3D Finalist
Soft Serve DTG
by Kara Andretta · submitted Sep 30, 2013 · 2013 contest
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Description
This monkey haunted me since last year as my favorite Threadless design. So when I decided to enter this year he was my go-to design. I had to start by creating a virtual blueprint of what final cake would be, starting with a print of in the size of the final cake and broken down into measurements to determine how much cake would need to be baked and how much ganache and modelling chocolate would be needed to fill and coat.
All elements of the cake were made from scratch in my kitchen, even the modelling chocolate. The cake was white Amaretto with a morello cherry dark chocolate ganache to fill and coat.
I cut all of the base circles first in graduating order for the bottom of the cone, then assembled and coated in ganache. After I threaded that part onto the centering dowel (the only structural element of the cake) I began carving the cup of the cone and then the monkey himself atop that.
Once all the carving was completed I gave it a smooth coat of ganache before the modelling chocolate finish. The modelling chocolate was applied all over using a template for the base of the cone and freestyle for the remainder. I had to carve all of the fur and hand cut the waffle grid for the cone. It was applied with a sugar glue. After the shape was complete and the sculpted hands, ears, and face were added I began dusting.
I used only Hershey's Dutched (Special Dark)cocoa powder mixed with some powdered food coloring to warm the brown color. At the end I hand rolled the tail (no structural support within)and chilled it before assembling to the cake. I finished the cake board with white wood-like slats made of modelling chocolate.
The cake took about 30 hours to complete from baking to ready to eat. I was testing out some new products from my favorite distributor so we were all anxious to eat it, and it was fantastic! The morello cherry dark chocolate ganache was out of this world! I also loved the flavor of the Amaretto, I love almond flavored anything, so this flavor paste hit the nail on the head.
I took time lapse recording of the entire assembly process with an app (LapseIt) for my iPhone and the sequence can be found in the links below. Watch them in the following order:
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/10914
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/10944
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11022
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11032
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11036
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11046
In the end, it was served as a birthday cake (score! two birds, one cake!) for my brother and sister.
All elements of the cake were made from scratch in my kitchen, even the modelling chocolate. The cake was white Amaretto with a morello cherry dark chocolate ganache to fill and coat.
I cut all of the base circles first in graduating order for the bottom of the cone, then assembled and coated in ganache. After I threaded that part onto the centering dowel (the only structural element of the cake) I began carving the cup of the cone and then the monkey himself atop that.
Once all the carving was completed I gave it a smooth coat of ganache before the modelling chocolate finish. The modelling chocolate was applied all over using a template for the base of the cone and freestyle for the remainder. I had to carve all of the fur and hand cut the waffle grid for the cone. It was applied with a sugar glue. After the shape was complete and the sculpted hands, ears, and face were added I began dusting.
I used only Hershey's Dutched (Special Dark)cocoa powder mixed with some powdered food coloring to warm the brown color. At the end I hand rolled the tail (no structural support within)and chilled it before assembling to the cake. I finished the cake board with white wood-like slats made of modelling chocolate.
The cake took about 30 hours to complete from baking to ready to eat. I was testing out some new products from my favorite distributor so we were all anxious to eat it, and it was fantastic! The morello cherry dark chocolate ganache was out of this world! I also loved the flavor of the Amaretto, I love almond flavored anything, so this flavor paste hit the nail on the head.
I took time lapse recording of the entire assembly process with an app (LapseIt) for my iPhone and the sequence can be found in the links below. Watch them in the following order:
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/10914
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/10944
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11022
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11032
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11036
http://www.lapseit.com/gallery/11046
In the end, it was served as a birthday cake (score! two birds, one cake!) for my brother and sister.
