Im covering a cake with fondant (bottom wedding cake tier). I just made a tear in the underneath almond icing layer, and because the cake is so big, but thats okay now I bet it will happen again when I put the fondant layer on top (which is the important one) I have never covered a 14" cake with this stuff before and its already driving me crazy..also any tips to get the sides smooth??? mine are always not perfect (and air bubbles are not the problem, its more wrinkles) thanks heaps anyone!!!!!
desperate..mel

I usually raise my cake off the counter a little, so that the wrinkles fall below the bottom of the cake. Maybe try inverting a smaller sized cake pan to raise it up. You could roll it out a little thicker so that the weight of the fondant doesn't tear as you come over the edge.

HTH!
Mirjana

I love working with Fondant (although still have a LONG way to go...) its not as frustrating as trying to get a nice smooth surface with buttercream!

My revolving cake stand for decorating cakes sits up high..I have one of those matts to roll fondant on and roll the fondant a couple of inches larger then the cake needs. I just flip the mat over the cake and center it on the best I can, with the extra inches, it doesn't matter if it isn't perfect. I then smooth with a fondant smooth, starting from the top and working my way down the sides. Kind of like doing contact paper. I don't have any nails (my day job is a computer geek and I can't have nails while having my hands buried in a server! haha) so I never have any problems from that!
I then cut the edges once everything is smooth with a pizza cutter.

It takes practice...the one thing I noticed about Fondant is that if you screw up, you CAN take if off the cake and try again! Nobody sees the buttercream underneith!

I haven't found a good way to "repair" it yet...maybe someone can suggest that?