What Am I Doing Wrong?

Decorating By sweet56pooh Updated 2 Aug 2010 , 4:13am by sweet56pooh

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sweet56pooh Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 8:33am
post #1 of 12

I'm new to cakes so I'm not sure if this is normal or not. I made my first tiered cake (the sesame street cake) and was scared that it would come apart. So I "glued" (tylose and water) the top tier onto the bottom tier along with using the dowels. When my friend dismantled the cake to cut it the top tier removed the fondant and the layer of bc from the bottom tier leaving an 8" circle of "naked" cake. I thought it was due to the "glue". My most recent cake, the Tinkerbell, the same thing happened! I made a fondant plaque using cake board and placed it on top of my fondant covered cake. When my friend went to remove the plaque it took along the fondant and ganache! The top of the cake was now pretty much "naked"! Is there a way to prevent this? Is this normal? I was so embarrassed both times. icon_redface.gif TIA!

11 replies
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egensinnig Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 8:51am
post #2 of 12

Well if you glue something together it will stick for sure icon_smile.gif
If you don't want it to stick - place a circle of wax paper underneith the top cake.
I usually put som RI between tiers if I travel with the cake stacked. Otherwise I use the wax paper.

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Texas_Rose Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 8:55am
post #3 of 12

If you let the fondant on the tiers dry a little while before you stack them, they're easier to get apart. Use a center dowel if you're worried about tiers slipping...don't glue them together.

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sweet56pooh Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 9:08am
post #4 of 12

With the plaque I didn't glue it down and the fondant on the cake was dry. It had about four hours before I placed the plaque on the cake and it still lifted everything off underneath... Would the wax paper make it slippery?

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Texas_Rose Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 9:24am
post #5 of 12

That's weird that it lifted it off. I don't use wax paper so I can't help with that...but nothing sticks to press and seal wrap, so wrapping your board in that is an option.

Did you have it in the fridge or an airtight container?

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sweet56pooh Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 9:42am
post #6 of 12

Nope, but it was a hot day today. Maybe that melted the fondant? But what's weird is that the sides of the cake was dry. The fondant wasn't shiny or sticky.

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pattycakesnj Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 11:24am
post #7 of 12

I put ps between the tiers and they don't stick together or remove the bottom layer of fondant when taking them apart.

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luddroth Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 11:32am
post #8 of 12

If you use the sps system, this can't happen. Each tier is on its own cardboard and the cardboard is on top of the plastic base. You lift the cake off the plastic base with a sturdy spatula, then pull the plastic base and columns out of the lower tier. It leaves 4 holes where the columns were, but the fondant on top of the lower tier is unmarked and intact.

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Redsoxbaker Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 12:08pm
post #9 of 12

sweet56pooh,
This happened to me last weekend. I made an anniversary cake for my brother-in-law and sistter-in-law. It was so embarrassing! It was my first one but I definitely learned by that mistake. I hear everyone talk about the sps system. What is it and where do you get it?

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mamawrobin Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 2:00pm
post #10 of 12

I use a circle of wax paper between tiers and I also let my fondant dry before stacking.

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leah_s Posted 1 Aug 2010 , 2:03pm
post #11 of 12

Yet another reason to use SPS! icon_smile.gif

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sweet56pooh Posted 2 Aug 2010 , 4:13am
post #12 of 12

SPS huh... Have some researching to do. Thanks everyone!!

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