I've used 'textured' or 'impression' mats on buttercream, and I've used them on fondant for cookies, but I recently purchased some wicked awesome larger mats to do cakes with. I haven't tried them yet, but am looking for the answers to a few questions first. Well, really one question specifically.

When I cover a cake in fondant, I do like most people... I lay the fondant on there, then pull and move and smooth to get it on the cake smoothly. How on earth do you do that and not ruin the pattern you put on there with the impression mat? I simply cannot wrap my head around how this is going to work. Unless I cut out pieces and fit them on the cake, I just don't see how it works. Is there a trick I need to know before starting? Who knows, maybe once I start doing it I'll be like, "Oh this is so easy, why was I so confused?" but right now I am stuck on the conceptual stage. Any helpful feedback out there?

TIA!!

When I use an impression mat such as the diamonds/quilting...I put the fondant on the cake first and then press the impression mat against the fondant covered cake. It works. Hope this helps and maybe someone else has a better suggestion.

Hiya Mel!

Try this link:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-601326-impression.html+mat

I roll my fondant a bit thicker, roll over the mat set on the rolled out fondant, making certain that it's genuinely larger than the item to be covered, pick up the fondant (usually on my rolling pin) and then very gently put it on the cake. I "smooth" it with a piece of soft foam (like the small pink square that comes with the Wilton gum paste/fondant flower kit by patting it so that it sticks to the cake.

I don't know if I'm just lucky, or what, but it works well for me.

HTH
Rae

Thanks guys for your input, I appreciate it all!! I am hopeful that when I try it, it won't be hard and it will work for me. When I do buttercrem I press it on the cake like you said MnSnow, but I was worried that with fondant you'd have to push so hard to get the impression in it, and you'd knock the cake over!! I'm going to go check out that link now! Thanks again!