I am going to attempt a 3-D Horse head cake for my daughters birthday. (She loves horses). It's going to be a 2 layered 12x12 cake that I'll need to sculpt. I'm going to freeze the cake before I begin carving as I've heard it cuts easier when frozen. After I've cut it to shape I'm going to cover in buttercream and then put fondant on it. In reading how to's on this - some say "Chill" the cake before putting fondant on. This cake is going to be tough to smooth the fondant. My question is - I've heard a chilled cake sweat's and the water will mark the fondant . Is this true? Could I have feedback on this process and any other suggestions on sculpted cakes? I read the flower pot article and she chilled prior to fondant application....

I thought cakes only sweated if the fondant is applied before refrigeration. Maybe I'm wrong though...

The last cake I did sweat but it was the BCI that sweat. The fondant never did. It was the whimiscal one in my pics. I put the BCI on before the cake had thawed. I did let the BCI dry & crust before I put the fondant over it. It was fine. I do think if I would have put the fondant on that sweaty BCI I would have had problems. So let it dry first just to be on the safe side~

I'm going to mention something here that possibly some of you could answer, or have an idea if it matters.

I did "chill" some cakes before putting fondant on them and they did sweat...but...this is the issue I think may be worth checking out...I used MMF. Would that make a difference at all? The 2nd cake I let "sweat it out" then put the fondant onand the cake was still cool, mmf, and it still felt as if the mmf got tacky somewhat to work with.

Any ideas as to a difference in fondant that is used?

I used MMF and had a cake "glisten" ... Being very proper here my girlie cakes would NEVER sweat! hahahaa... But my cakes did glisten with moisture after I applied them to a BC iced cake straight out of the fridge.

In an hour all moisture had simply evaporated, it looked more shiny than anything. It never had beads of condensation, that I think might happen with a frozen cake, although I don't know.

I've always been leary of that "sweat" thing too! I keep them at room temp just to be on the safe side!

tickledpink...were you able to smooth the mmf during this time or was there a problem at all? Never sweat, okay, they "perspired"! LOL!

I've just kept the cake at room temp just to be on the safe side.

I applied the MMF fondant to the chilled cake and smoothed it completely. After about 15 mins I think the temp had reached from the cake to the outside of the fondant and it started to "glisten" but that was after I had it all in place.

Thank you for your input. As suggested I'll put the fondant on it when it comes up to room temp. Wish me luck on this cake. it's a doosy! You guys are the best.

Happy Decorating BJ!! You can do it!! Just take your time! If you get frustrated just walk away for at bit then get back to it later. YOU CAN DO IT!!

I've got a bottle of wine chilling already in preparation for some anxiety if it gets to be too much - if not, I'll use it for celebration. Thanks.

Here-Here BJ! I'm having a glass of something bubbly with ya!...does that mean that I should have a cake to go along with the wine???

Well, I did the cake! I was VERY pleased with the outcome. See it in my pix. I even waited for the glass of wine (ok, I had 2) till after the cake was done to celebrate. Thanks for the help.

The horse head is great!!! My neice loves horses too....