Hello Everyone! I am new to this site and am sooo glad I found it. I have been cake decorating for about 5 years now, and have never been so inspired as I have since I have joined this site. Anyway, I need to do a wedding cake for a good friend of mine in a month. She wants chocolate fudge cake, espresso mousse filling, and chocolate icing. The colors of her wedding are browns and pinks, so I was thinking of doing a 4 tier cake with 6 small cakes surrounding, all in chocolate with pink ribbons, bows, etc.. The problem is, she hates fondant. I was thinking of using ganache, but am worried about the heat and humidity. Any suggestions on what to use for the icing that would work well and look good? I am including a "drawing" of the cake I had in mind, but there will be bows on all the cakes (couldn't figure out how to draw a bow in paint)
Thanks,
Corin
I like your design! It is very bueatiful. I haven't tried it but have heard the chocolate fondx is very good. I believe you can receive a sample from cocoaoutlet.com I think that is the website. Maybe she hasn't had a fondant that she likes yet? Maybe someone else will have some ideas for you too.
Use a chocolate butter cream and smooth it with either the Viva paper towel or Melvira method. There are recipes on here for it and turtorial for the smoothing methods, I think. For the chocolate buttercream, I have even used my reqular buttercream and added cocoa. It takes more cocoa than you would think to get that real chocolate color, but it tastes good and smooth/crusts well. I thing you would have to use fondant for the bows or use real ribbon. Someone else may be able to direct you to an idea for that.
Welcome to CC!
I used Toba Garrett's chocolate buttercream recipe for the brownie wedding cake I did recently. It tastes so good. You can get it really smooth, but with chocolate you will see some variation in how it dries. I actually liked the differences when I was done. My brownie cake is in my gallery. I also think the recipe is available here--you might do a search.
Chocolate fondant is pretty tastey stuff.. as is modeling chocolate. I have made Toba Garrett's chocolate buttercream too and it is also good. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/109248 this is the recipe. I will agree with the statement that you will get some variation in color in places if you don't smooth it very quickly. I also wouldn't use a hot spatula on it either.. that will make color changes too. the chocolate fondant will give you a nice even color and smooth finish. I used Toba's chocolate BC on the cake in my gallery called Nick's Peanut butter Cup Cake. The bows you'd need to make from gumpaste or fondant.. unless you are going to use real ribbon. The cake sounds very pretty (and delicious too). Your friend will be so happy.
If you'd like to use fondant, I would try Rhonda's Chocolate MMF (marshmellow fondant) recipe from this site. It doesn't taste like reguar fondant, it tastes like chocolate marshmellow, super yummy! I'd give the bride a sample and see if she likes it.
That's a good way to describe it.. Choco-pan tastes like a tootsie roll too.
Thanks for all the great tips. I just read up on the chocolate MMF and got really excited at all the good reviews. I ran down stairs and made some, I am really impressed at the taste!!! I've only every used premade fondant and never really liked it myself. I think I might give her a taste of that and see if she will go for it. If not I'll try to use chocolate buttercream. What exactly is rolled buttercream? Is that similar to rolled fondant? Does it taste better? I am intrigued. Ahhh so much still to learn 
Thanks again,
Corin
Rolled buttercream is pliable icing and like fondant it is used to make figures and accents, but is much harder to completely cover a cake with, though some people do. So if you decide to go with the rolled buttercream you would probably only want to use it for the pink accents. The recipe is in the recipe section and you can search the forums for topics on it. Let's see if I can post a link to the recipe... http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1603-0-Rolled-Buttercream-Icing-Recipe.html
Your drawing looks beautiful. Be sure to post the picture when you get finished Very Happy
Thanks! Believe me, the amount of time I have already spent coming up with an idea, and the time I know It's going to take to make it just right. I will be posting it for reviews and doing my 'happy dance' when I am done!
Satin Ice Chocolate fondant tastes like tootsie rolls!
Ooooh, really?! I just bought a tub to try and I can't wait to find an occasion to use it. I'm thinking maybe Father's Day, before my family gets tired of all these fondant experiments...
Oh, and not to get off topic... I love the chocolate with the pink accents. It's such a great color combo, I'm sure it will turn out great.
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