Thread: making a pop out cake?

I need a pop out cake and I was wanting to make one especially since I can't find one to rent in my area.

I've heard use wood or cardboard and then decorate, I'm just not exactly sure how to go about this. I'm thinking that if I make a square cake, that would be easier though, right?

Please help, I could really use any suggestions (other than to go rent one because nobody in my are has them)

Thanks!
Deb O'Nair

WARNING

Warning: This is an Old Thread This discussion is older than 60 days. information contained in it may no longer be current

Id say square would be a good deal easier than circle, but circle would look better. I don't think it would be impossible. Also, card would be easier than wood but not as hard wearing. If you're only using it once card would probably do. How about a sort of tiered wedding cake syle - i bet that would be easier and structurely stronger. Or you could try getting hold of a wooden or plastic box big enough for you to get in and decorate it using fabric, spray paint etc. If you're willing to spend a bit Simon Kennedy makes great props including a cake - as featured in Cherry Shakewells act

examples

but naturally they cost alot. I have an idea how you could structure it if you were wanting to create one from scratch out of wood, say. Are you wanting a tiered cake or a cup cake? If you need anymore help let me know

Yes, i definitely want to make one and I was thinking a tiered cake also.

I think i want it strong enough that i can climb down the tiers kind of like stairs.

I saw one that had an open back side so it was easy just to walk inside of and then they had a step to actually pop up from....

wow! you are ambitious! The only way you're going to be able to make it sturdy enough to walk down is if you bring out the power tools. A square one would be easier and then you could have one side as the door - just add hinges.
http://st33.flashecom.com/ediblesinc...ing%20cake.jpg
I think if you got some wooden boards of quite a sturdy ply - probably would have to be pretty thick. The probs put some supports inside the structure to make it extra strong - think pillars inside the cake to make each layer stronger. You could use a power drill to fix it all together. This sounds like so much fun!

Originally Posted by Deb O'Nair

Yes, i definitely want to make one and I was thinking a tiered cake also.

I think i want it strong enough that i can climb down the tiers kind of like stairs.

I saw one that had an open back side so it was easy just to walk inside of and then they had a step to actually pop up from....

Hmm I notice you're in the states so you might not be able to get hold of quite the same materials, however over here you can get MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) which has a series of parallel grooves already cut into one face, this makes it very eash to curve in one direction, so if you wanted to make a curved cake that was strong enough to walk on, you could use this as the sides, if you can't get hold of that then life becomes more complicated as you will need to find someone who can steam plywood to shape, you only need to use fairly thin plywood say 1/4 inch for the sides of the cake as the curve will give it sufficient strength.

Obviously a straight sided cake is much easier to produce I'd suggest using 3/8 inch ply for strength in this case.

If you do go down the curved sided route and need to use plywood you might be able to find a small boatyard that can steam ply to shape for you.

I think i'm going to try the plywood idea!

haha i'm lame and had to draw out a diagram, but basically this is what i'm thinking about doing now:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...nstruction.png

Hopefully I can get this all done in time. I need it for the second week in December...

Hmm those are quite some steps to climb down especially if you plan to wear high heels, I'd drop the height of the cake quite a bit, even if that means having to duck down to get inside or having the cake hinge open to get in, before you make this up, try actually stepping down those heights in a graceful manner, that bottom one is the equivalent of stepping off of a dinning table . Then you need to work out how your going to get onto the top of the cake, currently that step will just about (maybe) get you so that your eyes are level with the top of the cake.

Also a cake of that size is going to be both heavy and bulky, think about how you will get it on and off stage, You can use castors hidden inside the base to let you move it arround on the stage but you need to get it there in the first place.

Finally consider how you will be seen, with the cake 7.5 ft high everyone will be looking up at you at an awkward angle and with most stages they will have to rig lights especially for this act, I'd seriously consider dropping the cake to arround 4.5 ft high

Originally Posted by White Knight

Hmm those are quite some steps to climb down especially if you plan to wear high heels...

Thanks! That helped a lot! I had a general idea of what I wanted but wasn't sure about proportion, so thank you! Do you have any suggestions for how wide each tier should be? I couldn't figure that out either haha!

Hmm ok start at the top tier, that's the one you need to get out of so it has to be big enough for you to comfortably get out of without looking a total idiot, get hold of a large cardboard box and work out the size by cutting a hole in the middle. Generally I'd guess that 20 to 24 inches for the hole would be about right (I'd guess at the widest part of your body either shoulders or hips plus 3 to 4 inches to allow comfort would be correct so if you're very slim a smaller hole might work) dont forget that you will need something to stand on at this height as well so at least a 6 inch rim and you may decide bigger, for each step down I'd suggest a minimum of 6 inches wide and a maximum of 12 inches.

For stability I suggest that you make the width at the base at least as wide as the whole thing is high, you may want to consider spliting the cake down the middle and/or making it so that each tier can be removed for transport and handeling, the bottonm tier will be quite sizeable whatever you do and will probably require a van to transport it

Originally Posted by White Knight

Generally I'd guess that 20 to 24 inches for the hole would be about right

I assume you mean diameter or radius, not circumference!