My first fondant project came out pretty okay. No real problems. I used 50/50 SI/Modeling Chocolate.

I made some small (4 1/2") mini cakes, coated them with bc and froze them for about 24 hrs. I noticed that the mini cakes had beads of water forming on them so I did not mist them (which I do per a tutorial I watched) within a few minutes. I rolled out the fondant and it seemed fine, but when I was trying to smooth it out on the cake, it got sticky...even if I sprinkled it with powdered sugar.

Did I freeze them too long? I haven't covered the 2nd cake yet and have been trying to wipe off the condensation. Should I wait for it to dry a little and then mist again?

Because your cakes were starting to thaw, it was probably too much condensation, more water than when you normally mist. You should have let the cakes come to room temp then mist. By the way, putting fondant on a unthawed cake may cause an air bubble that would start to form and it will expand because of the air trapped under the fondant from the cake defrosting.

Good to know!

I went ahead and covered the 2nd one and, so far, so good. I kept wiping off the condensation as it reappeared. *shrugs*

I thought I read that many of you froze your cakes, so I was not sure what the problem was.

Addendum to my origninal post:

So, it's okay to freeze cakes? Other than what was mentioned already, is there anything I should be careful of?

Do you think the 50/50 thing is okay for a covering?

Thanks.

I really don't know anything about modeling chocolate but I don't see a problem I bet it tastes great. It probably helps with texture also.; alot of members have been complaining about SI tearing.

I bake at 325 instead of 350 (longer cooking time, varies depending on size), take out the oven, immediately use a clean dish towel and press down several times firmly but gently on the dome( this will flatten the top of the cake) let cake rest in pan on cooling rack for ten min. Then I remove from pan, wait about 10 min., place cake on parchment paper covered cake board, then double wrap in plastic, foil and then place in plastic bag. Freeze.

To thaw, I take out and sit on counter (keep wrapped) after about an hour (if I'm pressed for time) or longer I unwrap. The cakes will be wet moist sticky to the touch that's okay because you'll need to level the top. Even though I leveled the top during the towel technique I get excess cake on the edges. I usually put the cakes back in the pan to level. My cakes bakes up over the pan line. (I put a little more batter than the 2/3 full but not enough to over flow into the oven, but just in case I always put a disposable aluminum cookie sheet under my pans). When I put the cake back in the pan to level, I place my knife right up against the edge of the pan and cut across with a serrated knife. The pans edge is the knifes guide across and you get a perfectly flat top and 2" high cake; I use 2" high pans.

Sometimes I torte sometimes I don't. I fill the cake. Use stiff bc to make a dam around edge of cake. If I'm using a fruit filling I put a layer of bc down first then the fruit filling on top. For runny fillings, you have to keep it within and below the top of the dam. I wrap in double plastic wrap then let cake settle overnight or at least 6 hours; 3 hours if you place some weight on top like a texbook or ceramic tile. If you ice and decorate before your cake settles you will get a buldge around your cake between the layers in your finished cake. After it settles and your ready to continue, remove any buldging you see (see Sharon Zambito also known as sugarshack's tutorial for flawless fondant @www.youtube.com on how to remove). Crumbcoat, ice then decorate.

I hope this helps.

This was very helpful, thank you. Epecially the instructions on how to freeze.

I used the 50/50 mixture because, like you said, I read that several people were having trouble with the SI tearing. I didn't have any problem with that.

I love freezing my cakes because of the moisture it adds to the cake, but although you can fill a frozen cake, you can't (as already mentioned) cover it in fondant. Do, however, chill it before covering, if you like. Cold, but not frozen cold, so the buttercream edges will be as crisp as possible under the fondant. If you're seeing condensation forming, it's too cold (and wet!) to cover. Keep the cake covered/wrapped until it's thawed so that your beads of condensation form on the wrapping and not on your icing. HTH!

So, if I am doing a a bc cake, do I freeze, crumb coat, freeze again?

Freeze cakes,

thaw about 20 - 30 min, keep wrapped

level and torte (if torting is your plan) while cakes are still kind of frozen.

Fill cakes, double wrap in plastic, let cake settle overnight or at least 3 hours with some weight on top (textbook) on counter or in cake box.

Remove any buldging between layers, crumbcoat, ice, decorate.