Hi, I am making a baby shower cake and want to apply quilting on the fondant. Anybody have tips on how to get the diamonds even? Do you ordinarily use a pattern or do you just freehand?

I've only done one quilted cake but i bought a triangle ruler that has 90 degrees and I think 40 or 45 degrees on it from the office supply store. I then made a super little mark every 1" around the base of the cake and then used the angle on the ruler and my wheel tool. I went around the cake in one direction and then back in the other direction.

Hope this helps

I use an impression mat.

I use an impression mat, too.

I saw a cake show where the person used a embossing tool (looked like a cookie cutter actually) to make the quilting pattern very quickly. If I am able to find it I will post here!

The first link is the one I saw on TV. I don't know if I would spend that amount if I can do it by hand with a 2 or 3 dollar angle ruler I have to think about it.....hard. Maybe I can find one on Ebay.

http://www.cakesuppliesdepot.com/Embossers-and-Quilters_c_55.html 9.99

http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?productId=630892 6.90

I have that one that lisapost linked from country kitchens. I also have this one that I really like for a bit larger diamonds.

http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?ShopId=38&CatId=527&SubCatId=1590&productId=630852

debbief,

How do the embossers you have work for you? are they easy to use, and make good clean lines? The price on the one you posted is reasonable, I may try it if you recommend it.

i have the same one as debbie and not had any problems, it takes some practice getting each section of pattern lined up but really easy once you get in the swing of it

Debbief ,

Thank you for the information....and beautiful cake! I am going to buy the larger one today!

I have a wedding cake coming up in June that will require quilting. My question is this, Do you do the quilting on the fondant before or after it is placed on the cake? Don't mean to steal the thread, but thought I would ask while ya'll are on the subject.
Thanks,
Vickey

I like to use an impression mat as well on both buttercream and fondant. Personally, I like to apply the quilted pattern after I've applied the fondant to the cake. Sometimes, to get a deeper quilted effect on the fondant, I'll use the impression mat to give the initial lines, then I'll go back over them with a fondant cutter/embosser tool.

The only down side to using the impression mat, is that sometimes the impressions don't line up perfectly at the end. I've heard that when you use the diamond cutters (as mentioned earlier) you can control it a little better. The sure fire method to getting it to line up every time is probably using the good old ruler and triangle, but the impression mat is just so much faster...

Thanks debbief. That makes sense. I worry because I seem to always have trouble with the BC underneath the fondant squishing out from under the fondant. Maybe I need to put a thinner layer of BC on the cake. Or would you chill or freeze the cake after the BC but before the fondant?
Thanks,
Vickey

I take a really flexible ruler and measure all around the cake on the top and bottom and put a small pin hole mark every inch. So there will be one pin hole that is at the top edge of the cake and one pin hole directly under the first one at the bottom edge of the cake. There will be these pin holes all around the cake with 1" space inbetween them horizontally.
I then take my flexible ruler and match it up with a top hole and angle the ruler so it's at the bottom of the cake but 2 holes over. (is this making any sense??) I then take my fondant tool and make the impression and do this all around the cake. Then just turn your ruler the other direction and go back the other way. I've never had my seams not match up perfectly.
I also always put a small dragee in the seams of the lines and they also cover up the pin holes. If your not going to do this then maybe instead of pin holes you could just press a small spot.

Malene,

Your way makes perfect sense to me. I think I am going to try your way first on a practice cake. I want my diamonds to be large, any suggestions on how to get that look?

Thanks,
Patty

Instead of going from one top hole down to two holes over just go one hole over. You could also make your little holes 1 1/2 inches apart instead of 1 inch apart.

Thanks, I am going to do a practice cake first.