Cake Fondant Slides Down On Travelling

Decorating By Colliegirl Updated 21 May 2010 , 3:07am by sberryp

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Colliegirl Posted 15 May 2010 , 2:28am
post #1 of 13

Hi folks, have tried to upload a photo of the cake in question but the program is not working (keeps telling me the photo is too small, which it isn't). Anyways here's the thing, I had to travel 3 hours on bumpy country roads to get to the venue with a young girl's birthday cake and the fondant slide down the cake to the bottom so that there was a bulge and creases at the bottom of the cake.

I have another cake to do next month for a two hour journey and definately do not want the same thing to occur as this is the second time it has done so already. I have covered the cake in a crumb coat of buttercream and then applied the fondant over the top. It has been a layered cake so that there was cream in the middle which had to be extensively dammed and didn't solve the problem of middle bulge either. If I can't solve the bulging problem, I will give up making fillers for the cakes. But the fondant slipping thats just got to be fixed. Any help would be appreciated. Any tips to travelling with cake would be of help too. I had it on a non-slip mat and in a box on the floor, if that helps to describe the event. Cheers Tina icon_sad.gif

12 replies
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Toptier Posted 15 May 2010 , 3:35am
post #2 of 13

What kind of bc was it? I've had this problem before when I used IMBC under fondant and the heat caused the bc to melt. Also, if your fondant is too thick and the bc and/or fillings are too soft it just starts dragging everything down.

HTH

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mamawrobin Posted 15 May 2010 , 3:48am
post #3 of 13

What did you use to make the fondant "stick" to your bc? After my crumbcoat crust I use a pastry brush and apply a thin layer of simple syrup. I've never had any trouble with fondant slipping.

As toptier said it could also be your bc or filling causing the fondant to "melt". It would help to see a photo of your cake.

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mbark Posted 15 May 2010 , 3:53am
post #4 of 13

just wanted to let you know re: uploading your photo, I have been having the same issue tonight & at least one other CCer as well

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matthewkyrankelly Posted 15 May 2010 , 4:03am
post #5 of 13

Do you wait at all after crumb coating? Some cakes, some recipes, need to settle before covering. Some people wait 24 hrs. Some here have even used a little weight to speed the process.

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mamawrobin Posted 15 May 2010 , 4:09am
post #6 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewkyrankelly

Do you wait at all after crumb coating? Some cakes, some recipes, need to settle before covering. Some people wait 24 hrs. Some here have even used a little weight to speed the process.




Good point. You should wait at least 12-24 hours after filling before covering your cake. This allows your cake to settle before decorating. I have used a book to weigh mine down when in a hurry but I prefer to wait the 12-24 hours.

This could be part of your problem if you didn't let your cake settle.

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Colliegirl Posted 15 May 2010 , 6:09am
post #7 of 13

Thanks folks, I don't use the syrup and I am thinking that this may be the problem but also the buttercream could very well melt. In my climate heat is a problem.

I leave the cake to settle for a few hours, but not 24 as I am afraid of it being too stale by the time it has to be delivered. Which seems to be a problem. Perhaps I am not waiting long enough. It seems it could be quite a few of these things.

So in all what I need to do is: 1. wait 24 hours to coat the cake with the fondant after crumb coat using syrup. 2. fix my AC in my car so that it isn't so hot in there; 3. stop stressing about whether the cake is too old by making it two days before. Yes?

Glad to see I am not the only one having problems with uploading pics. I shall try again to upload tonight. Thanks folks for all your suggestions. It really is causing me grief.

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mamawrobin Posted 15 May 2010 , 12:45pm
post #8 of 13

Yeah, stop stressing over "stale" cake thumbs_up.gif Once you crumb coat your cake the icing seals in the moisture. Cakes have to settle. No, cakes ARE GOING TO settle. They should be allowed to do this BEFORE you apply your final coat of icing whether it's buttercream or fondant.

I allow myself 24 hours to decorate a cake. That way if I run into any problems I have time to recover. thumbs_up.gif That means that 2 days before my cake is due I usually fill and crumbcoat. Cakes will not go stale on you in that length of time.

If you're not using some type of "glue" your fondant won't stick to your cake. Some just give the buttercream a light mist of water to make it "tacky" allowing the fondant to stick. I prefer brushing the simple syrup onto my crusted buttercream because it doens't soften my buttercream. You can't put wall paper on a dry wall and get it to stick. Same applys to fondant. thumbs_up.gif

Planet Cake has a great tutorial on youtube showing how to properly cover a cake with fondant.

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Colliegirl Posted 16 May 2010 , 12:49am
post #9 of 13

Thanks so much, you'd think I would have done that, but I had thought that the buttercream was tacky enough. Obviously not! icon_rolleyes.gif

I shall try to make the cakes a few days before its due and fill and crumb coat it then. It will certainly relieve the stress I feel just before a cake is due to be sure! So that I will be able to enjoy doing it more!

You guys are great. Cheers

thumbs_up.gif

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Dizzymaiden Posted 16 May 2010 , 1:10am
post #10 of 13

I did not even take photos of the two cakes that I made on Friday. I will never again rush to make cakes. Who knew it would be hot and humid in early May - my whipped cream drooped and my piping drooled.

I feel like giving up. I delivered the cakes with all apologies - I have to work with this person. Wish I could feel inside like I fake on the outside...smiles with a "oh well it happens".

The only good I got out of all my cake wrecks is the absolute understanding and sympathy I feel for all of you when it happens.

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emrldsky Posted 16 May 2010 , 9:14pm
post #11 of 13

All this advice is sound! DH and I just drove 9.5 hours with 3 cake tiers in our car (not stacked) and they traveled just fine. After filling each cake, I wrapped in plastic wrap and let them settle (I used Leahs trick of placing a ceramic tile on top of the cake after it's wrapped to help speed up the settling process), then I added my buttercream, and let the cakes settle even more. I then placed fondant on the cakes and let them sit overnight, and drove them the next day.

Good luck in the future!

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tiggy2 Posted 20 May 2010 , 7:46pm
post #12 of 13

If you don't have AC in your car and it's hot that is your biggest problem.

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sberryp Posted 21 May 2010 , 3:07am
post #13 of 13

I understand, I think my butter cream melted and caused my graduation cake to be my first disaster story.

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