My niece wants a snow white cake for her birthday. She would like the bottom tier to be a skirt with pleats. In a picture that I saw the pleats start from the top of the cake. How would I go about doing that without breaking the fondant?

Do you have a picture you can link to?

is it this one?

http://bit.ly/rR2xRm

Not sure about this, but to me it looks almost like the fondant was rolled out thin and re-rolled onto a roller, then the roller was placed vertically next to the cake and it was unrolled as it goes around the circumference of the cake, pleating the top down over the top of the cake . Then maybe the bottom edge was tucked under so the raw edge didn't show.

I'm guessing this because I don't see any seams.....but I'm not one of those smart decorators.....so hopefully you'll get some more responses!

I would either:

Use 50/50 to create the pleats on top of the fondant. So cover the cake like you usually would, then create pleats by using smaller pieces of 50/50 - as long as you turn the edges under, you will be able to hide the seems as they will look like pleats.

Or

If this is the bottom tier, I might use the same method as above, but without the first layer of fondant. As long as you start close to the middle of the cake, the cake on top should hold the fondant, gumpaste or 50/50 in place.

Good luck and I would love to see photos when you're done.

I have done pleats a few times, including on my own wedding cake (link to pic below). From the comments I'm not sure if everyone is picturing the same kind of pleats. The ones I picture are pleats like a skirting attached from the top edge of the cake and left to "drape" on the cake board.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1133953/

Using 50/50 fondant is a good suggestion. Definitely fondant the cake first. You only have to work with small sections at a time. Roll out and cut the right height and a length you are comfortable to work with, fold the leading edge under and then work the length into pleats using a satay stick / bamboo skewer - obviously they can be as wide or close as you like, you can also choose to flaten the pleats a bit or leave them full and "puffy". The pleated section then gets glued to the top edge of the cake - and you continue around placing each section over the top of the end of the last - you then tuck the last pleat under the first so there is no visable join. I often then do a "swag" to cover the top edge where the pleats are joined to the cake. Roll out some sections about 1 inch wide and maybe 3 inches long. Lightly tuck under the edges on both long sides and gather them long ways like material - then pinch the short edges and attach to the cake allowing the swap to drap nicely (not pulled tight). Go round the whole cake and then attach a decorative button, flower etc on the joins.

I can't take credit for this - thank Kerry Vincent. It is really much easier than it looks - finished product is just amazing.

Have fun with it![url][/url]