it, it's in my photos.. I made it out of rice krispie treats and modeling chocolate. when it was time to put in in the cake I put a lollipop stick in it and then put it on the cake.
Good Luck...post a photo so we can see how it turns out!
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post #14 of 19
8/7/12 at 2:43pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason-Lisa

I did a Father's Day cake with the the rock n roll hand sign for my boyfriend, I am having trouble attaching it, it's in my photos.. I made it out of rice krispie treats and modeling chocolate. when it was time to put in in the cake I put a lollipop stick in it and then put it on the cake.
Good Luck...post a photo so we can see how it turns out!



Oooo please more details!! Did you: Use a frame/support? Mould the RKT while warm, or carve from a cold block? How much detail did you get in the RKT before covering (ie how much was modelling chocolate)

Slightly running out of experimentation time now so any advice is SO gratefully taken!!
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post #15 of 19
8/7/12 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 
I checked your photo - nice! How big was the hand? Life size?
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