How do you get the shape of the bottom and top tiers of this cake? How would you cover this in fondant without it tearing? Sorry I don't have a better photo.
Thanks!

Barnes & Nobles carries a book by Margaret Braun, where she explains a lot of her techniques. It's a beautiful book, BUT very price. It's like $50-60 dollars. I do think it's worth the money. I think it would be great to have something to reference to while attempting one of her cake styles.

Do you own this book? I want to make sure the technique is explained before I spend that much on a book. Thanks.

you cover the sides and tops of each tier separately.
I used this idea for one of my cakes and after the cake is cut, I wrapped the sides and trimmed the fondant, let it dry for a little bit, then covered the top and I cut a clean edge where they meet.
not as hard as it looks, but very cool!

If you look at the pics, she covers where the pieces meet with the pearls to hide the seam.

Here's how to get the shape. Divide the cake equally. Then, at every other section, carve an angled U-shape out of the edge of the cake. Flip the piece over and place it on top of the next section.

Thanks for that tip!! I would have never thought of doing it that way!

Thanks to you all for your help!

I watched a show once that showed her taking little pieces of balled up fondant and just sticking them on the cake then she used her fingers to smooth it out. But most of her cakes have a mosaic type texture so they don't require being perfectly smooth and if you are piecing bits of fondant together there isn't the issue of the fondant tearing. I love her cakes!

i was just looking at her book. she explains very loosely. not specific enough. in another design she said an easy way to do the mosaic is to cut with a dull spatula or tool, so that it does not cut all the way through. then smear with icing and wipe off to give idea of grout