I have been thinking about making a cake similar to this for my BIL. I think that I would make the funnels out of Gelatin Icing. I've used this for castle cake turrets and it works great. Just make the icing. Then wrap an object in cling wrap. Mold the icing around it and then allow it to dry for several days. It hardens but is still very fragile, so be careful when removing your cling wrapped tube.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks. I hadn't actually thought of using cling wrap. I'm not one for technical things so I may try wrapping a handle of some sort. Just have to find one the right size. I am doing the bottom (as in the sea) out of fruit cake covered with fondant. Mixing atlantic blue with black. And the ship out of date loaf and covering it with grey for the bottom and white for the top decks. It's all planning at this stage but I will get to playing next week lol.
What I have done to make a funnel is I went to the DYI store (home depot) you know that pvc piping, I brought just a small piece the size I wanted my funnel and cleaned it very very well. Then coat it in crisco wrap your fondant around it and piece the seam together and leave it to dry. Once it starts to dry you should be able to move it on the pvc pipe just enought to losen it and leave it till fully dry. It will just slide right off.
Hope that helps :)
I don't think we have Crisco here in New Zealand Debbie but I should be able to get something similar. I might have to look at the professional shops. Your comment about pvc piping made me smile. For quite a few years, about 10 I think, my rolling pin has been a piece of orange pvc pipe lol. I couldn't find a rolling pin wide enough so snapped up a builders left over and hey presto a rolling pin. I am actually quite nervous about doing this cake. I have always used shop bought fondant, but this time I am making my own marshmallow fondant. I had a taste of some a month back and was sold. Here's hoping it turns out.
Hi There,
Crisco is just shortening. I have a cake in my photos which is a airport and I made the control tower like that.
Worked out ok.
Can't wait to see some photos of your cake.
Good luck with it.
Cheers
Debbie
I just finished a Titanic cake(pics on my page) I used RCT covered with modeling chocolate and fondant for the funnels. It was super easy...
This is waht I was going to suggest. Either rice crispie treats, or perhaps a cardboard toilet/paper towel roll.
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Is there anywhere on here (I am new lol), that has a fairly easy recipe for marshmallow fondant?
Marshmallow Fondant (MMF)
- 16 oz Bag Generic Mini Marshmallow’s (not Jet Puffed)
- 2 lbs C&H Powdered Sugar, Shifted to remove any lumps (abbreviated "PS")
- 2 Tsp Water
- Shortening or Crisco (keeps the MMF from sticking to surfaces)
- 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup (optional, makes it more pliable when adding color)
Directions:
1) Coat a microwave safe bowl with 2 Tbsp shortening, add marshmallows, sprinkle with water.
2) Coat a spatula really well with shortening.
3) Microwave for 30 sec intervals, stirring really well with the spatula in between each interval. DO NOT microwave for more than 3 intervals (it will break down the marshmallows and you end up with a ton of air bubbles in your finished product). Stirring really well will help distribute the heat and melt the marshmallows thoroughly.
4) If needed, add any flavoring or color to the melted marshmallows (see Hints below). You can always add more coloring to it as you are kneading in the PS so don’t worry if you don’t get the color you want initially.
5) Grease a table or counter top really well with shortening and add ½ of the PS onto it. Create a well in the PS and pour the melted marshmallows into it. Grease your hands with a thick coating of shortening and knead the powdered sugar into the melted marshmallows (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow to cool and see Hint #1 below).
6) Keep rubbing more shortening into your hands as needed. Add more powdered sugar and keep kneading until it forms a smooth ball of dough and is no longer sticky (feels a lot like play dough). Coat the dough really well with a thick coating of shortening, cover in saran wrap tightly, cover again in a 2nd layer of saran wrap and store in an air tight container or Zip Lock Bag overnight (sugar incorporates and any lumps melt away).
7) Knead again until soft before using it: If too dry, add a few drops of water or if sticky, add more PS.
Notes:
1) I have never used the entire 2 lbs of Powdered Sugar. Depending on the weather and humidity, I use anywhere from 1-1/2 lbs to 1-3/4 lbs.
