I'm making a cake this weekend using stripes and circles on fondant on a buttercream cake. I really have no idea what I'm doing? How early do I make the stripes and circles before I put them on the cake? Do I have to add anything in? What's the best way to color it? Do I do the dowels and then the fondant, or vice versa? Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!!

I made a cake once in buttercream and stripes and dots I made them the same day I put it on the cake since the stripes went over the edges of the cake drying them with crack them, I also think coloring in advance would help, the way I color my fondant is knead it by way and a lot of muscle! I use a little shortnening as the fondant starts getting sticky on a stacked cake I put dowels in the stacked stacked then added the fondant details then I did my borders. Here's the cake I made

Is your cake tiered? You mentioned dowels....

I would cut the shapes out the night before using them if I didn't add gumpaste in with the fondant. Gumpaste makes things dry faster sometimes but they also form harder. You don't really have to make them the night before though either.
I would have the cake, if it's doweled, completely finished prior to adding any shapes to it.
As far as coloring fondant, it's basically the same method as you would color your buttercream icing.

Hope this helped some and I'm sure you will get a lot of others to help you!! Good luck with your cake!

Thank you so much! Your cake is beautiful! One more question...The cake is for Saturday, but I'll be leaving after work on Friday to take it on a 3 hour drive. If I do the cake tomorrow, will it still look good by Saturday? Can I do the fondant first and stack once I get to where I'm going?

Bump!

Kristy32

I got my Artist Grant Pentax Camera cake sitting on a shelf to see how long it lasts and if it will stand up to a month for an upcoming art show. Not that anyone would care, but thought it humorous to add to your thread for the length of time. Hardy har-har. I made it the third of March. And no we are not going to eat it but wanted you to know it still looks great!

Three days are fine in the taste department and have done so many times as long as all pieces are covered in fondant.

I would cut the circles and stripes out then apply as soon as they are cut.

You can add color by kneading it into the fondant, or by airbrushing, or by hand painting your choice.

One way for dowels, would be to use a 1/2 inch cake drum with a cardboard insert to separate the tiers. Pound a sharpened dowel through all layers into the cake drum. It should be pretty sturdy for travel, just don't lean in the seat, set it flat if possible. Cover the hole with a decoration, (Dot or Stripe.)

There are other ways of course......

Post the pix's.