http://i55.tinypic.com/53tnph.jpg

I believe this cake is covered in ganache because it's shiny. You can see it better in the movie "Life as we know it"
I have never worked with ganache. All my cakes are frosted and decorated with Pastry Pride.
So my questions are:
1. Do I pour the ganache on top of the cake? If so, I will put it on a rack before pouring.
2. Does the ganache set?
3. Am I supposed to ice it in buttercream before pouring the ganache? Or can I pour it directly on an unfrosted cake?
4. Can I whip the ganache to a frosting-like consistency while still keeping the shiny look?
5. Can someone recommend a nice ganache recipe? Preferably one that you have personally used

I apologize beforehand with all the dumb questions but I don't want to mess up this cake. Im replicating this cake but in a 1/4 sheet. I'm making the duck out of RKT and the decorations out of 50/50 fondant and gumpaste.

Thanks in advance!

What I would do is first frost the cake in buttercream, and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then I would place the frosted cake on a cooling rack in order to catch the ganache drippings. Then pour the desired amount of ganache on top of the cake and smooth it out with an angled spatula. A good recipe that I like to use is one from a Wilton forum, so that person gets all the yummy credit.

small batch
Semisweet and/ or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 8 ounces
Heavy cream ¾ cup
Liqueur (optional) 1 Tbls

medium batch
Semisweet and/ or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 11 ounces
Heavy cream 1 cup
Liqueur (optional) 1 to 2 Tbls

large batch
Semisweet and/ or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 22 ounces
Heavy cream 1 pint
Liqueur (optional) 2 to 3 Tbls

To prepare, you heat the cream to boiling, then remove it from the stove and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, cover the pot or bowl for 10 minutes and then stir again. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Hope I helped. Happy Baking.

And once whipped, it does not remain shiny. When ganache is of pouring consistency, I don't think whipping it will make a difference... it just has to be poured over.

Thank you both. I will try the ganache recipe RebecaR!

OK! My cake is finished and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. It's in my photos if you're interested. Thanks for the help and advise!

It came out really cute and perfectly smooth! No one would ever guess this is your first time glazing a cake.