I am wanting to make a scrollwork cake for a friends birthday but I have a few questions. The one time I used fondant I iced the cake first with buttercream and then covered it with the fondant. However, as I was smoothing the fondant, the bc was squishing out from underneath the fondant. I would really like to avoid this from happening again. Can anyone give me pointers? I would also like to know when to do the scrollwork. After the fondant is on the cake or before?

Thanks,
Lazy_Susan

I'm wondering the same thing...I think I either use too much BC or my fondant is rolled too thin. I'm going to try thicker fondant next time but still keep a fairly nice layer of BC and see if that makes a difference. I personally would want to be able to peel off the fondant (if I didn't like it) and still have a little frosting to eat with my cake!

..I usually put just enough BC so you can't see thru to the cake...not real thin but not too thick.

If you put too much on, the fondant won't stick correctly. Think of glueing paper together: if you put on too much glue, the papers will just slide around and the glue will gush out. Sometimes more is not better

I use just enough(Edited to add: Buttercream) so that you can just barely (ever so slightly) see the cake underneath. I roll my fondant about 1/8 inch thick but not more than (max) 1/4 in thick.

HTH

edited to add: But people here generally like the taste of fondant. I've never seen anyone pick it off or not eat it. Also, people don't generally like our traditional butter cream (too sweet/fatty)...so those aren't issues I have to deal with, like most of you guys seem to. I guess that is an important difference to take into consideration, because if people will be peeling the fondant off, the cake will need to have more frosting on it, etc.
Just thought I'd add that

how much I put depends upon what is going to happen to the fondant.

crumb coat for nice tight smooth fit

thicker coat (like regular icing job) if fondant will be stripped off before eating

even thicker if I want to shape and mold the fondant (as in making dents in sides as on SpongeBob cake, or the dented top of a hat as in cowboy cakes)

I use a generous amount (just a little less than 1/4" I think, but it varies) of BC, but I use IMBC and refrigerate it so it's quite firm before I add the fondant.

I agree with MelC. I cover my cakes with about 1/4" to 1/3" of IMBC and then put each cake in the freezer for one hour to chill well.

I roll out my fondant about 1/4" to 1/3" thick and smooth it onto the cake right out of the freezer.

I smooth it only with the Fondant Paddle Smoothers (NOT my hands) and then let it rest overnight. (Don't touch it as it returns to room temperature & perspires ever so slightly...or you'll mark the cake!!)

In the morning, I trim off the excess at each cake's base.

I put a regular coating of buttercream on all of my cakes to be covered in fondant, and then chill or totally freeze the cakes in the freezer. The icing will be set firmly and will allow you smooth your fondant on without any squishing.

I always get the most compliments on my fondant cakes in which I am not stingy with the buttercream. I use Satin Ice fondant, which tastes quite good, but everyone always loves the buttercream the best.

IMBC is Italian Meringue Buttercream, Correct ??

Yep.