I need to make a graduation cake for my daughter.  I tried to tell her that what she wanted in this graduation cake was way beyond her momma's ability, but I could have it made for her.  Her response "that's why I am giving you 2 years notice, so YOU can practice!!!"  OH MY!!!!  Well, a year of that time has passed, and I have not practiced once...I've had plenty of nightmares about it, but haven't taken that big step to actually try it.  I really want to surprise her with this cake but this will be the first time I have covered a dummy cake with fondant, or any other cake as far as that goes, and could use some help, please.  Here are my questions: 

1)  The cake will be 2 tiers - 6" and 10" and will be dummy cakes. The dummies will be covered in white fondant.  I am decorating it with a black fondant ribbon at the base of the tiers and using red icing to pipe lines.  How many days in advance can I make the dummy cake?  If I cover and decorate the dummies Tuesday, will it still be ok on Sunday?  If so, how do I store it until time to display it? 

2)  What type of icing would be best to use for the red lines.  They will be very fine lines.  I don't want them to bleed on the white fondant!  Sometimes when I decorate cookies, over a couple days time the red begins to bleed.  Will that happen on the fondant?

3)  How long should I let the fondant set on the dummies before I apply the decorations?

4)  What is the best method to apply the black fondant ribbon to the fondant to avoid any bleeding onto the white fondant?

5)  I read a couple of comments on the forum about dummy cakes "sagging" at the bottom after 2 or 3 days.  How do I avoid this? 

6) Of course, I'm open to any other advice you might have.  This is really stressing me out. 

I'm so sorry for asking so many questions, but I really want this cake to be special. 

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello RHULL, 

If you are doing an all dummy cake you can start several weeks in advance. I will be doing a cake for our fair and will be doing the same thing. You can also do your stripes and decorations at the same time or you can let it harden a bit before hand. Where you are so nervous just take your time and work on it when you are comfortable with the time you have.

I have never had a problem with things sagging on a dummy cake and I would use royal icing as a base for your fondant and for your icing stripes. Your black fondant should not bleed if you don't get it to moist when applying it. I would roll out the black to the thickness you want, cut your ribbon, gently roll it up. using a small paint brush moisten a line where you want to attach the ribbon (use alcohol as this will dry faster than water but water will work, just not to much.)

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the advice.  I appreciate you taking the time to offer your advice.

AYou can make a dummy cakes months in advance. Ive been out of the wedding cake biz for 2 years and still have some of my dummy cakes.