Covering Cake With Fondant In Pieces
Decorating By Lillybelle Updated 13 Dec 2006 , 3:21am by flourgrl
Hi All,
I am looking at making a purse cake with a shape similar to the french purse cake taught by Nicholas Lodge. I am nervous to cover a cake that shape with fondant and I am wondering if anyone here has covered a cake with pieces of fondant rather than the entire cake all at once? I hope this question makes sense, but I was thinking of cutting out a pieces of fondant for the front, back and sides as well as a piece for the top that will hang over the front. I plan to cover the seams with BC. Has anyone tried to cover a cake like this? Or am I asking for trouble? Help is appreciated.
I did exactly that for my purse cake, there's a picture in my photos. I laid the cake down on the fondant and cut round one side, cut the same shape out for the other side and then a strip out for the edge. I then used thin rolls of a different colour fondant so it looked like piping. It will all make sense if you look at my photos! Hope this has helped
Thanks, Emma. I really appreciate the tip. Your cakes are fabulous!!!
One more question, do you think with a purse cake dowels are necessary? The example on the home page shows the use of dowels, but they are such small cakes...
It's the only way I do my purse cakes!! I can't even imagine trying to do it all in one peice. After my shape is carved, I hold a peice of paper up to the side backed by a piece of cardboard or cake board ( just so that it's stiff) and trace the shape. I roll out my fondant on shiny side up freezer paper that is place on top of a rotary catting mat. Place your template on the fondant and use a rotary cutter to cut through the fondant and the freezer paper. Then you can pick up and place the fondant on the cake purse without it stretching. The freezer paper peels right off!! It's so easy to work with fondant this way!!
question, I am doing a mad hatters cake in January, and they want it iced in buttercream, but she want's me to add fondant pieces. Will they stay on the buttercream? Thanks in advanced
I would just use a small paintbrush to brush on a bit of water on the back of your fondant pieces for extra security!!
A rotary CUTTING mat is a self healing mat that is commonly used for cutting pieces of fabric for quilters. You can find them in a wide range of sizes at any fabric store. I've seen them at Joanns and Hobby Lobby. The rotary cutters are usually right by the mats. It has been the best discovery for working with fondant because I use Satin Ice and although it tastes great it tends to stretch alot. I love this method 'cause the fondant can be cut to the exact shape you need and because the freezer paper is under it you can hold the paper and not the fondant, eliminating the stretching aspect of it!
okay for those of you covering fondant cakes w/ pieces - what if you don't make a "border" to "seal the seams"? I want to cover a shape like the teddy bear shape or like the lamb pan shape - it's kinda a mix between the two - and I'm not quite sure how to do it...... cover the head w/ one piece? the body in another? How do I not get a bunch of creases or overlap on the fondant? I'm not so great w/ fondant anyway so I could use help if someone doesn't mind giving me some tips. Like square cakes - I remember doing that in the Wilton III class but I don't know that I could do it again! I have enough trouble covering rounds!
So anyway - if you're not "sealing the seams" with royal or buttercream is there another way to make the whole thing look a little seamless?
moralna,
These mats accept the cutting without cutting through it - thereby the name self-healing. I don't know what they are made of but you can cut on them with a VERY sharp rotary cutters and they do not get cut up. I use mine for fleece, fabric, fondant and templates.
Imartsy, if or project is more flat than 3-D and I was attempting your project, I would lay a piece of parchment on top of your project, trace, add the side width all around and then lay your template on top of the fondant, cut and drape over your cake that is risen up off the table an icnh or so to smooth and cut away the excess. Good Luck!!
Wow, if it's more 3-D, I'd probably stick with a buttercream as it is so hard to cover all those grooves and crannies smoothly with fondant. Can't wait to see what you come up with. I've been wanting to do the 3-D bear pan ( I have the smaller one) but just haven't had a good reason to! Maybe after the first of the year when my schedule slows down. Post pics when your done!!
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