How to create the handle of Yoda's lightsaber..

[Hassled]

see picture.

I have green icing, I have swiss rolls, I have edible green glitter, I have grey icing. But what can I do to recreate the black bits and stripes etc that doesn't involve liquorice which we all know is the food of the Dark Side? If I went for more icing, I'd have to actually make black icing myself and can't guarantee I'd get the consistency right, plus it's a lightsaber and so is round and the icing will run - HELP!

Ah, now this is what I should have made clear - I'm not going to be able to get black ready roll in time. I have the grey and green ready roll, bt that's it.

Maybe I should just accept that a bunch of 6 year old boys won't really care about the finer detail?

Could you make strips and then paint them directly? Would get the right level of blackness.

However, your lightsaber cake won't be as good as mine (on profile)

Oh dear God - you've really upped the stakes now, haven't you PG ? No lightsaber cake in the world is going to be as good as that one but you have inspired me to incorporate the giant star wars lego collection we have!

Have you got any black cloth/ribbon?

Strips of black cloth! You're a genius! I could just pin them underneath - yay!

PG - is that a plank of wood you used as the base?

NB, the lego comes in very very useful when trying to cover up the bit that went wrong...

And you're right, 6 year olds do not care about the finer detail but I think birthday boy appreciated it. Moreover DH really enjoyed explaining to 10 of them exactly who Jabba the Hutt is and why the Pit of Karkoon (sp?) is there.

Tried to get a plank of wood. Ended up being the top of our Ikea shoe rack covered in cardboard then covered in tin foil...

I feel completely inspired now - many thanks. And we do happen to have a spare plank of wood and a lot of tinfoil, blu-tack, lego figures - I am all set to Use the Force .

Oh god that reminds me. the lego figures are still sat in a plastic bag... I used blobs of icing to stick them down and it all still needs to be washed off. Whoops!

[slattern]

PeaGreene, that cake is amazing! [awed smiley]

I was going to suggest adding 2 tbsp cocoa to the icing sugar and then using the black liquid food colouring as the liquid to mix it with - comes up a lovely deep dark black and you can regulate the consistency better that way (add water to mix only if too thick once colour has been achieved). Made lovely dark black for the witches hats made last year for Hallowe'en. But you've had a great suggestion with the black fabric!

So, Hassled's cake swooshed. How the hell did you do that?

And how delighted was DS????

And why didn't you take some photos?

PG - I've panicked you unnecessarily . The only reason it was mid-swoosh was because I stuck the swiss rolls together at a jaunty angle by accident and so it appeared to be curving.
I realised my mistake and used more glitter on the board (bit of old shelving ) to make it look deliberate. DS3 refused to let me use lego figures and the handle was pretty crap but basically job done - thanks again for all your advice and especially letting me see that photo.
All I have to do now is a) reassure DS3 that glitter poo is fine and b)cope with the fact that my baby boy (DC4) is 6!
I have photos - will have a go at uploading some. Really it was crap though.

No panic at all, love the idea of mid swoosh, wondered if it was extra glitter on the board, very clever

Can't wait to see photos. Of cake, that is, not glitter poo ROFL!

(this is the first cake I've done in years hence excitement - I'll calm down soon)