Hi all,

I'm going to be making a 3D 'Big Apple' cake and wondered whether anyone had any advice on how to cover a ball shape in fondant or modelling chocolate. My concern is that I'm going to end up with pleats in the fondant where the base tapers.

Is there a way to avoid that or would it be better to use modelling chocolate? As I understand it, with chocolate you can rub away seams and joins, but never having used it before, that might be too difficult. I would also need to make the modelling chocolate myself because it's crazy expensive. Is this madness for a first attempt? I don't know how it behaves at all - does it need to be kneaded before it's pliable, and will it roll out the same way fondant does?

Any light you can shed on the matter will be much appreciated

Hi,
I have yet to cover a cake in modelling chocolate, but from watching Ace of Cakes, it appears the different types of modelling choc (white, dark or milk) behave in different ways, the dark choc seems to melt quicker than the white and needs serious kneading before it can be rolled out. If you are going to cover your apple cake in fondant my advice is, don't become frustrated if it takes a couple of tries. roll out the fondant, not too thin or too thick, if its too thin its going to rip easily, powder the fodant with icing sugar, underneath and on top, this makes it easier because if you don't powder the fondant it's going to stick to everything and you're not going to be able to move it again!
powder the fondant, pick it up on the rolling pin and lay it across the cake, start to smooth the fondant, from the top to the bottom, you will need to be continuely picking up and smoothing, picking up and smoothing until you get to the bottom.
The key is non sticky fondant!
Hope this helps, good luck!

Thank you! I think you're right, it's going to take a few goes and lots of patience. I think I'll try with fondant, at least then I know what I'm dealing with - but watching Ace of Cakes has got me itching to try modelling chocolate, it seems to make all sorts of things possible!

Hi Leighcc,

This is how I covered my tea pot cake with fondant. Hope it helps.

I put my cake in the frig for 1/2 hour after lightly covering it with BC.

I rolled out my fondant about 1/4 inch think (you start out thick because the fondant will stretch as you cover the cake). Get the cake out of the frig and put on top of a clean tuna can (or something similar), and then drape the fondant wide over the cake. Start at the top of the cake smoothing it around and slowly work your way down the sides of the cake (dont pull or press to hard against the cake). Keep the skirt of the fondant away from the cake until you're ready to smooth it against the bottom of the cake.

Tammy

Glendale, great description . . . Thanks!

: O )

Anytime.

When I did my cake, I was so unsure about how to do it that I went out and purchased a Styrofoam ball, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and then practiced covering it with fondant. I did this about 7 or 8 times before I was able to achieve a wrinkle free bottom.

Good Luck