Attempted to cover my first big cake this morning and well, I was about ready to throw it across the room!! lol All I can say is thank goodness I have a big ribbon border covering the bottom part, because I could not get it completely covered...

Anyone have any tips or suggestions to help with covering such a big cake for future reference?? I guess maybe The Mat or something like that would be of help, but seeing as I dont normally make huge cakes, I just wondered if there were any tips about it.

did you roll your fondant like over your rolling pin and then drape it across your cake.. that always helps

I just get my forearms under it and move it onto the cake. Work quickly.

Hi charliecakes!

Yes! I did that, it was just soooo much to roll out such a big piece of fondant that by the time I got it rolled up and onto my cake it was ripping or pulling...grrr..

I use a 3" round PVC pipe abouy 30" long......doesn't leave any creases and it is long enough to pick up a large piece of fondant.

When covering a cake that large ... you have to work fast... The method Leah_s talked about works better with a cake that size because when you use the rolling pin method there's more weight & gravity working against you causing the fondant to tear like it did.

SN: you mentioned "The Mat"...it does work great because you can readjust your fondant's positioning if need be... but until you get one ... use the method Leah_s talked about

I"m like terrylee. I use a regular rolling pin or sometimes an extra long piece of pvc.

PVC...a big one

I avoid fondant on a 16" square like the plague

Here's one I wanted fondant on, so I got "creative" because I did not want to do one piece of fondant on there.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2065811

I do not like doing a 16" square.

I haven't had to do a 16 inch yet but I was struggling with a 12 inch the first time I did one. Someone recommended dusting a mat with cornstarch and then rolling it out and sliding it off the mat onto the cake. Worked awesome once I found a piece of flexible, smooth plastic big enough!

Thanks everyone for your replies.. IF I ever attempt to cover a cake this big again, I will definately have to try these suggestions..