2) Optional: When making colored MMF, add a tsp of Corn Syrup to the MMF as you are kneading in the PS. It makes it more pliable especially if you make darker colors. When I make white, I don’t find a need to add the Corn Syrup.
3) You can store the MMF at room temperate for about 3 months, in the fridge for a couple months or in the freezer for a very long time. Just keep it wrapped and let it come to room temperature before using it. If really hard, zap in microwave for about 10 secs to soften it slightly then knead by hand.
4) You can make the MMF by using a powerful Kitchen Aide (KA) with a dough hook, coat bowl and hook really well with shortening. I personally like doing it by hand; you can feel if the dough is the right consistency. When I've used the KA, the PS gets compacted along the bottom and sides of the bowl which I have to scrap off leaving large lumps of PS in the MMF...not good, plus more dishes to wash after wards.
5) If the MMF is too stretchy, let it sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to cool down and settle a bit, you may have overworked it and got it too warm. Also, MMF will take more PS if too warm so don't add more than the 2 lbs or else you'll end up with a big, lumpy, crumbly ball once completely cooled.
Hints:
1) Don’t dig your hands into the melted marshmallows or else you will get a big, sticky mess on thy fingers. You want to FOLD the PS into the melted marshmallows and after doing this a couple times, you will be able to handle the marshmallows without it sticking like glue to your fingers. If you do get a sticky mess on the hands, rub them with PS and it will peel right off.
2) Use flavored jello’s to flavor and color you MMF. Add a large, 6 oz box, of Jell-O Mix into the melted marshmallow and stir it really well and quickly to melt it all in. Or you can also use Candy Melts. I haven't used the melts yet I am eager to give it a try soon.
3) Dark colors become darker over time, so be sure to give yourself 2-3 days to get the shade you need and to allow the colors to mature completely.
4) Red MMF: As difficult as everyone says it is to make red, I am glad to say that I have succeeded (see Ferrari Cake). How? When the marshmallows are melted, add 1 large box (6 oz) of Strawberry Jello and stir really well (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow’s to cool down before adding the PS). This gives the MMF a pink base to start with. Then added a ½ oz of the Wilton No Taste Red to it. Kneed in the PS and add more of the red coloring a little at a time. Don’t worry if it is not very red; Dark colors darken over time. Coat the dough with shortening, wrap tightly and store in an airtight container. Let it sit overnight. On the following day, knead the dough more and add more red as needed. For the red on the Ferrari Cake, I made the MMF 3 days ahead, kneaded more red into it on day 2 and let it just sit and rest until I used it on day 3. It smelled and tasted deliciously like strawberry jello!
Thanks for the recipe. I will post a pic when it's done, about a week from now.
Will be looking for it!!!
RKT can be molded by hand, or inside a coated paper towel roll or pipe of some sort to make a perfect molded piece.I then melt chocolate bark-bc it is cheaper than candy melts and works just as well-and paint it on the RKT.This makes a perfectly sold/stable piece, helps to smooth out bumps in the RKT and the taste is much better this way! Then just cover it in fondant and viola!.If you want, add a rim of fondant on top edge to increase the height of each stack and make it appear hollow.you can then also insert any form of smoking agent here for added effect if you want! Or make some grey cotton candy to mimic smoke puffs coming from them without having actualy smoke.plus then anther edible element to shock people with! Good luck!
Wonderful red June! I do the same procedure, minus the Jello-o when i do not airbrush it. will have to try that.great tip!
June Kowalczyk said:
Ok Dianne......posted recipe I use below
Recipe & Hints - Marshmallow Fondant (MMF)
by Sugar Sweet Cakes & Treats on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 7:08pmMarshmallow Fondant (MMF)
- 16 oz Bag Generic Mini Marshmallow’s (not Jet Puffed)
- 2 lbs C&H Powdered Sugar, Shifted to remove any lumps (abbreviated "PS")
- 2 Tsp Water
- Shortening or Crisco (keeps the MMF from sticking to surfaces)
- 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup (optional, makes it more pliable when adding color)
Directions:
1) Coat a microwave safe bowl with 2 Tbsp shortening, add marshmallows, sprinkle with water.
