I had about the worst cake decorating night of my life last night! I don't know what I did wrong and I am hoping some of you experts can help me out.

I desperately want to do the faux fondant look so many of you can do, so I switched from my beloved buttercream to IndyDebi's. The frosting crusted everywhere but the middle of the cake where I needed to freehand an eagle. The cake was filled with chocolate ganache, so I could not let it set out forever to crust, but I did leave it out for about 20 minutes. Nothing! I put it back in the fridge, hoping it would crust in there and nothing. I just ended up drawing the eagle on it anyway. Do you think the moisture from the ganache or fridge prevented the middle from crusting? If so, does anyone have another recipe that will crust with a moist or refrigeration required cake?

My next problem (actually this happened first) was with the Cricut Cake. I needed 1/2" tall letters. Everytime I cut the letters it tore the fondant. I rolled it thinner and tried again. Tore again. Cleaned the machine, rolled it thicker - no luck! Increased size to 3/4"- no luck. 1" wouldn't work in the design, so I freehanded it. Do I need a different needle or can the machine just not cut letters that small? Any thoughts? Thanks!

Your cake does not have to be refrigerated because it is filled with ganache. I'm confused as to why you think it does?

I use Indydebi's receipe as well and the only time I've had any trouble with it crusting is when I refrigerated my cake. Indydebi posted on a thread the other day that the only time SHE had any problem with her cakes is when she put a cake in the fridge.

The cricut cake is not meant to cut letters smaller than one inch. One of it's limitations, I'm afraid.

I am also confused on why you refrigerated it. As mamawrobin said, ganache does not need to be refrigerated.

Was your cake cold or chilled when you iced it? If it was the moisture from that would make the buttercream moist and cause it to take longer to crust (just as the fridge would - and did)

Hmm...I didn't get any notice anyone responded so sorry for the delay. My ganache is whipped cream and chocolate. (Whipped Chocolate Ganache recipe on this site). I would think it would "go bad" if it was left out, but you don't think so??? (confused)

I did not read anywhere in the cricut material about that restriction. I must have missed it. Thanks for pointing it out to me. I was really getting frustrated! I am anxious to try the cricut using the cool patterns, etc. soon. I hope that goes better for me.

Hmm...I didn't get any notice anyone responded so sorry for the delay. My ganache is whipped cream and chocolate. (Whipped Chocolate Ganache recipe on this site). I would think it would "go bad" if it was left out, but you don't think so??? (confused)

I did not read anywhere in the cricut material about that restriction. I must have missed it. Thanks for pointing it out to me. I was really getting frustrated! I am anxious to try the cricut using the cool patterns, etc. soon. I hope that goes better for me.

Just because it has cream in it doesn't mean it will go bad. All ganache is made with cream and chocolate. That's what ganache is .

Well, I learn something new every day! Seriously, why doesn't it go bad? If I left a cup of whipping cream on my counter overnight by morning (in this humidity) it would be smelling funny, so does the addition of chocolate "protect" it from going bad? (Please don't laugh -I really want to learn this. )

I always refrigerate cakes with fillings like ganache, whipped cream, fresh berries, etc. I am deathly (no pun intended) afraid of someone getting sick. If I don't have to go through the hassel of making room in my fridge for that cream cheese filling cake or fresh berry cake - you have just made my freakin' day!!!!

Great! I will look for it and thank you so much! I really appreciate it.