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Decorating 101:
Dummy
Cakes |
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The rising popularity of decorated "dummy" cakes or "dummy"
tiers in the last few years for wedding cakes has
helped reduce costs for the bride and groom.
Dummy cakes are fake cakes whose base is made from Styrofoam, which are then
covered with fondant, royal icing or other materials and decorated, just like a
"real" cake. More and more brides are using decorated
dummy cakes for show and having their less expensive real cake baked in sheet
pans waiting in the kitchen for easy cutting, plating and service.
Sometimes, certain cake tiers can easily be substituted for dummy cakes which
are iced in exactly the same way as the real cake. It is a
cheaper alternative to have a multi-tiered cake than to have every layer made of
cake.
There are other uses for dummy cakes. They
have been used at cake shows for years. You can also practice covering a cake
with fondant using a dummy cake or decorating and frosting techniques.
You can order cake
dummies from a cake decorating store:
Round Cake
Dummies;
Square Cake
Dummies;
Multiple
Shapes;
The Dummy Place, CT 860-875-1736
 Question:
I am teaching and would like to make a keepsake wedding cake easy enough for 3
and 4 year olds for a teacher who is getting married next week. Could you help
please? Thanks, Kathi
Answer:
Styrofoam dummies are covered or "iced"
with fondant, royal icing
(make sure its pretty thin; let crust for several minutes and then smooth),
drywall spackling paste (it dries really fast, though) or
PermaIce
sold in cake supply shops, which gets my overall vote (real icing has to be
treated like real icing; ie, humidity can soften royal icing, can't easily clean
the dummy cake, bugs are attracted to sugar, etc.).
Some tips:
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Before covering, when I do a dummy cake for display, I wrap it
with saran wrap, contact paper or shrink wrap it and then decorate it. This
way, I can easily take off the wrapping and use the dummy over again, as long
as it isn't really dented. Other tips:
http://www.baking911.com/asksarahbb/viewtopic.php?t=484
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| If using real icing, the cake must be treated like a real
cake. Dust collects easily and is hard to clean off. Spackling and PermaIce
are easy to clean and won't fade if placed in a window setting; real icing
will. |
| Decorate the dummy just like a real cake. I use a royal
icing, mix icing sugar (10x, or confectioner's) with water until I get a loose
spreadable glaze, let it sit for one or two minutes to get tacky and then lay
the fondant on. I have display cakes that have been done this way that have
lasted for months with no problem. Make sure the icing is not too wet though
or the fondant will slide. The only things you need to remember are that royal
must not be mixed in greasy bowls or with greasy utensils, and that it dries
quickly if left lying about your kitchen unsealed. I use it for all my display
purposes (it's practically indestructible) and have come to really love the
stuff!! |
| What about using drywall spackle? I learned about this from
Christopher Lowell, of all places. He made a "dummy" cake and used a big tub
of drywall paste as icing. I made one and even was able to pipe it through
some of my larger tips. |
| If you put fondant on dummies, you might want to soften the
edges by cutting the harsh edge away with a knife and making it more beveled.
You could probably get away with doing the cake several days to a week in
advance if you cover the finished cake to help it not dry out. I'm not sure
how fast fondant dries out in your area, it all depends on the weather and
humidity. |
| When making a dummy cake, you can
apply the fondant right to the Styrofoam. MOISTEN the Styrofoam with a damp
paper towel and then apply the fondant to it. (Make sure the Styrofoam isn't
too wet; you just want to dampen its surface). The water works like glue. Make
sure the "dummy" cake is smooth, first. If it isn't, you can cover the dummy
cake with other materials, such as royal icing that is smooth. Make sure it is
tacky, not dry, so the fondant can adhere to it. |
| Decorate the dummy just like a real cake - first ice and
seal with royal icing, then ice and decorate with buttercream icing to match
the other tiers. |
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