MY grandson's girlfriend wants burlap on her wedding cake-rustic cake design. Just touching it lightly fibers fall off and will be embedded in icing. The only thing I can think of to do is to cover back of it with white surgical tape. Any better suggestions? I told her I could make a trim with icing that would come close to it. She insists on burlap.

I usually glue the burlap to some ribbon so it doesn't touch the cake.

No. Real. Burlap.

 

They make plastic or craft burlap for just this purpose (think flower arrangements) or you can make it with a mold and fondant.

 

All you need is a breeze blowing all those fibers up into the icing.  Yikes.

 

Liz
 

Why can't people leave burlap on the table? Table runners? Bows for bouquets maybe? WHY do they want to add it to the CAKE? Yuch. Yuch yuch yuch.

I agree yuck yuck.

That sounds good ,but I wish I could seal the fibers on the burlap with something so they wouldn't fall on the tiers below.

I have not run across plastic burlap. Where would I get that?

AMy lesson of the week: Just say "no". Sometimes that's all there is to it. Your name is going to be associated with this cake. You don't want people thinking of burlap fibres when they think of your cake! Is there any way to tactfully point out to the bride that she might want to think about what is pleasant for her guests as apposed to just what she thinks she wants to see?

Yuck.

 

There's a mold that comes really close. I think if you get the color right and fray the edges of the fondant it would work really well. I used it on this bow although I wasn't going for a burlap look:

http://cakecentral.com/g/i/2974931/a/3332523/silver-and-white-wedding/

Sugarveil has a burlap mat that looks pretty cool. 

Ditto on learning to say NO. You're the baker, you know what is or isn't safe, what will and will not work. I personally wouldn't want my name attached to a cake with burlap fibers in it. I'm looking for the tutorial/blog I came across a while ago. They created a burlap bow by rolling fondant or gumpaste with non-slip drawer liner, creating a burlap pattern. Then you just need to cut the shapes you need, fray the edges and color it correctly and you'll have an edible and safe burlap.

I will try very hard to change her mind,but its my grandson's wedding I cant say no. I had an interesting response to this dilemma- I was told to mae a sugar and water glaze and soak it,let it dry and sew or glue a wide satin ribbon to the back.

I've never worked with fondant before,it might be a good time to try.

Is sugarveil hard to work with,is it like fondan? I've never done either.

A

You can say no to the burlap without saying no to the whole cake. I question whether burlap is even food safe. In fact, I think I would just tell her it isn't and done with it! ;)

Ask her how she feels about eating copper sulfate, pesticides and fungicides...how 'bout some super yummy Flame Stop™ (pyrolytic formula)? Surfactants, water softeners and oxidants can really enhance the flavor too! Lol...these are some of the chemicals found in burlap. You can get 100% organic burlap but it is most likely produced in a factory in India so no telling what is REALLY on it.  Just say that you love her and want to please her but you can't risk making the guests sick (although most likely that won't happen)

Here's a tutorial on how to make a fondant burlap bow.

http://thefashioncaker.blogspot.com/2013/06/recently-friend-of-mine-asked-if-i.html?spref=fb

VERY HAPPY TO SAY I TALKED MY BRIDE OUT OF USING BURLAP ON HER CAKE. WHE WILL GO WITH BURLAP COLORED SATIN RIBBON INSTEAD.

AYay! Congratulations!

Way to go!

So how did you convince her?

I told her a lot of people on cake central did not think it was a good idea because of all the fibers being embedded in the icing. I also told her that we would have to announce to the guest to check their piece of cake well before they ate it due to the burlap. I then showed her on my dummy cake a very pretty satin ribbon that was the same color as the burlap with the lace on top,and she decided she liked that better. HALLELUIA!

Yeah...I could not imagine announcing to my guests "Attention ladies and gentlemen, the bride and groom will now be cutting the cake. When you get your slice please be sure to check for fibers embedded in the icing." At the end of the reception she would have had almost a whole cake to take home or throw away.

what color was the ribbon.. i have a customer who wants burlap on their cake also and i really want to stray away from it.. maybe if i give her an alternate she'll say no too! 

what if i used fondant.. do you think the fondant would still have the fibers from it also??

AIt's just gross, period. Fondant or not.

i found a faux burlap ribbon on etsy, that i want to try out. ill purchase a ribbon like you did too.. just in case.. lol.. back up.. so happy to have read this before the date of the wedding.. 

The ribbon is about 2 inches wide,light brown satin. Tell her how much the burlap shreds,with danger of embedding in icing.