2) Coat a spatula really well with shortening.
3) Microwave for 30 sec intervals, stirring really well with the spatula in between each interval. DO NOT microwave for more than 3 intervals (it will break down the marshmallows and you end up with a ton of air bubbles in your finished product). Stirring really well will help distribute the heat and melt the marshmallows thoroughly.
4) If needed, add any flavoring or color to the melted marshmallows (see Hints below). You can always add more coloring to it as you are kneading in the PS so don’t worry if you don’t get the color you want initially.
5) Grease a table or counter top really well with shortening and add ½ of the PS onto it. Create a well in the PS and pour the melted marshmallows into it. Grease your hands with a thick coating of shortening and knead the powdered sugar into the melted marshmallows (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow to cool and see Hint #1 below).
6) Keep rubbing more shortening into your hands as needed. Add more powdered sugar and keep kneading until it forms a smooth ball of dough and is no longer sticky (feels a lot like play dough). Coat the dough really well with a thick coating of shortening, cover in saran wrap tightly, cover again in a 2nd layer of saran wrap and store in an air tight container or Zip Lock Bag overnight (sugar incorporates and any lumps melt away).
7) Knead again until soft before using it: If too dry, add a few drops of water or if sticky, add more PS.
Notes:
1) I have never used the entire 2 lbs of Powdered Sugar. Depending on the weather and humidity, I use anywhere from 1-1/2 lbs to 1-3/4 lbs.
2) Optional: When making colored MMF, add a tsp of Corn Syrup to the MMF as you are kneading in the PS. It makes it more pliable especially if you make darker colors. When I make white, I don’t find a need to add the Corn Syrup.
3) You can store the MMF at room temperate for about 3 months, in the fridge for a couple months or in the freezer for a very long time. Just keep it wrapped and let it come to room temperature before using it. If really hard, zap in microwave for about 10 secs to soften it slightly then knead by hand.
4) You can make the MMF by using a powerful Kitchen Aide (KA) with a dough hook, coat bowl and hook really well with shortening. I personally like doing it by hand; you can feel if the dough is the right consistency. When I've used the KA, the PS gets compacted along the bottom and sides of the bowl which I have to scrap off leaving large lumps of PS in the MMF...not good, plus more dishes to wash after wards.
5) If the MMF is too stretchy, let it sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to cool down and settle a bit, you may have overworked it and got it too warm. Also, MMF will take more PS if too warm so don't add more than the 2 lbs or else you'll end up with a big, lumpy, crumbly ball once completely cooled.
Hints:
1) Don’t dig your hands into the melted marshmallows or else you will get a big, sticky mess on thy fingers. You want to FOLD the PS into the melted marshmallows and after doing this a couple times, you will be able to handle the marshmallows without it sticking like glue to your fingers. If you do get a sticky mess on the hands, rub them with PS and it will peel right off.
2) Use flavored jello’s to flavor and color you MMF. Add a large, 6 oz box, of Jell-O Mix into the melted marshmallow and stir it really well and quickly to melt it all in. Or you can also use Candy Melts. I haven't used the melts yet I am eager to give it a try soon.
3) Dark colors become darker over time, so be sure to give yourself 2-3 days to get the shade you need and to allow the colors to mature completely.
4) Red MMF: As difficult as everyone says it is to make red, I am glad to say that I have succeeded (see Ferrari Cake). How? When the marshmallows are melted, add 1 large box (6 oz) of Strawberry Jello and stir really well (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow’s to cool down before adding the PS). This gives the MMF a pink base to start with. Then added a ½ oz of the Wilton No Taste Red to it. Kneed in the PS and add more of the red coloring a little at a time. Don’t worry if it is not very red; Dark colors darken over time. Coat the dough with shortening, wrap tightly and store in an airtight container. Let it sit overnight. On the following day, knead the dough more and add more red as needed. For the red on the Ferrari Cake, I made the MMF 3 days ahead, kneaded more red into it on day 2 and let it just sit and rest until I used it on day 3. It smelled and tasted deliciously like strawberry jello!
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