Help, I kept looking at those lovely pictures of ornaments made w/mini ball pans and put together then covered in fondant to look like real ornaments.........I convinced myself that I could do it too - WRONG. This is only my 2nd attempt at fondant (the first was a simple round cake) now, trying to cover a ball - oh, boy do I need lots of help or a trick photographer. I really do need lots of help, please, step by step, break it down, nice and easy.......thanks

I only covered 1/2 of a ball!! I cut a board that the 6" cake (which is the size of 1/2 of the sports ball pan) I then put the cake on that board and elevated that (I used the large can of Wilton Meringue powder!) I then iced the 1/2 ball with buttercream - thicker than a crumb coat, but not as thick as a regular layer of icing. Then I roll the fondant on a mat lightly greased with crisco. (I roll mine a little on the thick side) - I rolled mine about 9 or 10" around. I then lifted it onto the 1/2 ball and smoothed it out with my hands. Trim the excess off with scissors. I then took the cake and turned it upside down in my hand GENTLY. Tuck the fondant that is left over onto what is the bottom of the cake (which will be the part on the cake board) Then GENTLY place the cake right side up on the board you are going to serve it on. RE smooth where your hands may have left any indents in the cake. Then brush with the luster dust and decorate. I did take pics of each step, I will submit them as an article if no one minds.

Working with Fondant can be like working with clay. Your microwave is your new 'Best Friend'. Try giving the Fondant 15-20 seconds in the microwave, but be careful as there may be very hot spots that can burn you. Knead like dough until smooth and then layer it over whatever you are making. It 'will' stretch to fitl, and stretch too much so be careful. Use the heat and pressure from your fingers to press out folds and imperfections. Good luck - remember any problems can be solved with decorations of fondant, buttercream or royal icing flowers etc.

Good Luck!

Oh yes, please submit pictures of each step of how you made the ornaments...thanks so much for setting me straight about 1/2 the ball - I knew that I had a long way to go in this decorating stuff, but didn't think that I was really that bad. Did you use the whole can of Merigue powder in the butter cream? if not, where? and why? I am anxious to try this again. Also, I never had any luck attaching fondant to fondant, what's the trick? (is it heating?) Thanks in advance to everybody

OK - when I make buttercream, I use this recipe, and I thin it down to use it for icing my cakes (this recipe makes a STIFF icing)

Snow-White Buttercream Frosting


Ingredients
2/3 cup water
4 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
12 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1-1/4 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon No Color Almond Extract
3/4 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon No Color Butter Flavor
Directions
Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth.
Recipe may be doubled or cut in half; however, if cut in half, yield is only 3-1/2 cups.


2. When attaching fondant to fondant, you need to use a little bit of alcohol - you have to use something that will evaporate quickly. (vanilla or lemon extract will work too - I like to use everclear - works great!)


I will get to work on that article, I don't know how long it will take them to post it once I submit it. If you have any other questions, just ask! The folks on here are wonderful and someone will get with you to help you out.

Re the can of Wilton Meringue Powder:

I think all that Quadcrew meant, was that she set her cake on top of the can, while she worked her fondant... (rather than using the whole can in her recipe)

correct me if I'm wrong?

HTH

Maureen

Cookie4, if you don't mind me asking, what type of cake pans did you use for your Hats? They're totaly adorable!

Missy is right!!! I just used that can (since it was about the right size!!) to set my cake on to work the fondant! Here is the article - not sure if it will be accepted or not, so I am posting it so you have something to go by. Hope it helps explain some of the steps better for you.

Ornament Cake Directions

1.  Bake your cakes in the Wilton sports ball pan (or something similarly dome shaped)


2.  Trim the cake evenly with the edge of the pan.



3.  Color the fondant (if you havent already done so) I warm the fondant in the microwave a few seconds, then add the color using disposable gloves. I like for the ornaments to have a nice rich color.


4.   Ice the trimmed cakes with a thin layer of buttercream icing smooth it out as much as you can before adding the fondant (doesnt need to be perfect)


5.  Roll the fondant out (I roll it on the thick side) on a lightly greased mat. Put the buttercream iced cake on a board that is the same size as the cake, (elevate it so that the fondant will drop and help to smooth itself out you can see in the pic that I have used a can of meringue powder to do this) Smooth the fondant out with your hands. Trim the excess fondant off with scissors leave a small amount to tuck under the cake for a nice finish. (about ¼ to ½ inch)


6.  GENTLY turn the cake over onto one of your hands, tuck all the excess fondant over the bottom of the cake (just fold it over the edge that part will not be showing, it will be the part that is on the cake board!) Once you have all the edges folded, then GENTLY turn the cake right side up and put it on the board you are going to serve it on.


7.  Re smooth out the fondant (there may be prints from where you were holding it) Now you can dust them with luster dust or decorate them however you want to! If you are going to use additional fondant to decorate, lightly brush the pieces you are going to attach with either vanilla or lemon extract or a small amount of clear liquor.

8.  I used tip # 12 to make pine branches and tip # 233 for the pine needles to finish decorating the cake board. I also attached small red raffia ribbon to make it look like the ornaments are tied to the pine branch.

Quadcrew, great tutorial!!! Thanks for posting.

Quadcrew, great tutorial and pics, thanks for taking the time to do this!!!!

This is great! Thanks for the tutorial!

These ornaments are amazing. Thanks for the great tutorial

You're welcome, I don't think it will be an article though, for some reason CC's server keeps sending it back to me. So, I am glad it is helping folks out here at least.

What did you use for the ornament hangers? Fondant?

You did a great job. Thanks for sharing!

Not trying to hijack the thread! Thanks Quad for the tutorial!

But isn't Jenn2179's baby boy the cutest lil' feller y'all have EVER seen?? Awwww.

*back to the topics at hand!*

--Knox--

knoxcop1 -> Thanks for the compliment. I love that picture of him. In it he is 18 months old but now he is 3 and he has a little brother who is 6 weeks. I need to get a picture of them together and change my avitar. One of these days.

Thank you so much for the pictures - they will be a great help. I'm ready to try again. I had to laugh, the first batch (the ones where I thought it was a 3D ball covered in fondant) were so bad - my husband and son thought that they should throw at each other and as for me, I was so discusted I was going to throw away the mini ball cake pans. You have given me hope

The ornament hangers are made out of 50/50 fondant and gumpaste. I free formed them, then used a knife to make the marks on it. I then took the end of a paint brush and made a small hole, rolled a tiny piece of the fondant into a tiny rope - looped it and stuck it in the hole to make the "hanger". I then dusted the whole thing with luster dust. I attached them to the ornaments with royal icing, then tied a piece of ribbon to them to make them look like they are attached to the pine branches.

Pati3 - you will do fine! Just ask if you have any more questions. I have to make some more of them for an order today!