I need help getting my fondant to look nice and smooth on my cakes, and they usually look bad at the bottom of the cake. Sometimes when I put the fondant on, the weight at the bottom tears the fondant. I also end up with seams that I have to get creative and cover them up. I don't know how to get it nice and smooth, and I see them all the time smoothing it out with their hands or the little tool from Wilton.
Here is a link to the pics of my cakes, please look at them and tell me what I could do to correct them.

http://lexingtoncakes.weebly.com/

I think if I could fix my fondant issues, I could really make some awesome cakes.

Thank you in advanced!

Hi and welcome to CC!

Different people have different methods for fondant. You'll have to figure out what works best for you.

Here's my method: Put the cake on a cake circle cut to the exact size of the cake. Fill the cake and let it settle overnight. Then, crumbcoat with buttercream, thick enough that you can't really see cake through it but not as thick as you would when you're doing a cake without fondant. Put the cake in the fridge for a few hours until your buttercream is pretty hard. Then, if the buttercream needs any more smoothing, use your hands to smooth it. Put it back in the fridge until your fondant is ready. Roll the fondant a little thicker than you've been doing. If you can pick up the piece and flip it quickly without it stretching way out of shape, that's the right thickness. When it's ready, loosely roll it over your rolling pin. Get the cake out of the fridge and set it on something that's sturdy but smaller in diameter than the cake board...maybe a coffee can or upside down cake pan of a smaller size. The idea is to have the cake on something where the fondant can hang down past the cake board. Unroll the fondant over the cake. Use kitchen shears to cut off any pieces that are hanging down way past the cake. Then open out any folds that have formed. Starting at the top, smooth the fondant onto the cake. Work from the top of the side down toward the cake board and get the fondant smooth. The idea is to stretch the fondant over the cake, not fold it onto the cake. Once you've got your fondant smooth, cut around the bottom edge just below the cake board with kitchen shears. Remember, it's a stretchy thing, so leave it a tiny bit longer than you think you need, you can always trim a bit off later.

give your self more time, and practice lots. practice is key!
watch videos on you tube, or where ever, read all the books you can.
do you have a turn table? it just makes life easier.
and dont forget that much of cake decorating is learning to cover your mistakes like a pro! and also, mistakes mean you can tell which side is meant to be the back to the cake!

tearing fondant... working faster will help. when you put it on the cake, cut of the big excess right away - leave your self a bit to work with though!
it might be a different fondant will be easier to work with - some are just softer and more prone to tearing.

basically (and videos will show you better) put on the fondant and work round the round cake, dont do a whole side at a time. gently lift and re-lay the fondant to work out the creases.
on square cakes, try to do the corners first.

and your cakes are cool by the way! and i would imagine that most non-cakers dont notice the flaws in the same way that you do, they just think 'CAKE!'
xx

Thank you very much, I think you opened my eyes on what to do. I didn't stretch it on the cake, I folded it. I also think I may have been putting too much buttercream icing on the cake. Let me ask you one more thing, how do you keep the fondant from tearing while you are stretching it onto the cake? My next cake's theme is the Cincinnati Bangles, but I have not decided exactly what I am going to do.

Thank you so very much, I am self taught, and I am learning more every time I do a cake.

Kindest Regards,

Mark Hagan

What kind of fondant are you using?

Wilton rolled fondant, I tried making fondant once, and said I would never do that again. I have never seen anything like it.

I use marshmallow fondant. I'm not sure how the stretch compares to Wilton, but with the marshmallow fondant, the only time it tears when you're smoothing it is if you've rolled it too thin. It's cheap to make too, good for practicing with without spending a ton.

I'm self-taught too...lots of people are. Don't think of it as a disadvantage, there's a ton that you can learn from Cake Central and Youtube and books

I am really enjoying it, and I love seeing the look on peoples faces when I bring in my cake. The Marshmallow fondant recipe I did was the stickiest thing I have ever seen. It had me use a double boiler to melt the marshmallow, and then I believe it just had me get it out and add confectioner sugar. Where did you get your recipe?

the trick is to roll it too the right thickness (i forget what the number is, i just do it by eye and feel). too thin and it will rip and go funny. too thick and it can be harder to work with.

too much bc can also be a problem. find the thickness you can work with, and stick with it!

if you dont want to make fondant, there are other brands you can buy, though you may have to order online. but although wiltons rep is that it doesnt taste good, it is supposed to be good to work with.

when im lifting the fondant, i use my rolling pin. i tried to describe it and i cant! it should be on you tube.... like flip a bit of fondant over your rolling pin, and roll the pin so that you lift up the fondant. than move.
you might need a supporting hand (or a friend with two supporting hands)!
xx

Yes I use the rolling pin to drape the fondant onto the cake, and if you look at my past cakes they just aren't smooth, and I think that has to do with the butter cream.
What's a good place online to order supplies? I bought a airbrush not too long ago, and need to get the edible paint. I have tried using Wilton food coloring with vodka, but it's just too watery, and doesn't look good at all.

This is the recipe that I use: http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm It has you melt the marshmallows in the microwave. Then if you're kneading it by hand, you can add the powdered sugar and stir until it gets too thick to stir, then turn out onto a greased board, grease your hands and knead until smooth.

If you have a KitchenAid mixer, you can use the mixer with the dough hook attachment to do the kneading...just don't ever turn it up higher than 2 when you're using the dough hook, and make sure the bowl and hook are well-greased.

It's really not too hard to knead, especially if you're used to making bread dough.

Ok, Yes I use to make bread dough when I worked for Logan's Roadhouse. I will give it a shot. Thx