Hello All!

So this is my very first post, as I am new to CC. I love decorating cakes, and finally got up the nerve to try fondant. I have been reading about how great MMF is, and how easy it is to manipulate.

I made my first 3 cakes, and I felt that the fondant turned out fantastic. It was easy to knead, roll, and cover the cakes. However, I found that once on the cakes, the fondant seemed to bubble up in certain areas, or that you could see every little detail from the cake underneath.

I am wondering if it is simply the buttercream I used, as it was very soft and easy to spread, if I am doing something wrong when placing the fondant on the cake, or if MMF isn't the way to go when seeking perfection in the appearance of the cakes.

Any of your tips are greatly appreciated, as I have two orders to fill within the next two weeks. I want to be sure to provide cakes with a flawless finish!

Do you have any pics? That would help us see what your issue may be. All of the fondant cakes in my pics are done with MMF - and they are smooth as silk....how thick are you rolling it? How much buttercream is on the cake under the fondant? The more info you give us, the more we can help!

(and welcome to CC!!)

I do have pictures. I am having trouble getting them off of my camera and onto my computer! (0: The cakes actually looked pretty good, and I don't think that the pictures really showed too many of the imperfections.

The first cake that I made, I only put a crumb coat of buttercream on the the cake. The second cake that I made, I put on a crumb coat, froze it for a few mins, and then added a second coat of buttercream.

I have been reading not to freeze or refrigerate cakes with fondant, so I didn't put them back into the fridge or freezer after decorating.

It seemed more like air bubbles in the fondant. I found that if I pricked a small sterile pin into the fondant, I could smooth out the bubbles, but it definitely wasn't perfect.

I would love to know just how thin, or thick, I should be rolling the fondant. Also, what is the recommended amount of buttercream to use? Should I be using a stiff buttercream? If so, any recommendations on yummy recipes are welcomed!

I will continue working on getting the pics uploaded for a better visual!

Thanks!

I just never have good results with Marshmallow fondant. I finally quit trying to use it Hope yours worked out

I have now posted the pictures of my cakes. If anyone has some suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them! I have read that using ganache as the base, before adding fondant is a great way to get a smooth look. Is this true? Thanks for your help!

I don't see any issues with the pink one at all. The square one, I can see some slight issues on the sides.

I use the same buttercream that I ice my cakes with - medium/thin consisitency. I never refrigerate or freeze my cakes either. I use more than a crumbcoat, but not as much as a regular coating of icing under the fondant. I get it as smooth as possible before putting the fondant on. I roll my fondant out with a small amount of shortning, and then I use 2 fondant smoothers to smooth it out. I also make sure I apply the fondant while the buttercream is still soft, not crusted that way the fondant adheres very well to the buttercream. It is rare that I have any ripples or air bubbles in it. I hope this info helps you....if you have any other more specific questions, just ask.

I use a cake board cut to the exact size of the cake I'm going to cover. Fill the cake, then if possible let it settle for a few hours, then cover with buttercream. My buttercream is pretty stiff...I use Indydebi's recipe and add 1/2 cup milk instead of 1/3 cup. After I put the buttercream on the cake, I chill it until firm. When it comes out of the fridge, smooth the buttercream with hands to get out any tiny ridges or imperfections. Then set the cake on something smaller than the cake board, so that you have space all around the edge underneath. Roll the fondant, drape it over the cake, and cut off any really big hanging down pieces so they don't tear it. Then start smoothing it. As the chilled cake warms up a bit, the fondant will stick to it. When it's smooth enough, trim around the bottom edge just below the cake board with kitchen scissors and then put the cake, still on the board, on a larger, decorated board.

Chilling the cake before you put the fondant on allows you to put a thicker coat of buttercream than you would be able to otherwise, because it won't smoosh out the bottom edge.

I used to have problems with the air bubbles, but not since I started chilling the cake.

Welcome to cc. I find it best to use a crusting bc and then smooth as much as possible and then chill several hours or over night. Then I will apply the mmf.The little air bubble is very common, just take a tooth pick and carefully prick it and then rub the mmf smooth. hth

Thank you all for your suggestions! I am working on perfecting my MMF skills! You all have such terrific ideas, and I am going to try an incorporate them all into my work! Thanks again! (0: