Chainsaw Forester Birthday Cake

It was recently my brothers 40th birthday and I wanted to him a special cake, as he'd separated from his wife a few months ago. He's not the type for a boring old NORMAL cake, so I searched high and low for ideas surrounding his work. He owns a business that exports logs and his business clears farmer's land when needed. Although he's not so hands on these days, more of the office guy, he still has his precious Stihl chainsaw, and it's the brand he has all his crew use. I found THIS cake that this very creative lady made and switched some things around the personalise to it my brother. The expression on his face and his joy at seeing this made all the time and effort worthwhile.

 

My brother (in icing!) and his beloved chainsaw.

I won't go in to lengthy instructions on how I did this, as the link (above) to the original has a few steps included. However, I will add a few pics of this cake in the making, below. I made the chainsaw after the man was complete, so it had a stick to go through it and hold it on.

I used a toothpick to attach the blade of the chainsaw on to.

I used white fondant with a little tylose mixed in to harden it for the blade. I made a back and a front, left them to set a little (just for 30 mins or so) then stuck them together with sugar water oin either side of the toothpick. I used sugar water to stick it also to the chainsaw end. I carefully painted on silver colouring and black for the chain etc then left to dry overnight, whilst balancing on a little container the right height.



I wasn't that happy with the legs, but I used a toohpick in each one to stablise them to the torso (all the way down in to the boots) and left to dry overnight before adding clothing and arms/ head etc. I placed a toothpick through the torso, for the head and toothpicks for where the arms would go. And one out the front for the chainsaw to go through (which had to be placed BEFORE it set and wouldn't go on to the stick)! Ie, make the man first in full, before making the chainsaw. I used royal icing to stick the legs firmly to the boots (it sets hard over night).



The clothes were all made like this, in pieces for the front and back, then joined on to the man with sugar water glue. It took a bit of measuring to decipher the correct size/ shape. I used silver colouring to paint on the reflective stripes.

The "40" at the top was just rolled out thick fondant and cut with cookie cutters. I stuck toothpicks in each ones base (to sit them up on the cake) and allowed to dry overnight. Then I used royal icing for the orange detail, it sets within 10 mins. I used royal icing for the ribbons (to stick to the cake). The cakes were chocolate and a spicy nutmeg cake with chocolate cream cheese icing.