3D
Knotty Nightmare
by Julie Biell Manundo @eilujelleib · submitted Oct 29, 2015 · 2015 contest
1 / 20
Description
Here is my 2nd entry for Threadcakes. You'll notice it's not complete.. I had to struggle between finishing the cake and looking after the kids (which is crazy!). So let's just say that this is my version of the design :)
Anyway, when I saw this design I knew I had to recreate it in cake form! But it was really a challenge for me. So I baked a coffee chiffon sheet cake which I then divided to make the head, pumpkin and body. I filled them with coffee italian meringue buttercream, frosted with dark chocolate ganache and covered in fondant.
I used threaded rod as support for the body and head. I started carving the body first then filled and crumbcoat them before I inserted it into the rod, which is not a good idea as it was not in the center so I had to remove it again and insert again until it was in the center. Then I covered it with fondant and attached the neck. Next, I made the arms and left them to dry then I moved to carving the head and the pumpkin.
For the pumpkin, I covered it first with black fondant then I covered it with the orange fondant and did the cut outs of the eyes, nose, mouth and the top part (so when you remove the orange part you'll see the black fondant underneath).
Next is the cloth, I started covering first the bust to waist part coz I need to attach the arms first before I can put on the sleeves. I then painted the cloth with food color+vodka to achieve the patch design. When the arms were a bit dry already, I attached them to the body and just then I thought that I should have put a wire attached to the rod to help support the arms but I did not and so I have to support the arms with sponge and paper towel to keep them up until they were completely dry and hard. Then I made the pumpkin cover small so it will not be too heavy for the left arm. When arms are in place, I attached the sleeves and painted them again with vodka+food color. Then I put on the pumpkin cover and the candle.
Next I made the eyes, nose and mouth and inserted the head into the rod. There was no support for the head underneath so it sank a bit and covered almost half of the neck. The last part and the most difficult is the hair part. I rolled pieces of brown fondant into a long teardrop shape and used a paring knife to make the strands. I left them to dry first before attaching them to the head. At one time I thought of using wafer paper to make the tree-like hair strands and the skeletons but ended up using fondant and finished it there (The moon and bats were just edited using PS).
I'm a bit disappointed not having to finish the design but it was a fun experience for me. At least I get to practice and eat my favorite cake.
Anyway, when I saw this design I knew I had to recreate it in cake form! But it was really a challenge for me. So I baked a coffee chiffon sheet cake which I then divided to make the head, pumpkin and body. I filled them with coffee italian meringue buttercream, frosted with dark chocolate ganache and covered in fondant.
I used threaded rod as support for the body and head. I started carving the body first then filled and crumbcoat them before I inserted it into the rod, which is not a good idea as it was not in the center so I had to remove it again and insert again until it was in the center. Then I covered it with fondant and attached the neck. Next, I made the arms and left them to dry then I moved to carving the head and the pumpkin.
For the pumpkin, I covered it first with black fondant then I covered it with the orange fondant and did the cut outs of the eyes, nose, mouth and the top part (so when you remove the orange part you'll see the black fondant underneath).
Next is the cloth, I started covering first the bust to waist part coz I need to attach the arms first before I can put on the sleeves. I then painted the cloth with food color+vodka to achieve the patch design. When the arms were a bit dry already, I attached them to the body and just then I thought that I should have put a wire attached to the rod to help support the arms but I did not and so I have to support the arms with sponge and paper towel to keep them up until they were completely dry and hard. Then I made the pumpkin cover small so it will not be too heavy for the left arm. When arms are in place, I attached the sleeves and painted them again with vodka+food color. Then I put on the pumpkin cover and the candle.
Next I made the eyes, nose and mouth and inserted the head into the rod. There was no support for the head underneath so it sank a bit and covered almost half of the neck. The last part and the most difficult is the hair part. I rolled pieces of brown fondant into a long teardrop shape and used a paring knife to make the strands. I left them to dry first before attaching them to the head. At one time I thought of using wafer paper to make the tree-like hair strands and the skeletons but ended up using fondant and finished it there (The moon and bats were just edited using PS).
I'm a bit disappointed not having to finish the design but it was a fun experience for me. At least I get to practice and eat my favorite cake.
