Cake idea for Kennedy Center's 30th Birthday

LotusCakeStudio · #1 08-10-2001, 10:03 PM

I just got a letter today from the L'Academie de Cuisine alumni coordinator. The Kennedy Center is having their 30th birthday celebration and they requested 30 cakes from L'Academie. The theme is performing arts "though our interpretation". The cakes will be displayed in the galleries in the main hallways on the roof level during the open house and be seen by 40,000 - 50,000 people. The display will include our names as graduates of L'Academie de Cuisine and any other info we want included. So this is a great advertising opportunity for me!!! I am at a lost for ideas though. Performing arts--- music, dance, theater... so many things are popping into my mind, but I'm still at a loss. I was thinking to do something with ballet, but that's pretty generic. As I'm sure someone else will do something ballet related. I can't think of any of the famous plays that were featured there, so if anyone is from DC and knows, let me know! I have a good idea how to stick "30" in the design, but figuring out the main idea is the hard part. Any ideas, please toss 'em my way!

W.DeBord · #2 08-10-2001, 10:36 PM

First thought that comes to my mind is a photo in "Grand Finales" book, page 182 it's titled Rockettes. I can envision a series of cakes done in that format with the tuile legs suggesting the subject/movement/art. Using gum paste you could really carry out the subject in greater detail then a tuile...(the medium is the easy part).

The photo I mention is a plated dessert but it could easily be full size cakes. Follow through the subject keeping somethings constant like the dome shape with the subject coming out upside down (as the photo shows) on each cake. Then playing each cakes individual theme out in the tuiles or gum paste...

It's kind of simple but I think that's important. People throw in too much detail then keep nothing constant through their work. You'll make a bigger impact with your 30 cakes if you follow a certain format and follow it through out each cake and only let the subject change on each cake. Even keep the same basic color flowing threw-out. It makes a united piece/statement and a bigger impact then when someone looks and see 30 individual cakes they don't alway tie together your all from the same school.

LotusCakeStudio · #3 08-10-2001, 10:58 PM

I know which photos you're talking about!

I will have to dig up my book and look at it again. That's a really good idea and not too complicated. I think I should clear up one part though; I don't have to do 30 cakes. They requested 30 cakes and I am offering to just do ONE of them. Eek! Thirty show cakes! But you're right; if it was 30 cakes, there should be uniformity and things should be kept simple. If it's too busy, it just looks like an eye sore. But for one cake, I want to have more detail in it. Not TOO much, but obviously more than what I would do with 30 cakes. This Rockettes idea is a great one to base everything off of though.

The cake is for September 9. I'll see what input I get over the next few days, then I'll get sketching and be set on a solid idea. This is soooo exciting! Thanks for the post!

momoreg · #4 08-11-2001, 06:50 AM

The legs are a good idea.

The first thing that came to my mind, was an abstract allusion to modern dance. Take pastillage (or even rolled out fondant), cut them and bend them into shapes that look like dancers (but very vaguely), and somehow imply motion with the positioning of the figures, or with the way that you paint them.

Or you can do something sort-of Mummenschanz in style. With lots of black and white. And drape black fondant over the cake, like a curtain.

Cool concept. There are so many ways to approach it.

W.DeBord · #5 08-11-2001, 07:59 AM

Oh, one cake that does make choosing something more difficult. All right then who will be your "competition" so to speak....what will they do so you can do something opposite?

I think the natural tendency is to show off all your skills in one thing. I'd go the other way, simplicity is an art.

More ideas:

Do a series of mini cakes tied to one theme, like the rockette. Put them on something different, like a framed piece of art (I mentioned this to schroomgirl last night, too) you could put a musical score under the glass if you went with a dance theme.

Do something different with your size either go big or go dramatically small. Small can really draw a crowd....I mean mini, mini with detail. When one person stands there and stares they all line up for a peek....?? I bet everyone goes large! I'd go small!!!

What about an angle? I'm sure you've seen the cakes that leave everyone wondering how it staying on the board. But someone might do that.... scratch that!

Do the whole thing in chocolate or white chocolate, no color. For some reason cakes wrapped in chocolate always get alot of attention (for me)... The chocolate plastics are very easy to work with for firm items.

What's your restrictions in regards to size etc...? How long will it sit out? Will they ever eat it? How are they going to present these, lined up on 8" skirted tables or like a art gallery? Will their be any dirrect lighting on it?

W.DeBord · #6 08-11-2001, 08:05 AM

Another quick idea....a opened music box (done all in chocolate) set up like it's on a young girls dresser top, BUT here's the clincher, instead of a ballerina have your figurine doing something like modern jazz ....you can even get a music box playing with in it???

You can make your dancer out of chocolate plastic so easily, put a wire through the length of her and stick her into the cake box.

LotusCakeStudio · #7 08-11-2001, 08:29 AM

Oh my gosh! You two absolutely rule! I wrote to the alumni coordinator to get more info about the size, etc. As soon as I hear back from her, I'll let everyone know. I've never been to the Kennedy Center so I have no idea what kind of conditions my cake would be subjected to. When the letter said they would be displayed in the galleries "on the roof", I imagine an atrium for a ceiling, but I know my school wouln't subject cakes to a greenhouse.

I wish I knew who else would be contributing cakes so I could know what they're doing. Just now, I realized that maybe everyone would lean toward dance or music b/c those seem easier, and not really focus on theater (costumes, stage, props...?) Ok, that's it. I'm just going to call the coordinator on Monday morning and ask her if anyone else has offerred to contribute anything yet and what their themes are.