Okay, so I did my second fondant cake last night and I am not happy. I am using Satin Ice fondant. For some reason every time I try to cover a cake in fondant it cracks!!!! I have tried using shortening when I roll it out but it seems to stick. The cornstarch works great but then I have a white film over everything. Should I try another type of fondant? What am I doing wrong? I was thinking that maybe I was rolling it out too thick but it is impossible to use the guides with my rolling pin if I am covering a large cake (like last night I was covering a 12 inch cake). ANYTHING anyone can suggest I would greatly appreciate, I don't want to have another disaster!!!!!!! It is also buldging and I don't know what is causing that either.

Sometimes I have trouble with Satin Ice myself. Do you role it to 1/4 inch thickness? Since I purchased Sugar Shack's dvd on fondant I've been following her directions and the cracking problems have diminished because I was rolling it a lot thinner. Are you using that Wilton guide?

Are you kneading your fondant and getting it all happy and warm and loosened initially? I mean like for several minutes give or take. You can't just slip it out of the wrapper and go--you gotta make nice with it.I mean you might already be doing that --I'm just brainstorming out a possible idea.

I use it without anything added to it. I roll it out on a silicone mat. Love that thing.

When I am teaching someone to roll out anything, I will stick my finger in the middle to check the depth--make sure it is even--it could be too thick--so if it was too thick that would make it extra heavy and bulge things out at the sides also. And then I just smoosh the hole back together, get it on the cake and put a flower on the hole or something--but you gotta be sure of your depth without guides. Stick a finger in it to check it for accuracy & evenness.

Just hope all works out well.

Some fondant ideas for you.

K8 said: .....you gotta be sure of your depth without guides. Stick a finger in it to check it for accuracy & evenness......

A cake board is just about the right thickness. Instead of sticking your finger into it hold a board right next to it in a few places around the whole piece.

Thats a good idea but it might still be thicker in the middle. I mean you only have to do it once or twice to get the hang of how to eyeball it. Or even just practice this way maybe.

You may have been using too much corn starch. I mostly just sprinkle PS or cornstarch underneath the fondant that I'm rolling, not on top.

Yes, I was using the Wilton guides. Maybe I didn't work it enough, it was a lot of fondant. How tempermental is the MMF? I have never made it or used it but I was thinking of giving it a try. Seems like people love it or hate it.

I am one of the people who hate MMF. It tears, and isn't very elastic. I know others will disagree with me, but that was my experience.

If you want to try a homemade fondant, then try Michele Foster's Fondant (MFF). It's awesome. I just used it this past week for a cake. It tastes great, too. When I am under a time crunch, or have lots of cakes, I buy Satin Ice. But if I have time, I will use MFF.

I prefer to use the MMF I have never had a problem with cracking {knock on wood) with it and everyone I know likes the taste of the MMF better than the regular fondant. Plus it is super easy to make.

...well, Satin Ice is drier than MMF and it cracks on me, too.

I've since learned how to color MMF black and red (powdered food coloring + a little gel food color) and have made MMF enough that I am comfortable with it's idiosyncrancies.

My recipe has a few tips included if you wanna give it a try in the future: http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-7351-1-Marshmallow-Fondant---MacsMoms-BC-flavored-variation.html

I've had issue with Satin Ice as well. Used it once and never again, though I know some people on here have had great results with it.

I've used MMF many times and was content with that, can't beat the cost and it tastes pretty good, isn't too difficult to get used to working with either. But.... I just finally had time to make a test batch of Michelle Foster's Fondant (recipe on this site) and it handles and tastes even better than the MMF. I don't have a pic. posted yet, but it was incredibly smooth and pliable first time around.

Also, I brush my Wilton rolling mat with a bit of shortening. I find that works better than powdered sugar or cornstarch as far as not sticking and not adding too much dryness to the fondant. HTH.

I actually don't use any cornstarch with the satin ice (I did with the wilton). I spray my surface with pam (unflavored). Knead it roll it out, place it on the cake, then I use Luster dust to brush on top of the fondant. 1- it takes any film off, and adds just a bit of something so it's not dull.
Just a thought. LadyBug

1 tablespoon glycerine mixed in after the MMs are melted (2 lbs PS + 16oz MMs and 2 tablespoons water).