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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Cake Making Help - Orca
Yes, you read that right! My son wants me to make him an Orca/Killer Whale cake for his birthday. I have made some kids cake - but am totally not an expert at this. I have a couple of thoughts on how to do it, but am open to your suggestions or thoughts. So, I am not good at carving things and needed the basic shape of the whale and ended up ordering this dimensional fish cake pan. I am going to try to attach the picture. I am also not good with fondant, so need to come up with another way to make it look smooth. The look I am going for is also in the other attached picture. I ordered Wilton sugar sheets for the eyes and was planning to use dark chocolate ganache - with black dye gel added - to frost. Have you worked with ganache for that purpose? Any tips? Any other suggestions? Image Attachment(s):
Message edited 10/18/2018 10:19:50 AM.
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Posted 10/18/18 9:05 AM  |
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PearlJamChick
No one sings like you anymore.
Member since 7/10 9264 total posts
Name:
Petticoated Swashbuckler
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Does Carvel still make Fudgie the Whale? Because that’s what I would do 
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| Posted 10/18/18 9:47 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by PearlJamChick
Does Carvel still make Fudgie the Whale? Because that’s what I would do
LMAO- me too!
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| Posted 10/18/18 10:06 AM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by PearlJamChick
Does Carvel still make Fudgie the Whale? Because that’s what I would do
LMAO- me too!
I think that they do and I would love to do that! But my son always likes the more "realistic looking" things, LOL. I just updated with pics of both.
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| Posted 10/18/18 10:19 AM |
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LuckyStar
LIF Adult
Member since 7/14 7274 total posts
Name:
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Cake Making Help - Orca
Not underestimating your abilities, but....a bakery!
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| Posted 10/18/18 1:36 PM |
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Momma2015
Mommax2
Member since 12/12 6656 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
You can totally do this!!! Personally, I think carving it might be easier, but if you feel more comfortable using the pan then go for it!
You may need to cut off the scales though so you can get it really smooth. When I need a smooth buttercream cake, I personally like to use a meringue icing (Italian Swiss meringue is my go to). If you're using a crusting buttercream, you can use paper towels (anything without a pattern on it will do), to get it really smooth. There's tons of sites with tips about it. Here's one: Link.
ETA: You will need to break out the fondant for the fin on his back, but that's easy enough. Just make sure you do it ahead of time enough to let it firm up. Or else it will be a sad orca in capitivity. lol!
ETAA: Oh I just saw you wanted to use a ganache, personally I wouldn't. I find ganache either to be runny (for drizzle cakes) or too firm to spread nice and smooth. Just my personal experience.
Message edited 10/18/2018 1:50:07 PM.
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| Posted 10/18/18 1:45 PM |
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NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!
Member since 5/11 10413 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by LuckyStar
Not underestimating your abilities, but....a bakery!
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| Posted 10/18/18 3:37 PM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Momma2015
You can totally do this!!! Personally, I think carving it might be easier, but if you feel more comfortable using the pan then go for it!
You may need to cut off the scales though so you can get it really smooth. When I need a smooth buttercream cake, I personally like to use a meringue icing (Italian Swiss meringue is my go to). If you're using a crusting buttercream, you can use paper towels (anything without a pattern on it will do), to get it really smooth. There's tons of sites with tips about it. Here's one: Link.
ETA: You will need to break out the fondant for the fin on his back, but that's easy enough. Just make sure you do it ahead of time enough to let it firm up. Or else it will be a sad orca in capitivity. lol!
ETAA: Oh I just saw you wanted to use a ganache, personally I wouldn't. I find ganache either to be runny (for drizzle cakes) or too firm to spread nice and smooth. Just my personal experience.
Thank you for your feedback. I may give the meringue a try! I have never used ganache - love eating it - so your feedback was very helpful on that. I could make the fin out of of these wilton black sugar sheets that I bought or take your suggestion about fondant. I also, as a back-up plan, bought an orca shaped cookie cutter and am thinking of making a boxed cake - rectangle cake, frost in blue and putting a couple of the the orca shapes on it that I will cut from the wilton black sugar sheets.
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| Posted 10/19/18 3:24 PM |
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Lauren82
LIF Adult
Member since 10/06 4580 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
I would use modeling chocolate for the fin.
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| Posted 10/19/18 4:06 PM |
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Momma2015
You can totally do this!!! Personally, I think carving it might be easier, but if you feel more comfortable using the pan then go for it!
You may need to cut off the scales though so you can get it really smooth. When I need a smooth buttercream cake, I personally like to use a meringue icing (Italian Swiss meringue is my go to). If you're using a crusting buttercream, you can use paper towels (anything without a pattern on it will do), to get it really smooth. There's tons of sites with tips about it. Here's one: Link.
ETA: You will need to break out the fondant for the fin on his back, but that's easy enough. Just make sure you do it ahead of time enough to let it firm up. Or else it will be a sad orca in capitivity. lol!
ETAA: Oh I just saw you wanted to use a ganache, personally I wouldn't. I find ganache either to be runny (for drizzle cakes) or too firm to spread nice and smooth. Just my personal experience.
Lol I don’t know what any of this means!
It would be fudgie for me too
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| Posted 10/20/18 2:07 PM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11487 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Fudgie or bakery is what I would do. That looks complicated. I love to cook, but my time is important as well.
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| Posted 10/20/18 2:45 PM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
I have zero advice but please post a pic if you do it! I think it’ll be really cool
Just watch a ton of YouTube videos if you can find them.
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| Posted 10/21/18 10:11 PM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Message edited 10/21/2018 11:14:30 PM.
