If You've Ever Done A Book Cake Please Help!
Decorating By aoliveira Updated 4 Jul 2007 , 4:03pm by leah_s
I am making one for a graduation. It's two books stacked.
How do you cover it in fondant because the bottom has to be convered in fondant too. And how do you then trim the fondant so it overlaps the cake a little to look like a book??
I'm desperate. I did one and it was so hard. I rolled out the fondant laid the cake on it and then pulled the fondant over the rest of the cake. But it came out all uneven and the edges look terrible.
Then the sides (which are supposed to look like pages) also look terrible. I didn't cover it in fondant. I figured it would be easier to just have the buttercream there. How do I make it look like pages?
Thanks,
Alex
I am making one for a graduation. It's two books stacked.
How do you cover it in fondant because the bottom has to be convered in fondant too. And how do you then trim the fondant so it overlaps the cake a little to look like a book??
I'm desperate. I did one and it was so hard. I rolled out the fondant laid the cake on it and then pulled the fondant over the rest of the cake. But it came out all uneven and the edges look terrible.
Then the sides (which are supposed to look like pages) also look terrible. I didn't cover it in fondant. I figured it would be easier to just have the buttercream there. How do I make it look like pages?
Thanks,
Alex
Do you have a photo (or a link) of that you are trying to do?
You do not have to cover the entire cake with the fondant. First, you'll have to measure the cake starting at the bottom of the binder to the top edge of the cake and then adding about a 1/4 of an inch to that measurement. Measure the cake then from side to side also adding about 1/4 of an inch. Cut your fondant at those measurement then lye it over the cake starting at your binder. You should then cut small strips of fondant measuring about 1/4 of an inch to cover the bottom edges of the cake. As for the pages you could use a strip of fondant and roll lines over the fondant using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Explained as best as I could, hope it helps.
These are some books that I've done. They were my first.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=574163
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayihttp://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=574113mage&pid=574193
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=574113
Cynita
The pps did an awesome job exlaining it. I just wanted to mention how I did my pages(sorry I dont have a pic, I always forget my camera for the cool cakes I do lol=). I rolled out white fondant(you roll out what ever color you want your pages). Then I measure the height, length of the top, bottom and side. So I have 3 different measurements. I cut out each piece to the size of my measurements for the top, bottom, and side pages. I allow about a 1/4 of an inch longer for the pages due to a neat trick I saw on Sugar Rush. So now you should have 1 longer page and 2 smaller pages. Take a pizza cutting wheel and make the pages by rolling the wheel on the fondant with just enough pressure to see, but not too much to cut through. Do that for all 3 pages. Then after you have the book part of the cake wrapped, it is time to start adding in the pages. You can start at either the top or the bottom pages, leaving the longer one for last. Place the paper on the top one, making sure it has 1/4 overhang, then do the same for the bottom pages. After those are done, place the long page on. There should be over hang at the top and bottom where they meet the long paper. Then what you do is take a tiny scissors and make small snips in it, to look like actual pages. The trick actually worked perfectly for me. Then if you want to, depending on your design, you can luster dust which every color you want. An example would be if it is an older book or even a Bible, you could dry luster dust the pages. Looks really pretty. I wish I had a pic to show you=( I hope this all made sense. I am heading out to bed, so brain isnt fuctioning as it should lol! GL with your cake. Book cakes are so fun!! HTH some, Jen
Ok, here's the book cake. It was supposed to be two stacked but it didn't wowrk out that way. I'm not thrilled with the book cover because as you can see it flopped down a bit. That's what I was having trouble with. How do you keep it from flopping down, bc when I put the fondant on the cake, the fondant was kind of soft.
Cynita, thanks for the explanation. I will try that next time.
Newbeebakeer, I wish you had a picture. Didn't quite understand how you did the cover. But thanks for replying!
I did one this last weekend. Which I will post as soon as I have access to my own computer (might be a day or two still) I rolled my fondant about 1/8" thick and had it stick out over the edge about 1/8" to 3/16" It was just enough that it covered the "pages" on the side so you couldn't see the edge but enough that it hung over just slightly. I didn't have any problems as long as the fondant was at least 1/8" thick. The last two I did I was running out of fondant and had to go 1/16" or thinner and had a lot of problems!
I haven't made one yet but have an order for one later this month. Do you think it would help to put another cake board on top of the cake? Making the top flat and firm?
Just a thought....
I had the same question last week. Here are some tips others gave me. I think next time when I cut the cover I will let it harden for a few hours before I try picking it up to put on the cake.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-3825443-.html#3825443
Here's another way to do it. Cover the cake with fondant as you would any other square cake. The top cake will be on a board, so the fondant just has to wrap around the bottom edge, not cover the entire cake. Everything is white for now.
Decide where the pages will be (three sides) and use the side of a long spatula, held horizontal to press in marks that look like pages.
Use edible paint on the cover and spine any color you want and letter on the title with edible pen.
Easy-breezy.
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