Covering Carved Cakes With Fondant
Decorating By heatherlikesfood Updated 14 Jun 2006 , 3:07pm by SLK
I am doing a grooms cake in a few weeks and need some help. The cake consists of 3 carved shoes proped up on shoe boxes. I have never done a carved cake, but I feel pretty confident about the carving... its the covering with fondant and making look realistic that I am concerned about. Any tips on making your fondant look good and not cracking and being the shape you like? Anything would help! Thanks!
Get your icing that you put on your cakes BEFORE the fondant as smooth as possible and just be patient with your fondant. Take your time smoothing. When I did a horse head cake for my daughter's birthday - see my pictures - I put a thin coating of shortening on my roll out mat instead of corn starch. This kept the fondant from drying out while working it around the sculpture and it helped adhere it better to the BC. Hope this helps a little. 
Thanks for your help, I will try it out! Anybody else have suggestions? I am new to this site and I love it! So much information- whoohoo!
I have done several carved cakes and have the best success by doing the following:
1. covering cakes with a crumb coat
2. Smooth after it has crusted for a few minutes (I use viva)
3. Put the cake in the firdge for at lest 15 minutes - if not longer - before applying the fondant. You want the cake to be chilled.
4. The bc icing will be pretty crusted when it comes out of the fridge, but then I put a wet paper towel over the icing for a few seconds - then cover with fondant. The wet paper towel helps moisten the bc icing so the fondant will stick to it.
I have gotten "lazy" with two carved cakes in the past and did not refrigerate it before trying to cover with fondant and I was so unhappy with the results. I will always refrigerate it first now. This is the method that I use that works for me.
BJ - just wanted you to know I have 3 of your cakes in my fav's. You do good work! I am actually planning on attempting your flip flop cake this weekend for my girls birthday party. And I just saved your horse cake - it's great!
SLK - thank you very much. Your cakes are wonderful too. I must say that alot of help comes from CC. I love this site and all the people in it. I tell you - I learn something new here everyday (cause I visit everyday 
). Looking at your cakes I'm SURE you won't have any trouble with the flip flop cake. Please post a picture.
I would not have even dreamed of trying half the things I have if it would not have been for this web site. So many ideas, so many things learned, such supportive friendly people to answer questions on a moments notice.
Now, with a few cakes under my belt, my dd sees cakes in magazines or on Food Net and say "Mom, you should do that cake next," and I respond with "Honey, I don't think I can do that yet," and she proudly says "MOM, YES YOU CAN!" then we go to CC and look for help....
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