Can anyone help me with a birthday cake in the shape of a number 5?!

[needsdirection]

That's what ds wants for this birthday party... I'm quite good at baking and decorating cakes, just don't know how I'm going to get the shape right!

See if there is somewhere nearby that rents cake tins. I know somewhere near Stirling, if that helps! Maybe a bakers or cookshop?

do you have a cake decorating shop nearby? they usually hire tins out.

failing that, make a rectangular cake, draw out a chunky five on paper, and cut out. use as a template to cut round - is sometimes easier if you freeze the cake before cutting it (avoids crumbs)

Or use a Ring Mould or Garland, together with a Square cake pan or a couple of loaf pans. You would still need to do some cutting (see comments above by PandaG) and you will have some bits left over for trifle.

Thank you! I am in Austria and they don't have any cake decorating shops or anywhere that rents out cake tins unfortunately.

I think I'll just go for the rectangle cut-out idea and hope I don't bodge it! Thanks PandaG.

Or print out a huge 5 and cut it out to use as a template?

(personally I think 5 is quite tricky and might be inclined to hire the tin - they typically only cost ~£3 to hire)

This is a good idea too silverwoodhelpdesk. What quantities of cake mix do I need to make?

Ah - OK - understand now.

..and definitely freeze cake before cutting to get cleaner lines and less cake disintegration

You could make and ice cup cakes and arrange them into a number 5 shape, put a candle in each cake. I have seen this in a book, looks quite effective.

easy peasy - don't rent one!

i made one for dd's birthday a while back - I used a round pan and a square pan - using the round one for the curved bit of the number, and cut out parts of the square to make the top of the five and the vertical part. once it's all decorated it will look great!

Just found this. Seems fairly straightforward.

Although you do need a ring cake tin for that recipe! You could use a round one and cut out a hole in the middle, I suppose.

I've done this, we have a numbers tradition for birthday cakes in our house.Do what hana says for the cake. The best tip I have is to use a very short knife for cutting, it seems to give you more control. Whatever you end up with will look fine once covered with buttercream.

Thank you, looked at cake tins today and even normal ones are extortionate (EUR 50 for a ring cake tin!). I will use a square one and a round one and just do some sculpting... and pile on the buttercream afterwards!

I like the way they decorated that one you linked to botbot, it looks great.

Thanks everyone - if it works out ok I'll post a picture next week