I Can Dream it up But Can't Make It

CanadaSue · 11-06-2011, 08:35 PM

I was watching an episode of Top Chef: Just Desserts & a dessert that was made as part of the competition got my attention. The contestants had to recreate a scene from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. One contestant added a neat touch of whimsy - cake pop carrots that children could pull out of the 'ground'.

My mind had fun with that & I conceptualized a neat 'cake'. It might take a long time to make - not having the baking/decorating skills required - I don't know but it might make a neat specialty cake for a retirement party for a Master Gardener, Head Horticulturalist or something of the sort.

Imagine a big box - say 4' x 6' or something with with chocolate crumbs to represent soil. Using different flavours of cake pops & different types of decorative icing - fondant, etc. appropriately coloured, a baker could fashion little carrots, radishes, parsnips, turnips & onions - any crop you pull out of the ground. Different decorative icings could be used to make pea & bean plants, celery, cabbages, etc. A gardener/baker could have a blast with that. I'm sure they'd have the skills to work out supports for the plant 'stems'. Little butterflies, ladybugs & earthworms could also be made.

I can't help thinking of kids pulling these little snack sized 'veggies' out of chocolate crumb 'dirt', then eating them. I think they'd have a ball. Wish I had the skills to make one...

But here's the idea for someone to steal - just post a photo if you ever do it!

blue gecko · 11-06-2011, 10:05 PM

I have a friend that does this kind of thing. She just won the regional contest of "Cookin with the Boss" with her cake that looked like a crawfish boil! It was very cool. I'll mention the idea to her, she'll love it!

blue gecko · 11-06-2011, 10:22 PM

Her reply:

Trinity wrote: "sounds like fun! don't know when i'll ever have time but it's one of those neat ideas i'll file away for a rainy day! thanks!"

Twoolf · 11-06-2011, 10:23 PM

http://candy.about.com/od/marzipanca...pan_carrot.htm

CanadaSue · 11-06-2011, 10:26 PM

Twoolf, those look so real.

I'd love to see somebody grab that idea & run with it & with luck, win a big contest with a honking big prize. I love watching those shows, especially the cake ones. It's incredible what skilled cake artists can do. I admire their talent but it's not something I aspire to doing. You've got to have a genuine love & passion for it - I simply have admiration & the odd idea.

rb. · 11-06-2011, 10:57 PM

Sue, that sounds like a great idea for a kid's birthday party!

If you're interested, there's a local (to me) woman on Cake Walk on Slice, Wed. At 9. I've never watched the show, but I'm recording it. She's been doing cakes from home for a few years, trying to break out. Her name is Jeanette.

Feather · 11-07-2011, 12:44 AM

One year my SIL had a cake made for my FIL's birthday and it looked like a planted field with a toy tractor. It looked so real. I wish I had a picture of it.