Creating a Carved 3D Car Cake: 1967 Shelby Mustang

I realize I haven't posted here in quite sometime, okay, well over a year.  Things have been CRAZY busy both for cakes and with the family.  All good :).

I am going to try to carve out more time to post on here.  I'd like to say weekly, but monthly may be more realistic.  I would love some topic suggestions.  Feel free to comment or email (barbara@nccakeparties.com) with suggestions/requests.

A few months ago, I was working on a 3D car cake and made notes so I could share here what goes into making an (almost) to scale, hand carved, very detailed car cake.  Then I got even busier, and well, now I am finally getting around to posting what I wrote.  Here is the condensed version of the process.


One of my projects for this week (other than bookkeeping, blah) is a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500.  SO much goes into making a car cake, I thought I'd post a short overview of the prep work.

Okay, so I've already received pictures and spoken in depth with the client ordering this cake.  We've planned the flavors (pound cake with strawberry filling) and figured out colors (bright blue).

Sunday:  Purchase some of the ingredients for cake and icing (eggs, butter, cream cheese, milk, cake flour, sugar, strawberry)...I already have in stock some of the other items.

Monday:  Purchased non-edible supplies - thick foam board (for support) & styrofoam block (for riser).

I'll also need dowels, an exacto knife, ruler, tape measure, calculator, hammer, pencil sharpener (for cake use only, no pencils), freezer paper, tape, black paper, glue, cake boards, scissors and I'm sure a few other items I'm forgetting to list here.  Those I already have.

Tuesday:  Print up blueprints for Shelby and find exact specs/measurements so I can figure out the exact scale of the cake (www.the-blueprints.com is AWESOME for this task).  Work out some formulas and create a template for the cake.  Cut the boards and supports to size based on the formula results.  This takes a few hours.

Wednesday:  Make icing.  Make ganache.  Make modeling chocolate.  Color fondant.

Thursday:  Bake & cool cake.  Make filling.  Fill cake, wrap tightly and let settle overnight.  Wrap cake board.

Template set up for fine tuning.

Friday:  Crumb coat, carve, crumb coat again, ganache.  Build up details with modeling chocolate & fondant.  Cover with fondant.  Cut away fondant to reveal some of the underlying details (i.e. windows).  Add trim, mirrors, paint detail.  Airbrush for added color/sheen.  Make wheels.

Ganache coating.

Saturday morning:  Hand paint finishing touches (i.e. chrome).  Support  car so it looks raised.  Attach wheels.  Add message on cake board.  Photograph cake (I seriously wish I had a permanent photo booth setup so this would not take 20-30 min.).

Saturday afternoon:  Clean the mess (thank God for hubby).  COLLAPSE with a glass of wine.

www.nccakeparties.com

Bright Gift Boxes

Cakes are 10" & 6" Vanilla cake with cookies n creme filling, fondant icing & decorations.

Cinderella Cake

I made this cake as a donation for the local middle school's Cinderella Cast Party, the top tier matches the cover of the Playbill. All 3 tiers are vanilla cake with mocha filling, covered in fondant (over buttercream) icing with fondant swags & glittery stars. The shoe and flowers are gum paste, white flowers & shoes are highlighted with pearl dust to give a shimmer.

The kids did a fabulous job on the play, congratulations to Mills Park Middle School Spotlight Theatre!

Black Belt

This cake is a 13x9 Vanilla Caramel half chocolate fudge, half with coffee cream filling; generously iced with buttercream and covered with fondant. Black Belt and collar are fondant, lettering is hand piped then painted gold. 36-50 servings.

Wilton Cake Decorating Classes

Updated:  Oct. 16, 2012

July 2012 was my final month of teaching Wilton Classes.  Due to the increasing demand of my custom cake business and the fact that my kids are becoming even more involved in various activites, I just couldn't fit it all in anymore.  Teaching 3-4 evening classes each week meant missing out on most of my kids baseball games and school events, and of course, nothing means more to me than being there for my kids.  Thank you to all of you who have been my students.  I have truly enjoyed getting to know you and sharing a common interest.  The good news is, you can still learn from me with private lessons or group decorating parties through my business, Creations by Barbara, Ltd. (www.nccakeparties.com).  Feel free to check my website and follow my updates on my Facebook business page, Creations by Barbara, Ltd.  I have greatly enjoyed teaching Wilton Classes and meeting so many wonderful people.  I love teaching and am lucky to be able to continue to do so through Creations by Barbara :).  My business email is:  barbara@nccakeparties.com .

I love everything cake and am so excited that I get to share that passion with others. I got my start in cake decorating with Wilton Classes and a wonderful teacher. I am thrilled to now teach Wilton Method classes at A.C. Moore!
If you have an interest in cake decorating, Wilton Classes are a great opportunity to learn!
See www.nccakeclass.com for my class schedule and details on how to register.
Feel free to email me directly: barbara@nccakeclass.comI hope to meet you soon!

Rockin Dino

I created this cake for two brothers sharing a birthday party. One wanted a dinosaur themed cake, the other wanted a Rock n Roll themed cake, so the creative mom asked for a Rockin' Dinosaur. 9" Vanilla cake with chocolate filling, the icing and dinosaur is made from scratch buttercream, the lettering is fondant. Run sugar guitars are placed all around the sides.

Pink and Orange

Fun, bright and colorful!!!! This cake was inspired by a Pink Cake Box design (I LOVE their work, check them out at www.pinkcakebox.com). Fondant icing and details, caramel cake with mocha filling.