What is the best method to cover a cake 8 inch in diameter by 8 inches tall with fondant? Do I roll out one huge 32 inch piece and try to cover it without ripping it in the process? Or do I roll a strip, cover the sides, then cover the top with another 9 inch round?? I could cover the top seam with a fondant ribbon, but the one running along the side would be more difficult.

HELP!!!

TIA

I would cover horizontally, yeah...and then you can "caulk" the back seam with royal icing and also "caulk" the top seam.

I vote for option B.. run screaming from the fondant!! Let me know waht you decide to do to that cake. And I am suggesting you post pics of the procedure! a nice tutorial.

I use one single piece for tall cakes just take it slow and work the top of the sides immediately so the fondant attaches to the cake and has less time to rip. I put my fondant on a cake right out of the fridge, I find the cold cake helps stiffen the fondant that is adhered to the cake and also helps against rips. HTH

I covered a 10" cake that was 9" tall with one piece. I had another person help me on the other side and rolled out a large piece of fondant covering over a cake that was very cold from the fridge. As soon as the fondant was on the cake, I pressed it around the top edge and worked my way down to prevent the weight of it from tearing. You can see the photo in my gallery.

If the cake is 8" in diameter and 8" tall, that makes it around 24" inches total - 26" with the extra. I just covered a 14" by 4" cake with fondant last weekend. so this wouldn't be much bigger. I learned something about moving fondant. When it tore when I tried to lift it with my Wilton rolling pin, I got my piece of 1"X 30" PVC pipe that I use for drying bow loops and used that to lift it. Since it came out past the circle fondant it lifted it beautifully. I think I'm going to invest in a 2" or 3" by 36" diameter piece of PVC...

So I opted for option 2.....it didn't go so well, there will be no tutorial this time. If I had an extra pair of hands (my husband woke from his nap about 3 minutes too late) it would have been better. let's just say it ended up looking like a big ol' elephant foot!!!! "Look, it's the elusive albino elephant", as my husband so loving exclaimed at the dinner!!!

Oh well, I think It would have been fine had he woke up 3 minute earlier, or had I just gone and gotten his sorry butt out of bed. Next time I will try the big ol' piece of fondant and see how it works, or make sure my extra set of hands isn't too tired to do his job!!!!

No tutorial, not even a picture, it didn't deserve it!!! But on a high note, it was my first time making a fondant bow and it turned out great. Too bad the server broke it before the guest of honor saw it!! At least it was far my best friend, she is used to getting my "challenge cakes".

I think i'm going to do white chocolate fondant for unusually large sizes. It would be easier to smooth and cover seams and more forgiving, I think.