Hi all
I am making my very first birthday cake for my son's 1st birthday on Boxing day I have been practicing with cakes and fondant for about 3 months now I am just wondering a few little things. The tin I have used is huge and when I pulled the cake out after baking it was only about 5cm high, it is a mud cake. So I have made 3 more to give it the height I want. My first question is...What do I use in between each layer?? this cake will be getting covered in fondant tomorrow (Friday) and his party is Sunday, so will buttercream icing in the centre be suitable?? Also, I know that you can't / shouldn't put a fondant covered cake in the fridge as it sweats and goes sticky so if I use buttercream in the centre what do I do with the cake once it's covered in fondant, will the buttercream go bad if left on the bench?? And lastly If I have a fondant covered cake but the writing of Happy Birthday and a few decorations will be buttercream, when do I do this?? If I pipe it the night before the fondant will go bad in the fridge, but if I don't put it in the fridge the buttercream will go bad. Oh so many problems, but if this cakes turns out in real life how I see it in my head I will be sooooo happy
Thank you everyone

If your buttercream recipe has milk in it, then yes it should be refrigerated. If it doesn't and there is nothing else 'perishable' in the recipe, then it will be fine sitting on the counter.

Between layers - yes buttercream is fine. It sounds like you will have a total of 4 layers of cake. I would put them together in 2's. i.e. cake, buttercream, cake, buttercream. Set it on your board, insert your dowels/support. Set up your next 2 layers the same way on either your cardboard circles or foamboard and place it on top of the bottom two layers.

Ice your whole cake in whatever (buttercream/ganache) you are using and then you're ready to cover it in fondant. Once covered, let it sit a bit and then pipe your message and other bits in the buttercream.

Refrigeration - Yes, you can refrigerate a fondant cake, put it in a box if possible. Bring it to room temperature gradually if you can. Go from the fridge to the coldest room in your house to the kitchen/dining room. Most importantly - DO NOT TOUCH the fondant if it gets condensation on it.

Good luck and we'll be looking for pictures.

I always put my fondant cakes in the fridge, and have never had a problem with sticky or sweating issues ( knock on wood )
Good Luck with your cake
Jodi

I too refrigerate all my cakes, the only time I have a "sweating" problem is in the summer when it is in the 100s. If I think it would be a problem, I put my cake in a box, until it comes to room temp, then there isn't a problem.