Hi

I recently made my first fondant cake (which was a test run for a birthday cake). I found it difficult to spot air bubbles, perhaps because my base cake was not so smooth. I looked up online later on for how to avoid air bubbles and came across this technique.

My doubt is that I have read everywhere that fondant acts as a barrier and increases the shelf life of the cake, which is why one can keep it at room temperature for days. So if we prick a straw like suggested in this technique, can this affect the shelf life and moistness of the cake, as the fondant barrier is now broken?

What are your views? Could anyone help with any tips on air bubbles?  Thanks in advance.

The straw method is pretty good, it's not going to affect the cake too much. The key to (mostly) avoiding bubbles is to make sure all of the air is out from between the layers of cake. When the air makes its way out, that's what causes a bubble. If you give the cake a good press with your hand to really press the layers together and force any air pockets out once you put the tier together that can help. Leaving the cake to sit at room temp for a while before covering it to allow any air to make its way out can help.  You can also poke needle holes in the fondant to make tiny holes that air can get out, but sometimes those are too small to be useful.

I find that the most common time that bubbles form is when people cover cakes when they're cold, then let them warm up to room temperature. It's basic physics, air expands when it warms up, so if you have a pocket of cold air between layers it's going to expand and try to escape when the cake warms up. I decorate everything at room temperature to help prevent that kind of thing from happening.

Thanks so much.  I had put the cake for 15 minutes in the freezer after crumcoat and again after frosting. Would you suggest not to do it, to avoid bubbles? Or should I let it come to room temperature after I take it out of the freezer, before continuing with fondant?

I used the straw method in the end for two cakes that I was making for a party. These were my first fondant cakes. Thankfully, didnt have any problem with the bubbles. Just wand to drop a line to thank you for getting back to me.