why someone would spend hours on a cake getting the buttercream/fondant perfect, and adding beautiful flowers/decorations, but stick the cake on a plain piece of cardboard!
Sometimes, when I take a photo, it's on a cardboard because it will be used for delivery (to help keep the edges of a borderless cake from being bumped) when the customer has requested no visible drum...they want it displayed directly onto the stand...there's a drum/base board used, just the icing or fondant covers it. Being totally serious, if I don't take a picture when I think of it, more likely than not, there won't be one taken. Sometimes, when I'm just working on techniques or getting a design out of my head onto a cake, I don't use a drum...just a cardboard...those are for solely done for techniques and design not meant to be displayed as an entire piece. I upload/uploaded cakes quite often on boards only to share a particular technique.
I'm not saying that that is the case with the ones you've seen...just that that is sometimes the reason for me.
I wish there was a "like" button on CC. I LIKE your post! Seeing a pretty cake on plain cake rounds or foil covered cardboard disappoints me. It cheapens the overall look.
ETA: BTW if you look at my photos you'll see a lot of cakes on plain cardboard. That was way back when I was just starting. Once I started covering boards with fondant and saw the difference that made, I said goodbye to plain boards.
so are the foil-covered drums the preferred choice?
For me, yes. A single cake circle (covered in foil or not) is not strong enough to support a cake. So unless you're decorating then serving the cake on the same countertop/tabletop, you need a stronger base.
And once you get to a certain size cake, even the drum isn't enough. Probably have to go to plywood for really large cakes.
I always have the same problem with decorating cake boards! I wish they made those cake board foils in PLAIN colors and not with all the outdated prints. I use those in a pinch but would like some bright colors or even just white, I would be happy. Reallly tired of covering in cute wrapping paper and having to cover with contact paper.
Sometimes the customer is not willing to pay extra for me to decorate the board. If I were to do so, it would eat into my profit. If they aren't willing to pay, then they get a plain ho-hum cake drum.
I actually have a really hard time with covering cake boards- I don't know how everyones come out so neat and clean! Are there any threads covering this? I find that the fondant puckers around the edges under the ribbon because its so short.
In response to this, you don't bring the fondant down over the edge of any board, no matter how thick or thin the board. You put fondant on the top and run a spatula around the edge to clean off the excess. Trim the edge with a ribbon the same width.
I honestly think that to have a nice, decorative display board, you need to use something with some thickness to it.
I cut most of my own base boards out of foam core. I use the 3/16th thickness for small, informal one tier cakes. I don't usually cover those w/ fondant because I can't easily get a thin enough ribbon to go around the outer edge. I wrap the paper around the edge & tape it on the bottom.
For large cakes, I use 1/2" foam core boards or pre-made cake drums.
Rae
To go along with the OP I hate, Hate, *HATE!!!* those Wilton so-called 'lace' printed boards. To me it *totally* cheapens a cake and takes away from it's beauty. But that's just me
Definitely.
When I can't get to the cake deco store in a pinch, I buy packs of those boards with 50% off coupons to use as throw aways for icing & transferring cakes around my kitchen. After I finished Wilton 2, I never put another finished cake on one of them.
Rae
I like to flood my cake boards with royal icing. It can't be done at the last minute because it needs to dry over night.
I like to flood my cake boards with royal icing. It can't be done at the last minute because it needs to dry over night.
Yes, I've done this for fondant covered cakes and it works nicely when you put it into your schedule.
I find it doesn't work as well for buttercream iced cakes, or cakes w/ BC borders because the oil from the icing stains the royal.
Rae
Sometimes the customer is not willing to pay extra for me to decorate the board. If I were to do so, it would eat into my profit. If they aren't willing to pay, then they get a plain ho-hum cake drum.
Same here,I'm not killing myself on a cheap ass haggling customer.
why someone would spend hours on a cake getting the buttercream/fondant perfect, and adding beautiful flowers/decorations, but stick the cake on a plain piece of cardboard!
