I've recently discovered (yes I am new to cake baking and decorating) that you can use chocolate ganache instead of buttercream when covering a cake with fondant!! But I'm affraid that this method intimidates me a little. So can I possibly gets some tips, recipes, or tutorials from the lovely CC community?
P.S. I need this info to do a cake for my sister in law's baby shower! Thanks a Bunch!!

Just make sure you do a 2:1 ratio for the Ganache (for dark or semi-sweet) Give yourself enough time to let the ganache set up. Ideally let it sit overnight before you will need to use it. It will become a smooth peanut butter consistency that is easy to spread. Ice your cake with the ganache and use a warm knife/spatula/bench scraper to smooth the sides and edges. Let it set for a bit to set up, the ganache will form somewhat of a sturdy shell. I spritz it with water or brush on a bit of water with a pastry brush to help the fondant stick to the chocolate. Then just cover with fondant as you normally would. Don't be intimidated, it is so easy and will give you a great result.

I've done it quite a bit myself, but like you I was intimidated to try it at first.

Pretty much just as Trixie said. (Well put Trixie! )

If you would rather use milk chocolate, mix it 3:1

I used to put mine in the fridge for a few hours to help it set when it was hot. Or like mentioned just cover it up and let it cool on it's own.

It literally is like peanut butter... it spreads on great and hardens to a fudge like shell. It's easy to get smooth too!

I learned from Rylan... she has a blog about it. I wrote to her cause her cakes are so amazingly smooth.. they look like styrofoam. I wanted the technique.

You can do it!!

I do this with a lot of cakes now. After I make the ganache I firm it up in the fridge so it's a nice spreadable consistency. I also like to paint the whole cake with melted ganache using a pastry brush to act as a crumb coat. Then I pop it in the fridge to let it set and ice with the spreadable ganache.

The Transformers cake in my photos was iced in ganache before covered in fondant and I love the hard edge that it has compared to other cakes I've done.

I learned it at this blog:

http://sugarsweetcakesandtreats.blogspot.com/2010/05/covering-cake-in-ganache.html

There's been other threads here too:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6942251&sid=05d953773386c895eb99c64ce5e1fe62

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=661775&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

The cakes in Paris Cutler's book 'Planet Cake' all use the ganache method. That has really good instructions.

ThAnK YoU, ThAnK YoU, ThAnK YoU!! To everyone for your help!! I'm am super excited about trying this ganache method!!

I just recently discovered this method and used it for my Lightning McQueen cake. It is awesome! You can get the cake so smooth. Google the Planet cake recipe. That's what I used. There is a Planet Cake forum as well that answers all the questions about ganaching a cake.

Stephanie