Fondant Experts Help Please (Long)
Decorating By islandgirl72 Updated 9 Apr 2009 , 8:43pm by islandgirl72
I am very new to decorating and have had what I am praying will be a salvageable disaster.
I have a 4 yr old and 5 month old and thought I was smart doing things ahead.
Here is a link to my cake how it looked when I completed it at 4 today for delivery to the school auction tomorrow.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1341134
When I went to look at it tonight there was a huge lemon sized air bubble on one side. It was not filling underneath just air.
I tried to use a needle in a couple of spots, but it wasn't helping. I took off the border and re-smoothed that spot, trimmed off some excess, but the fondant still wasn't sticking to the side of the cake.
My husband suggested taking off one of the little eggs and piping icing in behind. So I did that with royal icing I had for attaching the border.
It seems to be working, but who knows what I am going to wake up to 
So....what went wrong?
I baked and froze the choc WASC on Tues. I took out of freezer on Thursday and filled and covered with Indydebi's buttercream. I put it in the fridge after smoothing. Friday (today) I covered it in the MMF and decorated.
My thoughts are maybe the gumpaste bow and decorations made it settle too much or maybe a problem with how I iced or covered it.
Any suggestions for avoiding this next time would be appreciated as well as prayers that the cake will make it to delivery tomorrow.
I'm no expert - but I can't really tell from what you said - did you let your cake thaw completely (while still wrapped) before you filled and iced it? This can make the icing not stick - which may contribute to the fondant getting air bubbles underneath. I hear you need to let your cake settle after you ice it and before you cover with fondant too. I only do that if I'm making a large cake, though - I've never had a problem on a small single-layer cake.
I don't use fillings or icings that need to be refridgerated, and I don't refridgerate after I ice them - so I'm not sure if that contributed either.
Hope it turns out ok (praying for you). Cake was really cute, btw.
Thanks for the reply and suggestions 
No I did not let it thaw completely while wrapped 
I took it out and unwrapped right away and then iced probably 15 mins later.
I did let it sit filled overnight for the settling thing though.
I can imagine the dreams I am going to have tonight.
no expert here either, but i'll be sending "stay pretty" vibes to the cake! it really is cute! 
edited for spelling. yikes!
Thanks
Absolutely no bubbles when rolling the fondant and it seemed to go on well and smooth easily. The bubble that was under the icing wa the size of a lemon cut in half length wise. I hope more don't happen before delivery.
i think condensation was the issue. maybe thaw your cakes before you ice.
Thanks Sharon I sure hope that is what it was because then at least I know what not to do next time. Boy do I have a lot to learn 
Hi islandgirl.
I think that is an adorable cake! Very nicely done! I think that we all have had a "bubble" or two in our day (I've got a little one right now, but it's only noticeable to me and it's for my DD, so I'm not worried). Just keep on going, and you are doing a wonderful job!!! Happy cakeing!
Mommyle, thank you so much for the reply and the encouragement
Thanks solascakes The auction was tonight and thankfully the fix held up. I am thankful that I got to learn something new too.
I'm somewhat of an expert. 99.9% of all of my cakes are fondant covered and I've not had a incident for some time now. In the begining?? That's a whole 'nother story!! What I've learned is this...
Always bring a cake to room temperature before crumbing/icing/fondanting. You don't want any moisture getting between the cake and the covering.
Make sure your BC layer underneath the fondant is as smooth as you can get it. Any bumps or divots will likely cause a blow out or a bubble. If you're using crusting BC, make sure you get the fondant on it before it crusts or the fondant won't adhere to the BC properly and you will get bubbles.
If you're using PS to roll out the fondant, make sure you brush off all the excess PS from the side that will be contacting the BC. Again, proper adherence is key. PS will keep the fondant from sticking properly.
When you smooth the fondant, do it from the top down. Smooth the top from the middle to the sides to push all the air out, and then smooth from the top down to push all the air out the bottom.
If you're using shortening to roll out the fondant, that works best as it is moist on the side where the BC and fondant will touch and that makes a good seal.
Hope this helps!!!
islandgirl72 - your cake is super cute...good job on it!! I'm glad it made it to it's destination without any further incidents.
RobzC8kz - thanks for the advice on fondant...I work with it a lot, but am no expert, that's for sure....helpful hints are always appreciated.
RobzC8kz there is a lot of tips in your post, thanks a lot
Thank you so much for all the helpful advice! I have read and read and watched every Youtube video I can find, but boy is there a lot to learn. You have been very helpful
I was making so many of the mistakes you mentioned...
I was crumbcoating a frozen cake, I was rolling my fondant out on PS, I wasn't brushing off the excess because I would just slide my hands under and transfer it right onto the cake, and I put the fondant on the cake fully crusted and out of the fridge (I filled and crumbcoated the day before so it would settle before doing the fondant).
I can't wait for my next cake to try your suggestions!
I'm somewhat of an expert. 99.9% of all of my cakes are fondant covered and I've not had a incident for some time now. In the begining?? That's a whole 'nother story!! What I've learned is this...
Always bring a cake to room temperature before crumbing/icing/fondanting. You don't want any moisture getting between the cake and the covering.
Make sure your BC layer underneath the fondant is as smooth as you can get it. Any bumps or divots will likely cause a blow out or a bubble. If you're using crusting BC, make sure you get the fondant on it before it crusts or the fondant won't adhere to the BC properly and you will get bubbles.
If you're using PS to roll out the fondant, make sure you brush off all the excess PS from the side that will be contacting the BC. Again, proper adherence is key. PS will keep the fondant from sticking properly.
When you smooth the fondant, do it from the top down. Smooth the top from the middle to the sides to push all the air out, and then smooth from the top down to push all the air out the bottom.
If you're using shortening to roll out the fondant, that works best as it is moist on the side where the BC and fondant will touch and that makes a good seal.
Hope this helps!!!
islandgirl72 - your cake is super cute...good job on it!!
I'm glad it made it to it's destination without any further incidents.RobzC8kz - thanks for the advice on fondant...I work with it a lot, but am no expert, that's for sure....helpful hints are always appreciated.
Thanks so much aggie, boy was I relieved!
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