Your boards are certainly cute! Do you use wrapping paper covered in contact paper? Do you have a place you get your paper from? I would love to try it your way rather than just covering in fondant. I'm just curious as to how cost effective it is though... It would seem expensive to buy a $5-8 roll each time just to use a small piece from it.
Beansss,
Thanks for the comment on my boards.
I have an assortment of colored wrapping paper and a box full of ribbon spools. I just pick whatever paper I think matches-and sometimes that's just white freezer paper- and cover the board (1/2" foam core). I cover that with clear contact paper, and then use double sided tape to put a plain cake board on top of that for the cake to set on. (I also buy fabric remnants, use craft paper, or scrap book paper.)
I don't know enough to cover my board in fondant or royal icing, lol!
I'm just a hobbyist, so my cakes are gifts for family and friends, and I don't have to worry about making a profit. I know it takes a few extra minutes, but since I usually only make one cake every month or so, I have plenty of time to get it all together.
Beansss,
Thanks for the comment on my boards.
I have an assortment of colored wrapping paper and a box full of ribbon spools. I just pick whatever paper I think matches-and sometimes that's just white freezer paper- and cover the board (1/2" foam core). I cover that with clear contact paper, and then use double sided tape to put a plain cake board on top of that for the cake to set on. (I also buy fabric remnants, use craft paper, or scrap book paper.)
I don't know enough to cover my board in fondant or royal icing, lol!
I'm just a hobbyist, so my cakes are gifts for family and friends, and I don't have to worry about making a profit. I know it takes a few extra minutes, but since I usually only make one cake every month or so, I have plenty of time to get it all together.
Oh, I get it now - great idea to use fabric remnants, craft and scrap book paper. I learn so much from the people on this site. Thanks for sharing!
Scrap book paper...love the stuff. I made a cake to match a piece I fell in love with a couple of months ago.
Brown with blue, pink and red flowers and green vine work, it was too cute to leave in the store. 
mommachris
same here! scrapbook paper covered in contact paper- super cute and easy!
I know it as the sticky stuff you use to cover kitchen cabinet shelves. Is it that, or something different?
It's the same. Clear Contact Paper is available, but it isn't food safe... just be sure to have your cake on its own board to avoid prolonged contact.
I know it as the sticky stuff you use to cover kitchen cabinet shelves. Is it that, or something different?
Yes. It's not food safe--not the clear or the printed (lead in the inks), so you need a barrier between it and the cake--either a board under the cake tier or a piece of parchment.
Rae
So the contact paper goes over the fabric easily? How do you cut the foam core to make it really even and nice. It sounds like a decent extra expense so I would almost ask for it back from my friends and family! Sounds adorable!! Any other tips on how to make it look nice?
Depends on what the customer wants. If they are willing to pay the expense of the added fondant covered board then they get that, most tend to opt for the less expensive cake drum. I always start with the most expensive design, but the majority of clients, especially in this economic slump, generally go with the less expensive variations offered.
So the contact paper goes over the fabric easily? How do you cut the foam core to make it really even and nice. It sounds like a decent extra expense so I would almost ask for it back from my friends and family! Sounds adorable!! Any other tips on how to make it look nice?
I use an exacto knife, and it comes out well. If I have to do a round, I take a toothpick, and string, (for a 14" board use a 7 inch string) punch the toothpick through the center with the string attached, use a pen at the other end of the string, and rotate around the board. Then I just follow the line with the exacto knife. You can use sand paper to smooth the edges.
1/2 inch faom core is $6 where I am, but since I'm a hobbyist, I have friends and family return it for reuse.
I am not being argumentative or anything so please don't take this to be rude but I genuinely don't get charging people more for a fondant covered board? I guess if your purchasing fondant maybe it's an expense but it costs me about 3 or 4$ at most per batch of MMF and a small bit of it to cover a cake board most of the time. I would happily give up the 2 dollars for a more professional look.
Also, to save even more it is much easier than it might seem to cover the board after putting the cake on so you have only a very small amount of fondant to use! Just an idea!
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