I have a dragon cake due Oct 3. I have made all of the gumpaste parts. Started the board and will be doing the RKT head and neck this weekend. I ordered the cake sparklers. What I want to know is can I cut the fondant scales in advance or will they crack when I apply them? I plan on using a WASC recipe and maybe ganache. I may have more questions down the line. http://cakefixation.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-make-fire-breathing-dragon-cake.html

I have found that it takes longer to do that part ahead. I think the scales will be harder to glue on when dry.

When they are fresh and damp, they will adhere without sugar glue 

Holy smoke!  I just looked at those instructions!  My ADHD kicked in real quick and I started scanning...I can't wait to see this cake Batterup!

Me too!!! I saw thsi tutorial. I am a hobby baker but I think you could make the scales in advance? It is such a detailed cake i would try and do as much in advance

I have been studying this for months. I was originally supposed to make it for the couples younger daughter  earlier this month but something came up on their end so I am doing it for their older daughter. The husband is doing $500 worth of home upgrades in exchange...

This is what I have done so far as well as 1 wing. I bought my rice krispies this afternoon and will probably start those tomorrow. (Promised myself to set firm working hours 6-5 as I was working straight up to 10pm every night and making stupid mistakes!) It was kind of hard to judge what size to make the spikes and horns since I don't have the body sitting in front of me...If anyone has any tips or advice I'm open.

I would definitely not punch out the dots ahead of time.   You are going to want them to be flexible and bend all around the body.   Just have a helper punch them out while you put them on.  

I've learned to wait to do some things ahead of time...like spikes & horns until I'm sculpted.   Those little kinds of thing (with tylose) will harden fast and can be made once you are sculpted.   Sometimes, like you said, it's just hard to judge the size of some things.  

I do understand getting all organized and getting as much done ahead as possible.   I like doing that too. 

I can't wait to see this!

I wish I had a helper!!! Lol...well I hope I don't have to redo them. Although they weren't as time consuming as I expected. I know I will begetting stressed as time closes in.

Batter it might be too late this time, but for next time print out the pic of the cake the size you want it to be. Then use that as your guide for sizes of premade pieces like nails, eyes, ears, ect. Then use the same print out as your guide to sculpting. Then every thing is in sync. I agree with Ddaigle don't make them in advance. Make them day of. Just get your texture board. Cut the circles press on board and attach. They will lay better on the curved dragon and less cracking. If you make them in advance they are going to have one shape.

The little scales on the face CAN be done in advance. They are so small that the curves won't affect them.  I remember the trade for this cake and wish you luck it

looks like a super fun cake!

AI remember when you started talking about this! Your getting your new cabinets right?!

Anyway, one of my favorite bloggers Angie from Sugar Sweet Cakes mentioned making pieces in advance and she stuck them in the freezer and said they were still pliable when she pulled them out. Might be worth trying for some of them if you want to work ahead. I've seen the cake and that's a ton of work :)

It will look really cool when you're finished

new built in shelving unit....I think the toughest part is cutting all of those circles. I may try freezingsome fondant circles for a couple of days as a test. I'm going to at least go ahead and color all of my fondant (5 lbs!!) and probably decorate the head ahead of time....

AIf you don't mind me asking how are you cutting the circles?

I have a set of circle cutters...one at a time! lol

AAwwww good luck!!

Grrrrrrr....I was going to do Swiss chocolate WASC with Peanut butter Swiss meringue filling. But she asked the little girl and she said vanilla/strawberry. Am I the only one who gets annoyed when out of about 30 flavors people ask for the same thing they always eat. I don't even have vanilla cake on my menu. I know, I know it is their cake and they should have whatever they want but I don't like making the same ol flavor they could get anywhere.

AI use Fondarific and it will stay soft for a whole. If you placed them in between Saran Wrap and laid them flat in a large ziplock you could also try to do the circles in advance that way.

AI showed my son that cake when I tried to make one for him - I told him - mommy isn't that good honey. But he still loved his Nightfury (little on the brown side) ;) and it Did breathe Blue Flame candles! :-D Good luck!

I don't see it being that difficult, just time consuming. I know how to carve cake, sculpt RKT's, and cut fondant circles. I wouldn't attempt it if it was supposed to be smooth fondant. I don't expect it to turn out perfectly and Jessica is fine with that (we go back years)and if it turns out even close Olivia will love it. We'll see how the head and neck come together tonight! But I am confident that I can produce a close facsimile.

ok..here is the head. I bought marshamallows from the dollar store and Coco Dyno Bites rice cereal in the 60 oz bag for $5.50!. I am going to let it set up more. Should I cover it with regular chocolate or candy clay?

If you add more crispies to the neck and lips I think you'd be fine with covering with chocolate.

It was a bit hard to tell from the tutorial but I think the lips aren't as protruding. Otherwise if you used the MC you could sculpt it after you put it on. You are doing great. Looks really smooth already!

I crush my RKT up before I make the batch so I don't have a bumpy sculpt. It also helps with the cellulite look that a sculpt can show.     Since you have a few holes, I would use white chocolate and fill in the holes before covering.    I always use white chocolate on my RKT sculpts before covering in fondant.  Looking good so far!!

I did crush them but apparently not good enough. Last time I actually mixed the MC in with the RKT's because they weren't holding their form. This batch of RKT's were great to work with.  I just made a batch of candy clay so I am going to try that first. It will fill in the holes and it's easy to smooth in out with a warm finger...I'llsee how that goes. Luckily the fondant doesn't have to lay smooth so the little bump will be easy to mask. I mean what self respecting dragon doesn't have war wounds from fighting?

True...most dragons haven't had facials! LOL  Gonna be fun following this.

I'd take off the 'lips' before covering, that will be even more exaggerated once covered, otherwise it might look like he's pulling a duck face :)

The mouth is defined liked yours, but tapers in, instead of puckering(?) I don't know how else to describe it, haha.

I meant smooth compared to the tutorial ...lol that thing was LUMPY...but again its not gonna matter once covered with chocolate and scales.

It looks out of proportion without the body and the build up at the back of the neck to the body  EDIT: I just went and cut some lips off...Looks better

just a thought.

Rolling out fondant, letting it semidry and layer them one on top with corn starch (say 5 layers) and use a cutter to cut through all at a time; so you get 5 instead of 1.

Has anyone tried this ? will this even work ?

I may give this  a try