I've been asked to make a marzipan covered 12" layer cake. I've covered many cakes with rolled fondant, but this will be a first. Has anyone done this? Can you tell me if I will need the same or similar amount of marzipan as I would with fondant? Can it be rolled as thinly as fondant? Any help is appreciated!

I am Italian, and we use marzipan to cover cakes.
It is different from fondant, a lot.
It gets wet very easily, so be sure to have a thick buttercream crumb coat underneat. Roll it VERY thick. It is made with almonds, so every time you touch it or handle it it becomes oily and tends to break.
Just be very careful and you will be fine. Marzipan is also yellow....and super-expensive.......but also tasty and delicious.

Traditionally marzipan is used as a base coat for fondant in which case I roll my marzipan about 1/4 inch thick. If you are using only marzipan I might increase that to 3/8 inch. Use powdered sugar as your dusting agent not cornstarch. Otherwise work with it like you would fondant. HTH

I am a newbie but I hope this helps. Marzipan is more like a cookie dough
You can color it and roll it just as you would fondant the onl difference is you can't roll it as thin as fondant. For a 12" it should take about the same amount of marzipan as fondant. I don't know how much marzipan is where you live but in B.R., LA it's about $8.00/6-8 oz roll. I love working with marzipan, it seems a bit easier than fondant and people like the taste.

Hope this helps. Good luck!!! The Newbie

Thankyou all for your answers and help! lflowermoon, I notice that you too are in St. Louis. I wonder if we know each other?

Are you from St.Louis as well? I moved to the States from Italy 3 years ago, and I just bought a house in Fenton .What about you?