I want to make a red velvet cake and want to know if I can use cream cheese icing under fondant? It will be a relatively simple shape - half sheet/2 layers with fondant cover and details (it's a karaoke cake). Should I use the cc frosting only between the layers and crumb coat with SMBC? Also...can you make a SMBC and just substitute cream cheese (or cc+shortening) for some of the butter? I have to travel 2.5 hours to deliver to my Mother-in-law's 70th birthday party on Saturday so please take pity on me. Thanks!

Absolutely you can! I did last week and it turned out great. I was making a bleeding heart so it was 2 layers, the bottom hollowed and filled with raspberry puree, and cream cheese icing. I carved it slightly, covered with cream cheese icing and then fondant. I haven't made SMBC so that I part I don't know about. I just made my basic cream cheese icing with butter, cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar. I'm not really a fan of buttercream (I've made too much over the years) but I can eat the icing by itself - it is so yummy!

Absolutely you can! I did last week and it turned out great. I was making a bleeding heart so it was 2 layers, the bottom hollowed and filled with raspberry puree, and cream cheese icing. I carved it slightly, covered with cream cheese icing and then fondant. I haven't made SMBC so that I part I don't know about. I just made my basic cream cheese icing with butter, cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar. I'm not really a fan of buttercream (I've made too much over the years) but I can eat the icing by itself - it is so yummy!