Question About Fondant Coloring And Rkt Cake Topper- To Do Or Not To Do :)

Decorating By lauralee422 Updated 15 Oct 2013 , 1:01am by lauralee422

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lauralee422 Posted 9 Oct 2013 , 4:52pm
post #1 of 15

Hi Guys,  The cake below is one that my Halloween baby (about to turn 5) is requesting for his birthday.  There are many techniques on this cake that I'm nervous about!  I figure if I'm not doing the cake as a job, it's best to try these things out for myself.

 

Question 1:  i really want to get this vibrant green, but my bottom layer is going to be 10".  I find it really hard to color fondant, esp large amounts of it... there is no way I can get pre-tinted fondant in this color.  My options are "Duff" has a great "electric green" food coloring that I can use, but will I get it bright enough?  My second option is buying pre-tinted green, but I only can find a kelly/leaf kind of green.

 

Question 2:  The topper- in this case my bottom is going to be 10", middle layer 8".  I really don't NEED anymore cake... My options are- do a RKT topper (it's probably going to be equivelent to a 6" cake, so I figure it will be super heavy.. I'm worried bc I dont think the 8" can hold all that weight  or second option is to make a 6" cake and carve it (my concern on this one is getting it nice and symmetrical...plus the extra cake issue)

 

I know it's a lot, but any feedback would be SO awesome.  Thank you in advance!

 

CAKE IS AT LINK BELOW- bottom layer is Frankenstein, middle a pumpkin top a cauldron

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/its-a-piece-of-cake/8386435941/

14 replies
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Lynne3 Posted 9 Oct 2013 , 5:05pm
post #2 of 15

Why does the topper have to be edible.  It's a topper.

I would get a cauldron at the craft store.  If you want it to have the "sugar look" cover it in black fondant.  

 

In my experience no one eats RKT toppers.  

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lauralee422 Posted 9 Oct 2013 , 5:07pm
post #3 of 15

I tried that link and for some reason it's not working.  I'm attaching a screen shot of the cake:

 

 

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lauralee422 Posted 9 Oct 2013 , 5:10pm
post #4 of 15

Good point Lynne3-- No one ever eats my toppers.. so the plastic cauldron would be ok but my issue with that would be that I want to do the witch legs and bubbles in the top.. I guess I could fill it with styrafaom...

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Lynne3 Posted 9 Oct 2013 , 5:16pm
post #5 of 15

Yes, fill the cauldron with a ball of foam.  Get lime green candy (or fondant balls) .  Make a really cool witches leg thing and be done.  You can do the topper way ahead of time and be a calm and collected party host.  No need to frazzle at the last minute.  And it's a cute thing to save for a few days after.

Plop it in the middle of a dish surrounded with cupcakes and you have another family celebration moment.  Cute and easy. 

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tami517a Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 4:01pm
post #6 of 15

I am making this cake too! Everyone loves this cute design. Americolor has a Electric Green that is pretty close I think. And I found some Sixlets in the Halloween stuff at Walmart that is the bright green for the cauldron.

 

What type of pan are you using for your pumpkin layer? I have a Bundt pan that will give me a nice round pumpkin shape. I hope. And I am making my cauldron RKT using the Wilton ball pan. The kids around here would be very disappointed if the topper were not edible. They fight over who gets to eat the RKT items and fondant decorations. Lol

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SecretAgentCakeBaker Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 5:41pm
post #7 of 15

AKids I know all want to eat the toppers and cake decorations. They run over to the cake shouting "I want the _____!" When we finally serve the cake, they gobble up the decorations first. I usually bring extra decorations in a container in case there are going to be more kids than decorations. Unfortunately for the kids, if the cake is for my mom, then nobody gets the toppers. She takes them all and keeps them indefinitely in her curio cabinet.

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 5:51pm
post #8 of 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretAgentCakeBaker 

..., if the cake is for my mom, then nobody gets the toppers. She takes them all and keeps them indefinitely in her curio cabinet.

 

how sweet!

 

but the rkt are not that heavy--you can dowel the pumpkin--or you could do frank in foam ;) and the top two tiers edible if you wanted--

 

cute cake!  happy birthday to your 5 yr old!

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 5:54pm
post #9 of 15

oh and you could paint the green on too--even if it was streaky it would be cool

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tami517a Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 6:17pm
post #10 of 15
Quote:
if the cake is for my mom, then nobody gets the toppers. She takes them all and keeps them indefinitely in her curio cabinet.

I'm guilty of that too. I kept the one I made of my son from his grooms cake. And I know the Snoopy doghouse topper got kept. It's on the birthday boy's bookcase in his room. But I have seen other toppers eaten in a lot less time than it took me to make it. One kid bit the head off of his as soon as he blew out his candles. Lol

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lauralee422 Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 1:22am
post #11 of 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by tami517a 
 

I am making this cake too! Everyone loves this cute design. Americolor has a Electric Green that is pretty close I think. And I found some Sixlets in the Halloween stuff at Walmart that is the bright green for the cauldron.

 

What type of pan are you using for your pumpkin layer? I have a Bundt pan that will give me a nice round pumpkin shape. I hope. And I am making my cauldron RKT using the Wilton ball pan. The kids around here would be very disappointed if the topper were not edible. They fight over who gets to eat the RKT items and fondant decorations. Lol

Hi Tami517a-  I already made my pumpkin layer actually.  I used an 8", did 3 layers, and then carved it rounded at top and bottom.  Then I carved grooves in it.  I froze it- and then i'lll thaw it out the day before, put ganache and hopefully smooth it out-  and then cover it with fondant

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lauralee422 Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 1:23am
post #12 of 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by -K8memphis 
 

 

how sweet!

 

but the rkt are not that heavy--you can dowel the pumpkin--or you could do frank in foam ;) and the top two tiers edible if you wanted--

 

cute cake!  happy birthday to your 5 yr old!

Thank you!!  He's so excited.

You've given me the courage to make the topper in RKT!  Thank you-- I'll dowel like crazy!

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tami517a Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 6:00pm
post #13 of 15

I considered carving it but I'm hoping the Bundt pan will result in less trimmings. It's dangerous to my waistline to have that much extra cake around. :-)

 

Please post a picture when you get it done. I'm excited to see how it turns out.

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-K8memphis Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 6:44pm
post #14 of 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauralee422 
 

Thank you!!  He's so excited.

You've given me the courage to make the topper in RKT!  Thank you-- I'll dowel like crazy!

 

 oh how awesome--go for it!

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lauralee422 Posted 15 Oct 2013 , 1:01am
post #15 of 15

ASo I will surely post a pic of this cake when I'm done. I just wanted to give u a status- I made a batch of RKT today, meaning to say a full bag of marshmellos and 5 cups or so of rice krispies. I molded the cauldren, and it came out cute BUT i feel like the scale is off.... i just feel it should be closer in size to, say, a 6" cake. SOOOO since I would make myself nutty, i just made a 3 layer 6" cake, 2 regular rounds one in a bowl.. and i'm freezing it now and then I'll carve it into a cauldren.

All this extra work is probably a waste, but it's a learning process! Thank you for all your help ladies and PS i have eaten all the cake scraps so YES it's bad for my waistline too!

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