HELP! I am trying to cover an 18 inch round cake with fondant, but my counter tops are...shall we say...not what I would want them to be, and I can not seem to get this huge piece of fondant on to the cake without tearing it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

Would it be easier to roll out on your kitchen/dining table? I know my countertop isn't nearly big enough for that job. Also, are you rolling it out on a large mat and flipping it onto the cake? That seems the only way to do it on your own without risking tearing.

Good Luck!

Use an unused broomstick (dowel) or piece of pvc pipe at least 30" long to transfer the fondant. Is you kitchen table large enough to roll out on. You can use a large piece of heavy weight plastic to roll it out on and you may also be able to use this to transfer the fondant to the cake.

How big is your table? Other than roll it up and place at the back of the counter and roll the thicker part and roll as you go. What a nightmare! Let us know what you decided to do and how well it works.

Before I bought a wider stainless steel work table, I bought a large formica table top from a restaurant supply store (I think it is 30" by 36".) I would put it on top of my dining room table to roll out my fondant. (My dining room table is an old farm house table so the surface isn't smooth.) The top was very convenient because I could slide it back in the closet when I didn't need it. I also discovered that wrapping paper rolls work well to roll the fondant around to lift and roll onto the cake. They are a lot lighter than PVC pipe. I keep one that I have covered with food grade plastic wrap next to my work table.

Hey guys...thanks for all the ideas. My dining room table is nice and smooth, but it has a seam down the center for the butterfly leaf and I don't have a plastic mat to roll it out on....but I will definitely try the wrapping paper roll, that's a great idea! I walked away from it for a while because the language was getting too bad...but I'm about to attack it again. Wish me luck and any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

The seem on the table will only give you a bit of grief on the UNDERSIDE of the fondant that goes on the cake side. You will not see the seem.

If your 18" cake is 4" tall, you'll need at least a 26" diameter fondant circle or 28" for overhang to trim away.

If you roll it out onto a 28" diameter cake circle (dusted with powdered sugar or cornstarch), you'll know when it's big enough and to stop rolling because the circle guide is completely covered. And, you'll know that it isn't sticking because you can shake the cardboard periodically during the rolling process. When you're ready, slide the fondant off the circle directly onto your cake. You won't need to worry about it ripping because you aren't stretching it, and no worries about the dusted bottom surface showing because it's touching the cake.

Of course, you'll have to find which workspace will accommodate the task.

As far as a mat goes, go to Walmart or your local fabric or hobby store and buy a piece of the heavyweight vinyl that is used for on tables. You buy it by the yard. It is a thick clear vinyl and only costs a couple of dollars, very inexpensive and great to roll and lift large pieces of fondant.

Thanks for all the advice guys...I finally got it to work. The vinyl and the wrapping paper tube worked like a charm! You guys are awesome...thanks again!