Hi

I have  a fruit cake base and then a chocolate cake stacked on top I need to ice them as one cake.

Before stacking am I best to 

 cover the top of the fruit cake in white fondant leaving its sides bare , crumb coat the chocolate one with choc gancahe chill down. stack the cakes and then go over the complete sides as one cake with white chocolate ganache?

Chill down and then cover the whole cake with fondant?

I am not sure what the best way to do this is without ruining the fruit cake  underneath.

when the fruit cake is served I really would like it to at least have a white fondant top.

What method do you recommend to ensure both cakes are joined as one  whilst not compromising there flavours?

Thanks

Personally I would NOT place any sort of choc Ganache directly onto a fruit cake, ie; under the fondant icing.  I would do the choc cake with ganache, and for fruit either use marzipan or a base layer of fondant.  Not everyone likes marzipan and to get a smooth finish a double layer of fondant can work well.  Except NOT every one will  want that much fondant....so it is totally your choice.

I once did a cake purely with one layer of fondant (at my Father inlaw's request as HE doesn't like marzipan), but it didn't have as smooth a finish as I would have liked. Brush apricot glaze or strained apricot jam directly onto the fruit cake first, and gives the fondant/marzipan something to adhere to.

Once the 2 cakes have been covered, then to ice them in one go with the fondant should be fine.  I have placed my tiers together before covering in fondant so it can be done.  Good luck.

If you are intending on eating the entire layer of fruitcake (and not hoping to 'preserve' it)  then white chocolate ganache is fine -  you can add spice to the cream and a dash of brandy so that it tastes like brandy butter.

You need to use a fair bit of pressure with your scraper to ensure any holes are completely filled

You can most definately cover the top of the fruitcake with a cricle of fondant, before placing the chocolate layer on top (a disk of parchment smaller than cake diameter will help to keep it protected)

I would really advise to use a central dowel system for this - ie a wooden dowel drilled and glued into base board - you will need to predrill your cake boards as well - remember with fruitcake it is easier to poke a hole DOWN from the top, before you secure your chocolate top, and cover.... just makes it easier to 'thread' over the pole when it comes time to place on presentation board

Good Luck - it will taste FABULOUS!

Thanks for your tips,really appreciate them

I have all the dowels , glazes etc  prepared .

My concern is the best way to join  a white cake to a  dark choc cake .

A thin sausage of fondant squeezed in between the two to fill the gaps?

Before the thicker top coat of fondant.?

What is the correct method of joining a fruit and dark choc cake as one?