Sweet Sushi Cake!

I get so excited when we get to make something new and different, even when I don't know how to do it. The table/tray didn't require anything new and different.  I made it easy on myself which is how I priced the cake, so not everything was edible.  I covered two pieces of cardboard for the two layers of cake (9"x 13"). For the "legs" I used several strips on cardboard hot glued together and then covered in black contact paper.  I combined several shades of modeling chocolate to get the marble/woodgrain look.  I cut panels to fit all the sides and the legs (except the inside pieces-I just left them black).

 

Now for the fun part!  The only real plan I had was to use a new product called Deco Gel for the orange roe eggs.  I was going to buy orange, but they only carry a bronze (with glitter) color so I bought clear.  I used a little of the product and added one drop of orange food coloring.  I used a syringe to fill up some pearl border molds.  They came right out after they set up, super easy.

Cut an indentation into marshmallows for the "goodies"

I did a little research and found a few tips for making sugar sushi, but most didn't really apply.  Using grape fruit roll ups as the nori (dark seaweed paper used on most rolls) was one suggestion.  That was a good idea but they don't seem to make grape roll ups anymore.  Many people just used black fondant and that's what I was planning to do, but Chad had a better idea!  He suggested coloring the deco get black and just poring it out onto a Silpat mat.  I should have used the bumpy side for more authenic texture, but I had time for one trial.  I just poured it out and tilted the gel until it was all spread super thin.  When the Deco-Gel is heated, it's a pretty thin consistency.  When it set up, I just used a pizza cutter to make strips in the width I needed.  You will want to give yourself a little overhang (1/2" or more) because it sticks best to itself.

You can see some of the Deco Gel on Silpat. 
You can make it nice and thin

I bought some jumbo marshmallows and cut a big hole out of the middle for all the "goodie" to fit into.  I tried placing them on top of the marshmallow and trying to make the "seaweed" higher than the marshmallow and filling in with buttercream and rice, put it just didn't look good.  Recessing the fillings looks way better.  I made some fake wasabi, cucumber, crabmeat and tuna and glued them in with buttercream.  For the rice, I used white sprinkles and not as many as I thought.  I only used a bit more than one small containers worth.

My second attempt (back row) is much better
than my first attempt (front row).

The more I made, the better the sushi looked.  I kept the first three in case of a sushi emergency.  One of those pieces I used a piece of black gel on the outside of the marshmallow, then added a thin layer of buttercream and rolled it in the sprinkles.  It looked fine, but the next day the black color bled a little bit and it was not pretty anymore.  I think everything else is pretty easy and doesn't require more explanation.  I saw a tutorial that used a mold for a California roll.  I would not waste your money, this is too easy not to give it a try on your own!