I am preparing to make my daughter's 6th birthday cake (a pirate ship!). Two questions for all you cake goddesses out there:
1. I got a Kitchenaid mixer for Christmas (thanks honey!). Can you use it to make MMF? Does it work well or am I better off kneading it by hand?
2. I love the look of fondant cakes and how creative you can be with them. However I really like trying different fillings for cakes. Am I right in thinking that you really can't do a fondant covered cake with a filling that needs to be refrigerated?
Thanks,
Kathy
Oh welcome to CC! You will just love this site! It's chockfull of info and the cake decorators here are a bunch of fabulously talented people! 
Congrats on getting a KA for Christmas! 
Yep, KA will handle the MMF. However, I love to make MMF in my microwave: read this thread by FlowerGirlMN! It's simple, fun, easy, and oh-so-fast! If I can do this, then anyone can!
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-521083-0-days0-orderasc-.html
And there are some fillings that don't need refrigeration, but I wouldn't put a fondant cake in the fridge at all. Fridge dries out your cakes. Fondants get gummy. Altho, there have been a few of the better decorators (than me, anyways) who can put a cake in the fridge. 
here's some other stuff to take a peak at:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-423993.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-2926.html
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%