SERGON !! HELP!
My son loves penguins and for his kindergarden bday party i want to make him a penguin cake here is a link to some ideas but http://www.securecakestore.com/acatalog/Penguin.html also http://www.flickr.com/photos/foamcow/74408514/in/set-72057594113764098/ but im thinking for the first one i dont have a round mold like that nor can i find one would a metal mixing bowl be too weak to bake in ? And also for the smaller one how do i make edible little characters like that ... ive read about a thing called maripan i think but i dont know how to use or what...
im thinking if i cant make the big one i would like to make three small white rectangle ones and place them on top of each other to make like an iceburg then make a bunch of edible penguins kicking it but i have no clue on how to make edible little guys like that ... anyone have any ideas please share your baking expertise!
Den
19 years ago
How about making the first one but laying down...then you could just use two round cake molds. That one is made with fondant, but if you aren't familiar with fondant, I'm sure you could ice it in an easier manner.
Sarah
19 years ago
Ooooh a subject I know stuff about!
Ok, for the 3D one...
Do -not- bake in metal mixing bowls, you will ruin them. Now that that's out of the way, some tips.
You have three options for this. You can go to a craft store (Michael's, Hobby Lobby) and buy a mold , you can purchase glass pyrex bowls (considerably less cost prohibative) in the shapes you need, or you can bake several 8' cake rounds, stack them on top of each other and shape them with a long, very sharp, serated knife.
Fondant is crazy easy to use. You can buy it pre-made and rolled in lots of different colors, all you have to do is remove it from the package and lay it on your cake. Or if you're feeling froggy, you can make your own.
For the second cake, you would use marzipan to make those little guys. Marzipan is also very easy to use, however you will have to do all the coloring yourself. I recommend using Wilton gel colors (found at local craft and kitchen stores)
Marzipan is easy to come buy, but quality marzipan is not. If you have a gourmet food store near by, look of rit there. Or try a kitchen specialty store. Do -not- buy it at any place like Bed Bath and Beyond, and try to avoid the little tubes of it at the grocery store, unless your store usually carries good quality gourmet items. The best quality marzipan is going to have German on the packaging.
Of course, you can always make your own.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have anymore questions hon, I'll be glad to answer them.
Ok, for the 3D one...
Do -not- bake in metal mixing bowls, you will ruin them. Now that that's out of the way, some tips.
You have three options for this. You can go to a craft store (Michael's, Hobby Lobby) and buy a mold , you can purchase glass pyrex bowls (considerably less cost prohibative) in the shapes you need, or you can bake several 8' cake rounds, stack them on top of each other and shape them with a long, very sharp, serated knife.
Fondant is crazy easy to use. You can buy it pre-made and rolled in lots of different colors, all you have to do is remove it from the package and lay it on your cake. Or if you're feeling froggy, you can make your own.
For the second cake, you would use marzipan to make those little guys. Marzipan is also very easy to use, however you will have to do all the coloring yourself. I recommend using Wilton gel colors (found at local craft and kitchen stores)
Marzipan is easy to come buy, but quality marzipan is not. If you have a gourmet food store near by, look of rit there. Or try a kitchen specialty store. Do -not- buy it at any place like Bed Bath and Beyond, and try to avoid the little tubes of it at the grocery store, unless your store usually carries good quality gourmet items. The best quality marzipan is going to have German on the packaging.
Of course, you can always make your own.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have anymore questions hon, I'll be glad to answer them.
Mirabela
19 years ago
Wow that was so great !! Plus links! Thanks Shay and KAY!
Den
19 years ago
You can make penguins out of royal icing too, can't you Kaytana?
Sergon
19 years ago
Im not a baker but reading the responses I think your in good hands.
S
S
Mirabela
19 years ago
How does marzipan taste? Im trying to decide which way to go.
Den
19 years ago
Marzipan has an almondly flavor...and is used a lot to make small fruit decorations and candies...but its softer than Royal Icing...which is used to make those decorations you see in the market...in the cake sections.
