Cake! magazine by Australian Cake Decorating Network August 2014 | Page 40

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Tips and Hints for Gravity Defying Cakes
By Sharon Wee

As decorated cakes become more popular, we are always looking for fun ways to
make cakes that are extra unique and challenging. Sometimes it seems like you
may need a degree in engineering or a tradesman to be able to build gravity defying cakes but really, it’s all about good planning, a little common sense, a visit
to the hardware store, being realistic and a little creativity with what’s available to
you.
Below are some tips and hints to get you started
- Plan and draw diagrams before you start!
- It is advisable to enlarge the picture of what you are planning to make to actual
size to work out your structure strategy and which parts should or should not be
cake.
- Based on the actual sized picture you will also be able to work out how much
cake you need for the project and how many servings you will get out of it. Allow
for a loss of about 10% of servings. If you are in doubt about the servings, you
can always provide a kitchen cake.
- The hardware store is your friend. If you bring in pictures of what you want to
create, most people there will be kind enough to help you work out the best way.
- Make sure you have a strong base board like MDF wood to support your structure.
- Always be realistic and consider gravity. Don’t try and fight mother nature. Also
ensure you have enough weight at the bottom to balance out the weight at the
top. Top-heavy cakes are possible but more stressful when it comes to transportation!
- When planning your cake design, think about small corners or odd shapes how will you cover it? How will you hide the seams?
- Ensure you use a dense cold cake. This makes it easier for carving and to will
ensure it does not fall apart if you need to build it around complicated structures.
- Consider the size of your finalised cake to determine what materials to use. If
it’s smaller or not too complex you can get away with using wood or foamcore.
Have a more complex structure? Consider using metal or thicker pieces of wood.