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| Posted 10/21/18 11:13 PM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Lauren82
I would use modeling chocolate for the fin.
Do you buy or make this? I did a practice cake this weekend and in a pinch, ended up cutting the dorsal fin out of toast and coved in frosting. It actually worked really well.
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| Posted 10/21/18 11:14 PM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
I have zero advice but please post a pic if you do it! I think it’ll be really cool
Just watch a ton of YouTube videos if you can find them.
I experimented this weekend and used what I had in the house. I think it was good practice for next weekend. First, I had yellow cake mix and will definitely use chocolate next time in case the crumbs show through. Also, I tried doing a crumb coat and used chocolate frosting before dying it black - so that is peeking thru. The tail crumbled and I could have smoothed out the frosting better. If you squint...it looks like an orca (maybe) LOL.
Message edited 10/21/2018 11:25:05 PM.
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| Posted 10/21/18 11:20 PM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Picture won’t attach from my phone, but I will post the finished product
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| Posted 10/21/18 11:30 PM |
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Lauren82
LIF Adult
Member since 10/06 4580 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Elizabeth720
Posted by Lauren82
I would use modeling chocolate for the fin.
Do you buy or make this? I did a practice cake this weekend and in a pinch, ended up cutting the dorsal fin out of toast and coved in frosting. It actually worked really well.
Buy it and shape it...my mother in law is a custom cake decorator so I've observed a few of her tricks over the years...but if the toast worked, go for it! I would try to make your cake firmer, less fluffy...it will hold up to decorating better.
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| Posted 10/22/18 3:21 AM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Lauren82
Posted by Elizabeth720
Posted by Lauren82
I would use modeling chocolate for the fin.
Do you buy or make this? I did a practice cake this weekend and in a pinch, ended up cutting the dorsal fin out of toast and coved in frosting. It actually worked really well.
Buy it and shape it...my mother in law is a custom cake decorator so I've observed a few of her tricks over the years...but if the toast worked, go for it! I would try to make your cake firmer, less fluffy...it will hold up to decorating better.
Thank you - yes, because I am taking the time to decorate - was cutting corners by using boxed cake and it’s definitely fluffy.
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| Posted 10/22/18 7:41 AM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Elizabeth720
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
I have zero advice but please post a pic if you do it! I think it’ll be really cool
Just watch a ton of YouTube videos if you can find them.
I experimented this weekend and used what I had in the house. I think it was good practice for next weekend. First, I had yellow cake mix and will definitely use chocolate next time in case the crumbs show through. Also, I tried doing a crumb coat and used chocolate frosting before dying it black - so that is peeking thru. The tail crumbled and I could have smoothed out the frosting better. If you squint...it looks like an orca (maybe) LOL.
If your trial run went this well, I have faith the final product will be great!!
I watch all those baking championships on food network and they always use rice crispie treats for hard to shape objects - maybe use that for the fin? Again, I have no real advice , I’m just loving this idea
Message edited 10/22/2018 8:11:35 AM.
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| Posted 10/22/18 8:10 AM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
Posted by Elizabeth720
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
I have zero advice but please post a pic if you do it! I think it’ll be really cool
Just watch a ton of YouTube videos if you can find them.
I experimented this weekend and used what I had in the house. I think it was good practice for next weekend. First, I had yellow cake mix and will definitely use chocolate next time in case the crumbs show through. Also, I tried doing a crumb coat and used chocolate frosting before dying it black - so that is peeking thru. The tail crumbled and I could have smoothed out the frosting better. If you squint...it looks like an orca (maybe) LOL.
If your trial run went this well, I have faith the final product will be great!!
I watch all those baking championships on food network and they always use rice crispie treats for hard to shape objects - maybe use that for the fin? Again, I have no real advice , I’m just loving this idea
Yes! We didn't have the store bought Rice Krispy Treats in the house - and I didn't want to make them. I love that idea.
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| Posted 10/22/18 8:44 AM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
This is the messy-tailed, slightly sloppy, practice orca. I think with a couple of tweaks - it will work out okay next week - again, if you squint. Image Attachment(s):
Message edited 10/22/2018 8:57:49 AM.
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| Posted 10/22/18 8:45 AM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by Elizabeth720
This is the messy-tailed, slightly sloppy, practice orca. I think with a couple of tweaks - it will work out okay next week - again, if you squint.
I love it! That's a great trial run for sure. I think with the small changes and fixing the tail situation, your son is going to be so excited with his cake. 
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| Posted 10/22/18 10:31 AM |
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StaceyLu
LIF Adolescent
Member since 2/17 572 total posts
Name:
Stacey
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Cake Making Help - Orca
It looks great! Where did you get the black buttercream?
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| Posted 10/22/18 10:36 AM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
Posted by Elizabeth720
This is the messy-tailed, slightly sloppy, practice orca. I think with a couple of tweaks - it will work out okay next week - again, if you squint.
I love it! That's a great trial run for sure. I think with the small changes and fixing the tail situation, your son is going to be so excited with his cake.
Thank you!
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| Posted 10/22/18 10:47 AM |
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Elizabeth720
LIF Infant
Member since 10/05 192 total posts
Name:
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Re: Cake Making Help - Orca
Posted by StaceyLu
It looks great! Where did you get the black buttercream?
I actually used store bough dark chocolate frosting and then ordered black gel dye from amazon. I read somewhere that adding black dye to white frosting can make it bitter, so you can add less when using dark chocolate frosting - it worked well and wasn't bitter! Although, if I made it from scratch, it would have been thicker and less runny looking.
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| Posted 10/22/18 10:50 AM |
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