Hello i was wondering if i could have some advice please!? i have been asked to do a plain cake, 3 tier circle with a cloth effect on the front with flowers attached at each tier, if you know what i mean!? like a curtain down the front, it looks like ivory satin to match the cake, you can probably make it out of icing too!? can anyone advise me on where to get this from or how to do it?
Thanks

Kristen

Hi - welcome to cake central! There are alot of examples of cakes like that in the galleries. Do a search for "swag". They're most likely fondant that has been rolled out and draped. Some are painted with lustre or pearl dust to get the satin effect.

do you mean draped effect? Like the cloth is draped on the front? If so you do that buy cutting a piece of fondant and fold it like a fan. Then attach it with icing. Then you could put luster dust on the cloth and make it look like satin.
HTH
Jen...

THe galleries here are the best source of ideas on the net! How about you peruse them and ask the designer how they obtained that effect. If you don't get an answer, post here, and you will get a lot of help!

fondant draping is fairly easy. roll out the fondant and cut a piece the length you need. (depends on how far it needs to go) and about 8 inches wide. lay a 1/4 inch dowel in the middle, then push the fondant up against the dowel and lay anothere dowel so its like waves with dowels between them after you have done this all the way across the piece remove the dowels and pinch the ends together. put some fondant glue on the back side of the pinched ends, pick up the piece and place. you may need to arrange the drape. Let me suggest that you practice because I have found that this is easier to make sure that it doesn't break if you do it on site. You can stack the pans and do the drape on them and let dry. and place at the venue. Make sure if you do it that way that it is packed well and supported with wadded up paper towels or some other soft material. Here is one I did last fall.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1150742.html
I transported it from Macon to Rome Georgia (3 Hours)

Jibbies

I have done exactly one drape in the 4th wilton course and it was very easy. Check my photos for the orange marbled class cake. (It has several different techniques on it.)May I suggest reading and following page 14 in Wilton's Fondant and Gumpaste booklet.

My simplified version of the directions.
You will use half gumpaste and half fondant, roll it out to 1/16" inch thick. Use a template that is 11" on one side and 8 1/2" long on the other and 7" wide (These are for a 8 or 9" cake.) and cut out your drape. Then cut a 1/2" diagonal at the longest point and miter in the sides folding over 1/4" to form a hem. You may need gum glue to hold the hem. Gather the straight top edge (the 7" side) and carefully lift the drape and position- rolled edge on the underside -on the cake adjusting it until you have it arranged as you would like. Use gum glue to attach it to the cake. (This makes better sense with pictures.)

I found it much like handling fabric, and I noticed that those in class who were also seamstresses had better results than those who weren't.

If you assemble the cake at the venue, you would need to make the drapes ahead of time and position on dummies so that they will dry hard in the proper shape and be ready to be glued on to the cake. If you are assembling the cake at home I would do the drapes directly on the cake.