I have a 4 tiered fondant covered cake due in two weeks for our good friend's wedding. I have used the SPS system with buttercream but am experiencing problems with fondant covered cakes.

I use cake mixes that have been doctored (cake mix, buttermilk, cocoa, eggs, oil, vanilla) and they come out very tasty and very moist. I have been covering the cakes with white chocolate ganache and then with homemade marshmallow fondant to get practice for the wedding cake.

My problem comes after the cake is baked, filled, covered in ganache and fondant. I measure the SPS rods (legs) against the cake and they are the same height. I then take the plate and place it on top of the cake to mark where I'd like it to go (so I can see the leg markings). I then attach the rods (legs) and push it into the cake. The cake gets squished down and now there is a 3/4" to 1" gap between the top of the cake and the plate.

How do I stop this from happening? Is it because the cake is too moist? Is it fondant related? Is is a combination of the two or something else?
I prefer to use a Dr. cake mix but may need to change the recipe - any suggestions. Oh and I should mention that for the wedding cake I have purchased Satin Ice so I won't be using homemade MMF for that.

Thanks for your help.

Diane

I dont use those plastic plates... I am not sure wich dowel rods you are using. I know there is a great tutorial on stacking and doweling cakes.. on www.designmeacake.com

for the cake to get squished 3/4"-1" that is a lot. I haven't had that issue using SPS before so not sure exactly what is happening. But have you tried to score the fondant so you aren't "cutting" through it with the legs? Just an idea since you don't seem to have issues with the BC cakes.

Hmmmm.... how hard are you pushing. Slow and steady is the key.

Like Leily said, scoring the fondant. Or what I did on the wedding cake in my photos was after I marked where I wanted the legs to go, I carved out the fondant with an exacto knife before inserting the plates.

I also noticed when I used the SPS system for the first time that I had a gap also, But mine was only about 3/16", not quite 1/4". That is why there is the twisted border around and not a smaller one like imagined. I believe the reason is I did compensate for the thickness of the plate. So next time I plan on taking 1/8" off the measurement to see if that helps. I also believe there may be some cake in the bottom that it sits on, but I may be wrong on that. We did notice when we cut the cake that there was smashed cake inside the pillars. But still there is some displacement, sciency thing going on that I didn't compensate for on that cake. It all worked out in the end.


Also when you measure your pillars you should do where they will sit. Possibly your cake is not as even in the middle as it is on the outside. I saw on another website where the baker used a sewing seam guide. You put the plat on to mark where you want the legs to go. Measure one (or all of them if you are perfectionist like me ), then cut your legs to that measurement. If you don't have a sewing seam guide (I always seem to lose them and I have two in the house some where), then anything like a straw, bamboo stick, etc. I pushed a bamboo stick down inot the area, put my thumb against the edge at the top of the cake and pulled it out. DH helped me measure it. If you are alone, you can put a little mark with a graphite pencil before you pull out the bamboo skewer.

HTH