I have been studying cakes for a while now and have been watching the different styles. But, for the life of me, I can't figure out how you Aussies get your fondant cakes SO perfect looking!!! I mean, I know that you all use ganache under the fondant, but certainly that can't be the only thing that you are doing different than the rest of us.... What type of fondant do you ladies use?? Are there other "tricks" or products that you use there that we can't get without having to order it from an Aussie distributor? For an idea of the types of cakes I am talking about, I am attaching some photos that I found on the Flickr site made by several Australian cakers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28759693@N04/5588018259/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28759693@N04/5671404311/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deliciously_decadent/5518357783/in/photostream

Again, none of the cakes are my own creation. The first two are by "My Cakes.com" and the third one is by a designer that goes by the name "Deliciously Decadent" but they all show the type of perfection with fondant that I'm striving to achieve in my own decorating. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Most Aussies use Bakels Pettinice ( I know DD does) but we have just had Satin Ice hit our shores and lots of people are trying that out, with mixed reviews.

MOST of us are making mudcakes - a much denser cake that the American style of light fluffy with fruit filling etc.

Our cakes are normally filled with ganache as well (think it acts a bit like reinforcement, especially in carved cakes

I posted a few links to covering a cake with ganache and sharp edge (Aussie style) on another thread - Ganache Torture .... hang on I'll go grab them

90% of Australian made cakes are ganache under fondant

Fondant is rolled REALLY thin - most aiming for 1/8th of an inch or less these days.

This is a really good photo step by step of a class taken with Faye Cahill in Sydney -

Agreed, it's the ganache under the fondant. Works like a charm!

I have to agree with ApplegumPam.. the density of the mud cake and the ganache combinded act as a wonderful stabilizing componant. Michelle from Inspired By Michelle Cake Designs mentions this fact I think during her youtube tutorial.. you can see how stable the cakes are when she is moving around them with her fondant smoother. Here is Michelle's response to a similiar question that was posted on her site: http://inspired-by-chocolate-and-cakes.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=69&cntnt01origid=73&cntnt01returnid=57

HTH

i've tried the links as well and they are broken. PLEASE repost the links as i am extremely curious and envious of the obvious talent!!

ApplegumPam Faye's cakes are amazing! So elegant and divine to look at.

Anyone trying to click on the links I would advise just to type in the main website name and search the site from there

There's an Australian book called Planet Cake by Paris Cutler. That has good basic instructions for using ganache under fondant and getting sharp edges.

I agree with others that most of the cakes you are referring to would be mud cakes (a dense, very stable cake) with ganache (again, very stable & a great solid surface to cover with fondant), and that fondant is rolled thin (about 3 or 4mm, no thicker). If you're using mud cake and the right consistency ganache (for filling as well as frosting) you will get ZERO bulging problems, and the cake won't need time to 'settle' at all - you can go right ahead and ice all over after filling, no problems. You do need to give the ganache time to set up before covering with fondant though. The very sharpest edges rely on good smoothing technique as well, using two smoothers simultaneously - I can't quite get that right yet, which is why my edges are not as sharp as those in your links.

Thank you for the advice. I have never tried Ganache but hope to soon. Would you mind sharing your recipe for mud cake? I need to get out of my box - as a hobby baker I tend to just make the basic WASC.

All links above have been edited and should now work

I just cut and paste from a previous post and didnt' realise they were 'condensed' links

I posted a copy of my recipe on here ages ago

Here is a link
http://cakecentral.com/recipes/14688/pams-chocolate-mudcake

You don't *have* to use ganache. I use swiss meringue buttercream and butter cakes and get super sharp corners.



I've done it with criscocream too, but it's much more of a hassle.

A buttercream made with butter will chill and get nice and firm so you can apply the right pressure to it.

Gorgeous cake lilmissbakesalot.. is that SMB under fondant? or just SMB alone? Either way, you have acheived perfection

Thanks everyone!! That is fondant covered SMBC.

Evior... I use Fondex exclusively and it's great. Much better than Satin Ice IMHO and I get absolutely no cracking at the edge with it.

Thank you ALL for the help!! I will definitely give the ganache and the other fondants a go!! I already exclusively use very dense cakes as I prefer the texture and it's funny, most people that I introduce them to like them also! Don't get me wrong, I like a good ol American "light and fluffy" cake now and then, but usually with fruit and whipped cream. I also find that when you are serving a person a slice of cake that is 1 inch by 2 inches, they are MUCH more satisfied with a denser cake and don't feel the need to return for a second helping.
BTW, if anyone has additional opinions on Pettinice or Fondx, I would love to hear them. Especially if you have worked with the other commercial prepared fondants. Like I said before, I just don't "get" what it is about Fondarific being so "wonderful". To me it is quite difficult to work with, especially when it is warm outside. It just seems to almost melt. And, when you are adding a large amount of coloring to it, it just about falls apart and is a REAL PIA to work with!! ( I made a cake that was a royal purple and it would have been a nightmare had I not added some home made MMF to it as well as been during winter months!!) It did taste wonderful though...I will give it that!

Thanks again CC friends!

this has some awesome links!