First Fondant Cake-60% Good 40% Not So Good-
Decorating By springlakecake Updated 22 Jun 2006 , 12:25pm by CCCTina
Hi everyone-I just tried MMF for the first time. I got the top looking nice and one side looked pretty good. But how do you avoid getting all of the "pleats" and "ruffles" near the bottom? I tried lifting it up and stretching it but it just ripped so I have a a spot in back that is all torn up. It's not a pretty sight, but we will call that the "back" LOL. I am thinking perhaps the fondant might have been a tad dry, it wasnt exactly stretchy, is it supposed to be?
To avoid pleats you want to roll your fondant 2 or 3 inches bigger than what you need so that the pleats will form way down and not the part that will go on the cake. I've also had problems with MMF being too dry(overcompensating for when it was way too sticky) so use a little crisco in your hands when kneading it. Remember, you can always put a fondant cutout where it ripped. That's what they are for! 
Inma
I find if you'll put your cake up on a something that it can fall naturally and not pull on it, this works better... also, the fondant can't be too thin or it will stretch and make the pleats/puckers ... I lift real carefully so I don't stretch mine out and gently smooth working slowly around the cake ... by using the method of having the cake up on something and letting it fall down past the sides/cake board, I avoid pleats and puckers by doing it that way .. I hope this makes sense!
Thanks everyone, I will try it again. I can see why it would be fun to work with, especially with practice! I did try elevating it, but I really hacked the fondant when I cut it. Maybe I need to be more careful next time. Maybe I cut it too soon too, do you have it nearly smoothed before trimming?
With MMF, you'll find it will shrink up some after it's cut... I usually have mine smoothed before I cut... if it's way too long, I may trim some off, but my final cut is after I have it smoothed down .. I work my way around the cake doing this .. hope this helps 
oh one more question..sorry...how much Buttercream do you put on first? I think maybe I put it on too thick since it kinda squished out at the bottom in some places. I just really like hte taste of my buttercream, so I probably put it on too thick 
I icing my cakes like I normally would and smooth it down completely ... fondant will take on any flaws you leave on the cake .. I put a crumb coat of icing then a final coat of icing.. I smooth this out completely and then apply the MMF .. Good luck and don't give up on the MMF .. once you learn how to apply it, you will love it!!
One trick i didn't see mentioned yet is you should freeze your cake. I freeze it before I ice it. Then I freeze it again with the icing smothed. You don't take the cake out of the freezer until your fondant is ready to transfer. This way there is no squishing of the icing and repositioning of the fondant is easy. Also as an added bonus freezing your cake makes for a moister cake since the icing seals in the moisture. I haven't tried the mmf yet so I don't know if cold tempurature might cause a problem.
Welcome shelly_delaney!! You don't have a problem with the fondant sweating? I too freeze my cakes before I frost them; however, I haven't tried freezing them with the icing on and applying the fondant .. I was curious how that would work and if the fondant would sweat...
I do exactly as ntertayneme does. Works out perfectly. Don't roll the fondant too thin (that is a mistake a lot of folks do)
As far as freezing - I tried it ONCE and it was a nightmare. I will never do that again. The icing would not crust and it turned into such a mess I ended up putting stupid "dots" on the cake to get it iced (and then those tried to melt off the cake when it thawed - the pic of that mess is the one of the odd colored 1st birthday cakes in my pics)
Rolling it the proper thickness, elevation - and rolling it a couple inches longer than what I need are the 3 key things, IMO. (and nice smooth buttercream underneath!)
It just takes some practice to get it - and then you will think it is easy!
how thin should it be rolled then? I think the book I was looking at said 1/16 of and inch.
I'd roll it at least to the 1/16 if not a bit thicker ... if it's too thick, it will be hard to smooth.. if it's too thin, it will stretch ... just practice with it on some small cakes or get you some styrofoam, cover with saran, icing over the saran, the smooth your icing down really well (I use the Viva papertowel method); then apply your fondant over that .. it makes a good way to practice with the MMF or fondants. Hope this helps and good luck!!
A trick I found on another website is to mix in 1/8 to 1/4 cup Crisco into the MMF when making it and warm it before rolling it. It makes it much easier to work with. I also elevate my cakes so the fondant hangs below the base when applying it. Using these three techniques, I have never had a problem with it pleating or tearing.
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