Help! How In The World Is This Mushroom Done?
Decorating By MacsMom Updated 5 Apr 2009 , 4:29pm by solascakes
Debbie Brown's book 50 Easy Party Cakes has a fairy toadstool cake that looks the same structurally. Here are the directions that she gives:
"Fairy toadstool: Divide mixture equally between 2 1-litre ovenproof bowls. It gives a baking time of 1 1/2 hrs.
Then (of course, when done and cooled) trim the crust from each cake and slice the top of one of the cakes flat. Turn this cake over to form the base of the toadstool. Next hollow out the centre of the second cake to make the room. Keep a rounded edge and level off where the cake has risen before cutting down a further 1 in. Trim the sides so the roof edge is slightly uneven. Turn the cake upside down and trim a ridge around the top to create a sloping roof. Spread a layer of buttercream over both cakes" (Brown pg 26).
I don't know if this will help at all, but after all of the help you have given me, I couldn't help but at least copy verbatum from a book for you!
Here are more toadstool/mushroom cakes with reader submitted instructions
http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/homemade-cake-recipe.html
I would use the huge cupcake pan and carve it a little, i don't know maybe it would be too small, just an idea though 
Debbie Brown's book 50 Easy Party Cakes has a fairy toadstool cake that looks the same structurally. Here are the directions that she gives:
"Fairy toadstool: Divide mixture equally between 2 1-litre ovenproof bowls. It gives a baking time of 1 1/2 hrs.
Then (of course, when done and cooled) trim the crust from each cake and slice the top of one of the cakes flat. Turn this cake over to form the base of the toadstool. Next hollow out the centre of the second cake to make the room. Keep a rounded edge and level off where the cake has risen before cutting down a further 1 in. Trim the sides so the roof edge is slightly uneven. Turn the cake upside down and trim a ridge around the top to create a sloping roof. Spread a layer of buttercream over both cakes" (Brown pg 26).
I don't know if this will help at all, but after all of the help you have given me, I couldn't help but at least copy verbatum from a book for you!
Thanks! I have no idea what those instructions mean, though 
But I may just stop in Borders and peek at the page!
It sounds like the mushroom cap is just set directly over the stem, but carved to fit (concave/convex)? No tortes with fillings?
Here are more toadstool/mushroom cakes with reader submitted instructions
http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/homemade-cake-recipe.html
Thank you! It sounds like all of these were made in bowls - I haven't seen any mention of filling. I have to use filling because I will be making her wedding cake so it's sort of a combo cake for her dad/sample wedding cake flavor 
I really wanted the rounded roof edges but I'm so afraid of cake falling off! She will be driving this to the restaurant herself.
I found this! I found this!
http://clairesmakeanddo.blogspot.com/2007/12/fairy-toadstool-cake-not-so-easy.html
But how in the world is the top supported? I'm not sure I want to make a cake that will be difficult to cut/serve...
Edited to add I found this, too. No need to go to Borders!
http://books.google.com/books?id=gE3kmznKCGgC&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=fairy+toadstool+cake+instructions&source=bl&ots=RjlBh9LBme&sig=wUx5BRAaaInOZc3nXqLnjvGxkjo&hl=en&ei=mKzRSeGVIYfCtAORquzKAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result
YAY!!! I was trying to figure out a way to scan/send them to you! That is the exact one that I was talking about. Sorry that they didn't make sense, now they may make more sense?!? Hopefully!
I forgot that I was going to add about the torting. These cakes are basically for beginners. I am imagining that she does everything the easiest way possible, but you are far advanced, and I am sure can pull it off! I am thinking that the top of the mushroom is pretty hollow and pretty much sits on top. Leaving the bottom solid, which could easily be torted.
The cake in Debbie Brown's book is quite small. If you bake a fairly dense cake, you don't need additional supports. If you fill your cake with buttercream and keep it cool (I refrigerate my cakes), it will hold. The rounded edges aren't a problem. The roof sits on fairly large surface, it only seems to be a big difference. The rounded edges even add to the stability of the whole.
If you want to make a bigger cake or to be on really safe side, you can see the whole as a special case of two level topsy turvy. Make the lover part (in bowl or in rounds and cut it). On the top, be careful to get it really level. The upper part - turn it upside down, cut the part for the mushroom cap in the middle. Get the "bottom" as level as you can - use cake spackle if you have to.
You can set then dowels through the bottom part of the mushroom, set a cake board on top of this. Set the cap part of the cake.
I tried to make a picture - red and yellow can be the filling (for the upper part, don't cut larger than the green part in the picture. If it is smaller, you are safe.
Black are supports under the top green part (cake board, on top only, useful for supports only). One large dowel through the whole, needed only for the transport.
The whole will have a good stability - the whole green part supports the cap.
And now the picture:
Wow, thanks majka_ze! You spent a lot of time answering my question - it was a huge help.
I was awake in bed last night thinking... what if I wrapped the edge of the cake board (top tier) in RKTs? I just don't want to mess up this cake so she doesn't stress out about her wedding cake, and I'd hate to bake it in a bowl and end up with overcooked edges and an undercooked center.
You don't need to bake it in bowls. You can bake simply 2 round cakes, torte them and carve. The bigger cakes would be used for both tiers as bottom, the smaller cake as the upper part of both. Carve each tier separately to form the mushroom. If you get solid crumbcoat on top of each tier and good layer of fondant, this helps further to hold each tier together. As whole, it has much better stability than all the ball cakes you can see here on CC.
How big would you make it?
You don't need to bake it in bowls. You can bake simply 2 round cakes, torte them and carve. The bigger cakes would be used for both tiers as bottom, the smaller cake as the upper part of both. Carve each tier separately to form the mushroom. If you get solid crumbcoat on top of each tier and good layer of fondant, this helps further to hold each tier together. As whole, it has much better stability than all the ball cakes you can see here on CC.
How big would you make it?
I really like your plan the best. My pans are all 2" deep and I was afraid the edge of the "cap" would fall if I cut a hole in the center of a stack of 2" cakes. But I can attempt to make some sort of collar for the cake to rest on, as you have in your drawing, and glue the cake down with BC...
My original plan was to make it using that method in the first place (taper the sides of stacked cake rounds), BEFORE I looked closely and realized that the edge of the cap was curved under.
I'll post a pic when I have it finished Saturday.
I've made this style cake before and agree with all majka_ze has stressed; however, I find that no matter big or small these cakes need the support system she illustrated in her diagram so do not use any shortcuts in that area including the central dowel through the middle for transport. I find that most all of Debbie Brown's cakes need more support than she ever lists in her books. Relax and have fun with this. Majka has really done a good job by way of explaination...
I've made this style cake before and agree with all majka_ze has stressed; however, I find that no matter big or small these cakes need the support system she illustrated in her diagram so do not use any shortcuts in that area including the central dowel through the middle for transport. I find that most all of Debbie Brown's cakes need more support than she ever lists in her books. Relax and have fun with this. Majka has really done a good job by way of explaination...
Okay, I'm going for it. Thanks a ton for everyone's help! I'm pouring the batter in the pans as soon as I post this....
That makes so much more sense with the diagram! I will have to try this one day!
That makes so much more sense with the diagram! I will have to try this one day!
I didi it! I use 2" rounds, stacked, filled and carved. I had to place the top part upside down inside a bowl to support while I carved the bottom edge. I took photos before I added a mailbox - I wanted to make sure I got pics before my client arrived, and then I had time to make the mailbox.
sooo cute! fabulous! you must be very proud
MacsMom that cake is beautiful,anyway all your cakes are lovely
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