I have an order in October for a retirement cake that the client would like to look like a rolled up newspaper. She wants vanilla/white cake with a chocolate ganache filling. No preference as to covering...could be either bc or fondant. The design is more important.

That being said, do you think I could make the wasc cake in a jelly roll type pan, do the typical rolling of the cake when it's warm, and then fill it with the ganache? Do you think the wasc cake would work for this? Also...debating fondant vs. bc. I use MMF and was thinking that would be easier to work with to cover and decorate (words, a pic, etc), but unsure.

Would gladly accept ideas or tips!! Thanks!!

Scott Woolley has a rolled up newspaper cake in his book -- it looks like he took a sheet cake and folded it in half, filled it and covered in fondant. hope that helps some.

i dont think the wasc cake will roll up like a typical jelly roll cake, i can see it cracking. i would cut the cake into sections and build them up that way, doing some trimming and shaping. i think either icing would work, which ever one you are more comfortable working with on a shaped cake.

I agree that the WASC would probably crack. I don't see it rolling very well.

I think stacking/shaping might be easier if you want to use that recipe. MMF or regular fondant might look nicer than buttercream, depending how good you are smoothing buttercream...I suck at it so fondant is my preference...

best of luck!

Thanks for your replies! I've heard that carving the cake is easier if it's frozen, but I am a little confused. If I'm going to freeze it, then should I wait to fill in the ganache? Carve it first and then fill it? Will that affect how it is shaped?

Sorry for all the questions! It's my first shaped cake!! And yeah, I suck at getting buttercream totally smooth, too. LOL!

I've never used Ganache before, but if I was doing it with a buttercream icing, I would cut/fill it, freeze it and then carve it.

I think if you carve it and then fill it it won't necessarily line up properly when you put it back together...plus it seems like it would be more of a hassle!

I don't know how ganache responds to freezing though...