I hope someone can answer this question quickly for me. I want to cover my cake board with fondant for a cake this weekend. For those of you who have done this...Is it easier to apply the fondant to the board ahead of time or once you've placed the cake on the board? I'm figuring i won't be covering the entire board since there is no point in covering the part under the cake. My concern is if i measure wrong and apply the fondant ahead of time, it will be hard to fix when i need it.
Any tips on this process would be greatly appreciated.

suzanne

I do it before, and then use a cake circle the size of the cake I'm placing as a guide and cut a hole in the center to place the cake. This way the cake fits perfectly, and I'm not wasting all that fondant under the cake! Also, I like to do it at least a day or two ahead of time so the fondant on the board has hardened, and I don't have to worry about damaging it when I stack and move the cake around.

Thanks PinkZiab...good suggestion.. so i just roll out a peice to cover the whole cake board, place the cardboard the size of the cake on it and cut around..remove excess..done...is that correct? Will it stick on it's own or do i have to brush the board with something first?

i usually brush my board w/ a little piping jel to help it stick. I have always just covered the whole thing never thought to cut part out. Maybe I will try that sometime.

I think piping gel works really well.

piping gel, water, shortening (which is what I use)... whatever's within reach. I just spread a superthin smea of shortening around the edge of the board (2 inch border, or however much I need to be covered with fondant),

I do it like pink does.... you can add a "strip" of fondant around the base after you have the cake on there, too, but then you generally will have a seam in the back. But either way works.

Jen

thanks everyone for all the help. It is greatly appreciated.

Yea, thanks, I needed input on this too. I have tried a couple times - on my last Barbie, I got smudges all over the place when I was decorating the cake. I like the idea to cover it a couple of days before and let it dry. I'm going to try to do that tonight for one I need to work on Sunday. I also like the idea of just covering the whole board and cutting out a center section the size of the cake. Thanks!!

Aine2 has a great picture tutorial on how she does it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/extra-icing/sets/72157594575839118

HTH

Judi