Leilu
19 years ago
After looking at the penguins on the second cake, I bet you could make them with some kind of orange candies (my first thought was candy corn, if you can still get the solid ones), a big marshmallow and licorice or tootsie rolls for the head and arms. Just soften the harder candies a bit and you can mold 'em all over the place. Then you could buy those edible candy eyes, I bet in most grocery stores, I know I've seen them in mine.
Sarah
19 years ago
Sorry I was out of town all weekend...
You could probably make those out of roal icing if you wanted to. Just pipe them with a thick consistancy and leave them in the open air to harden. Royal icing is not maliable, but can be piped into hundreds of shapes, it is also very fragile and difficult to move around if you don't pipe it directly on the cake.
Marzipan is an accuired taste and most children do not like it, if they have not grown up eating it. It is a bit bitter and the texture is weird, kind of like natural peanutbutter that has been made more solid, yeah ok it's hard to describe.
Leilu has a good idea of using candy to make those little guys. Marshmallows for the body, licorice gumdrops for the head and arms, candy corn for the beak and maybe circus peanuts or orange slices for the feet. Though I think marzipan will work best.
You could probably make those out of roal icing if you wanted to. Just pipe them with a thick consistancy and leave them in the open air to harden. Royal icing is not maliable, but can be piped into hundreds of shapes, it is also very fragile and difficult to move around if you don't pipe it directly on the cake.
Marzipan is an accuired taste and most children do not like it, if they have not grown up eating it. It is a bit bitter and the texture is weird, kind of like natural peanutbutter that has been made more solid, yeah ok it's hard to describe.
Leilu has a good idea of using candy to make those little guys. Marshmallows for the body, licorice gumdrops for the head and arms, candy corn for the beak and maybe circus peanuts or orange slices for the feet. Though I think marzipan will work best.
Mirabela
19 years ago
Thank you guys for all your input it helped soo much!
Today was his class party here are some pics of how it came out, not great, ghetto and homemade but made with love! And he loved it!
yes he is holding his penguin in his hand
Today was his class party here are some pics of how it came out, not great, ghetto and homemade but made with love! And he loved it!
yes he is holding his penguin in his hand
Sarah
19 years ago
OMG!! So cute!!!
You did a great job!!!
*huggles the penguins*
You did a great job!!!
*huggles the penguins*
Den
19 years ago
LOL -- That turned out just super, and I'm sure he did love it, and was proud of his mom for making it. But how did you end up making the little critters?
Mirabela
19 years ago
I prayed and God told me Brownies~! I was gonna do Marizapan but when I saw the price there was no way I could afford it for as many as I wanted to do, so I baked brownies let them cool for 4 mins then molded them with my hands i then cut and placed that fondant stuff for the tummies and face and just regular yellow icing for the beaks and feet and chocolate icing for the eyes put it in the fridge for ten mins so they wouldnt run ...
the kids had such a great time playing with them they were making them talk to each other and everything then they ate the brownies!
Thank you soo much for your education / help guys I I love to learn new stuff!
the kids had such a great time playing with them they were making them talk to each other and everything then they ate the brownies!
Thank you soo much for your education / help guys I I love to learn new stuff!
Sarah
19 years ago
What an awesome idea! I'm going to have to make brownie penguins now!
Mirabela
19 years ago
you have to do it roughly within ten mins out of the oven max the first batch of brownies i made i let them cool for about fifteen mins and they were way to set to still be pliable enough to take shape
about 5 mins after out of the oven works well. it feels like you are playing hot potato as you mold them going ooww ooow aahhh ahhh but then the shape holds really well when it cools no heads rolled off or anything. =D
about 5 mins after out of the oven works well. it feels like you are playing hot potato as you mold them going ooww ooow aahhh ahhh but then the shape holds really well when it cools no heads rolled off or anything. =D
ROzbeans
19 years ago
HAHAHAH how cute is that??!!!