I have been asked to do my sisters wedding cake on a budget of about $50.00. One thing is need to know is are there any suggestions on how to get the most for the money and not make the cake look like crap!. Second is how to get the perlized look on the iceing and fondant. I love that look, it adds so much to a cake. Third is i have always used the Bucket -o-Icing from Wilson's brand, is that good or is there anything better out there? and one more is it better to use store boughgt Fondant or make it yourself ?? Oh My i have a million questions.
I am an Amature Caker ( cakemaker/decorator). I have done a few birthday and shower cakes but when i did my own wedding cake and grooms cake everyone started asking me to do their's and the request keep getting harder and harder. So anything that anyone can tell me would be great!!!! Oh and by the way she is getting Married 10-11-08 so i have 8 days !
Stressed in Birmingham, Alabama

Well first of all good luck! I always make my own fondant its cheaper and it taste better than store bought. As far as icing use whatever that works for you . To get pearlized look I would add luster dust to the fondant or you can brush it on. It is non toxic so no need to worry. It will probably be cheaper to buy box mixes and doctor them up. The white almond sour cream cake is awesome, so is the darn good choclate cake. The fondant is only powdered sugar and melted marshmallows. You need a kitchen stand mixer to make it, a regular hand held wont cut it. If anymore questions please ask. Post a picture.

Good luck again
cherie'

Super Pearl Dust gives it that pearl look. If it is for a large surface area, I suggest dry brushing it unless you have an airbrush. Painting large areas by adding vodka can leave streaks that are hard to fix.

You might want to start with store bought fondant. Satin Ice is probably the easiest to use for beginners, but it dries really fast so you have to work fast to avoid getting an "elephant skin" look.

I prefer MMF, but it does take a few batches to get to know it well (the onsistency, so you know how to prefect it without it getting too sticky or dry).

This is my new favorite toy- pearl dust in an aresol can- I love it and it works great!!!

http://www.fancyflours.com/pearl-lustre-spray.html

Oh my how I love that lustre spray. i get it waaaaay cheaper from these guys though.

http://www.fondantsource.com/pmelusp.html

Highly recommend it for those of us too scared to buy an airbrush : )

edited:

those little buggers deleted my link fondant source is the name of the company if you search yahoo.

How many are you trying to serve on a $50 budget? Fondant is expensive and you could easily blow the whole budget on just that. Just making a decent sized butter cream cake may be dificult on a $50 budget. I would use the spray pearlized color, which can be used on BC or fondant.

I made and used the marshmellow fondant for the first time the other day and it worked so well and tastes so much better than other brands ive tried. The main thing with it is to make sure you sift your sugar (I mixed the whole thing with a spoon and then by hand). Its a lot less expensive than buying other brands.

I think marshmallow fondant is the only way to go for the $. And I don't use my stand mixer to make it ( saw on a thread here, it broke someones). I mix it with a large spoon as long as I can and then need in the powdered sugar with crisco coated hands after that. Just a note you probably will not use all the sugar the recipe calls for. You want it not sticky but still pliable. I would also recommend going to walmart and getting some vinyl to roll it on. That way you can just pick the whole thing up and flip it over on the cake. Use shortening (if you want it shiny ) or cornstarch so it doesn't stick. I started decorating so I could make my sons wedding cake. Fondant was the only way I could get a smooth look, buttercream takes some practice and I was still to new to it. Good luck.

I have asked several times on this site if anyone knows the mixture amounts for spraying luster dust with my airbrush? I have read on here before what it is and I did it on 2 cakes but I cannot remember what the amounts are. I am thinking it is 1 part luster dust to 2 parts alcohol. I actually used lemon juice and it turned out perfect. I have a cake for tomorrow that I am going to try to spray!! I hope that mixture is correct!!!

I apprciate everyone's help, I am going to do my best, and i will post a picture when i am done. and i want to be clear the only reason i am able to get by on about $50 bucks is strictly b/c i have acquired most of the staples( tools and things) that i need over the last couple of years. I will still end up Blowing every dime of it though ..... again Thanks for all your help..... anything else anyone wants to throw in on the advice train PLEASE FEEL FREE

Thanks BUNCHES
La Shelle