Hi there! I'm new to cake decorating and wanted to try my hand at fondant. I'm going to be making the fondant myself. I was wondering what types of cake were the best for covering in fondant. I assume very moist cakes don't work as well as a firmer cake. Is this true? Any recipes? Also I know you have to use something between the cake and the fondant to make it stick. I've seen most people using a buttercream frosting. How much do you use? Is it a very sparse amount just to get it to stick or do you you frost it the same as you would a cake that you weren't going to cover with fondant? Also say you are sticking fondant stars or polka dots to your already fondant covered cake, what do you use to stick them on? Is it the same with figures? Thanks a bunch for any advice you might have!!

It doesn't matter too much what kind of cake you use. If you have a cake recipe that you're used to using and that you like, use that. Don't use a really wet cake like a tres leches or jello poke cake.

I put the buttercream on pretty thick and then chill the cake until the buttercream (crusting recipe) is firm and crusted. Then put the fondant on fairly quickly before the cake comes to room temperature, because if it gets too warm the buttercream will squish out the bottom under the fondant.

To glue fondant details onto fondant, use a little bit of water brushed on the back. If it's a heavy piece or you don't think it will stay, mix some tylose powder and water into a thick glue and use that.

I use enough BC to get a smooth coating. Any imperfections will show through your fondant. I would definitely allow a refrigerated cake to come back up to room temperature before applying fondant. You take the chance of condensation forming, this could cause the fondant to slide off the cake. As for applying fondant on fondant, use a water/gumpaste glue.

Thanks a bunch! Also if I wanted to use a crusting buttercream and smooth it with the viva method could I just attach fondant cutouts with a bit of water?

Yes, you can attach fondant decos to b/c icing with a little water for glue or use a little buttercream for glue.

I have used bc frosting under fondant for all my cakes until last weekend when I tried gancache - I thought that worked much better as I was able to get the ganache perfectly smooth before putting fondant on ------something I definitely need to practice with buttercream!!!

I make my own fondant - I sift about 6 c. powdered sugar, then I use one 16oz bag of mini marshmellows- put in a microwave safe bowl with 2-3 tbsp water. Cook 30 seconds, stir, cook 30 seconds more, stir. Then stir in about 3 c of the powdered sugar and either pour into kitchen aid with dough hook and add remaining powdered sugar until you have a doughy consistency....if you don't have the dough hook, you can put the remaining sugar either on tabletop or in a very large bowl and pour the marshmellow onto it and knead it in for about 10 min. When fondant is kneeded enough, it shouldn't be sticky, it should just break apart when you pull it, rather then stretch out (like melted mozzerella).

Everyone does fondant their own way you will learn...I prefer a small amount of buttercream - and I like it very cold, (I pop it in the freezer for about 8-10 min while I am rolling out fondant so that it is very firm when I apply the fondant....)

Happy baking