Fondant Covered Cakes

Decorating By Rawxy Updated 3 Dec 2014 , 6:10pm by Rawxy

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Rawxy Posted 3 Dec 2014 , 12:16am
post #1 of 5

Hi everyone,

 

I have a problem, every time I need to cover a cake with fondant It's not smooth, the top is fine as you can see, it's actually the bottom I have problems with, it tears or stretches. I use home made MMF.

I usually don't sell cakes and that's the reason why, (this I made for my nephew's 10th bday) I really don't feel comfortable selling a cake that looks like this. I specialize in cupcakes, cake pops, sugar cookies etc., But I am terrified when it comes to cakes.

 

Please help any suggestions are GREATLY appreciated.

 

Thank you!!

 

I made this cake for my nephew's 10th birthday. This was the first time I made MMF, and it came out pretty good. I was chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream.

4 replies
CindiM Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
CindiM Posted 3 Dec 2014 , 1:21am
post #2 of 5

AHi Rawxy, You will have less wrinkles at the bottom, when you use a larger piece of fondant. The best way to cover cakes is to weigh your fondant to find out how much works. For example try 2 pounds rolled out for an 8 inch cake, and you can adjust that amount as you try it. As you learn what weight works, you will feel confident in covering different size cakes. Make your self a chart when you cover each size and shape. And use a plastic mat to roll your fondant out so you don't have to use cornstarch, powered sugar, shortening, etc.

I don't use marshmallow fondant. It may work for lots of people. You might try a recipe that is on this site, called Michelle Foster's fondant that produces a product closer to a commercial fondant, in my opinion. Or try some of them. I use satin ice and have for years. Lots of people love fondx, too. I don't have time to make my fondant so I use what works for me. Good luck, it just takes practice.

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kakeladi Posted 3 Dec 2014 , 1:23am
post #3 of 5

It's hard to say exactly but I suggest you are not rolling the fondant big enough to start with.  If covering say a 10x4 cake you need to roll a circle at least 20" (each 'side' 4"x2=8; + top of cake 10" + 2" extra).

Now when putting on the cake you have enough to pull it lightly away from the cake so you can smooth out the 'wrinkles' at the bottom. Some people find it easiest to do this if the cake is elevated several inches but you need to work rather quickly, cutting off the excess as you go so it does not tear at the top.

OR have the cake on a cake circle the same size (8" cake on 8" board) and allow the excess to spread out on the table and cut w/a pizza cutter.

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bubs1stbirthday Posted 3 Dec 2014 , 11:26am
post #4 of 5

This used to happen to me all the time when I first started using fondant. What I do now is roll out my fondant as per Kakeladi's instructions then have the cake sitting on a flat surface roll the fondant over and roughly cut away the excess. I then run my smoother over the top of the cake only (assuming that I actually put the fondant in the right spot and don't have to pick it up and move it first :detective:) . I then elevate my cake up of the bench and work fairly slowly around the cake in a kind of spiral pattern - so I smooth the first inch or so of the top of the cake all the way around then the next inch or so and so on and so on.

 

I find that if I don't cut the bulk of the excess off at the start that it does pull and tear the fondant aswell as making all those creases on me.

 

Practice is the key though.

 

I use a recipe that is posted by costumeczar in a thread called readymade v's homemade fondant (or something like that) - I love it and it is so much better than mm fondant. When you read the recipe it sounds complicated but I find it way easier than making mm fondant.

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Rawxy Posted 3 Dec 2014 , 6:10pm
post #5 of 5

Wow, I really appreciate all the input I get from all of you. I think that what I am doing wrong is that I don't use that much fondant for example, if my cake is 10" I don't double it.

 

I will definitely take a look at that recipe though. I am willing to try and experiment on all I can.

I know I can :)

 

Thanks guys!!

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