What goes on the dummy before I apply the fondant? Is there a way to do it so that the dummy can be cleaned easily and used again? Making my first wedding cake and I want to use a dummy for the bottom layer of a 4 tier cake (do not need that much cake to serve).
You can cover it in sticky back plastic, not sure what it's called in the US. In the UK I use a brand called "Fablon".
To adhere the fondant to the dummy, you can use :
Water
Buttercream/ganache/royal icing other such mediums as you would with a real cake
Piping gel
A preserve thinned with boiling water
Tylose Glue
Thinned Glucose
Crisco
There are probably more but can't think of any at the minute. Water is better if you want the finish to last as it's least likely to make the fondant go "off" (break down, mould etc..) It's all personal preference really. Using water would be the easiest to clean once you've removed the fondant,
HTH
Thanks, I read a post a long time ago about prepping cake dummies, but I could not find it! I'm thinking that our "Press n Seal" food wrap might work and I'll just use the butter cream that's on other layers to go under the fondant.
I wrap my dummies with plastic wrap, so it can be reused. I coat the plastic covered dummy with Wilton clear piping gel. When I no longer need the dummy cake I peel the fondant off, peel the plastic wrap and the dummy is good as new!
I personally wouldn't do a coating of buttercream.
I have just misted the dummy with water & I've brushed on piping gel & both of those options work fine. i think the piping gel was alittle better than the water, but that's just personal preference. I just put the dummies in the dishwasher & run it & when it's done they are completely cleaned.
Good luck.
We use a mix of corn syrup and liquid glucose. but you could use corn syrup. just make sure to get it really thin. it's pretty sticky, so you have to work carefully, but once it dries it doesn't go anywhere. its also easy to clean, just pull off the fondant and run under hot water. or like sherry_lyn said, run em through the dishwasher
I wrap my dummies with plastic wrap, so it can be reused.
A dummy can be reused even if it is directly decorated with buttercream, fondant or royal icing. You just have to wash it in warm water. But wrapping it in plastic wrap makes it easier to clean as you mentioned.
I have lots of piping gel & corn syrup! Like the idea of using the dishwasher to clean it afterwards. Thank you all for the advice. I just finished up 30 black roses and started the silver leaves. Balck, silver and red themed wedding. I'll post a picture when the cake is finished.
I jut use a spritz of wateer under he fondant. Some of my dummies must be 8 years old or more. I just wash and reuse.
I did dummies for the first time last month and I used press-n-seal to cover them, then a little bit of buttercream frosting under the fondant - just enough to make it cling to the plastic wrap.
Now I'll piggy back a question - the fondant is HARD now. Should I chip it off or soak it in the bathtub first?
Another "Dummy" question, how do I keep them clean and from fading? I've made a few and they are losing their color, and they are not in direct sunlight. Should I have coated them with something? Also they pick up dust, which I dust with a soft brush, but it still adheres. Can I use some shortening to wipe them down?
No!!! No Buttercream! I did that once and it was stinky... yes STINKY. It was horrible. I have no clue why. I made a decorator's icing (BC with no butter). I don;t know idf that ever happened to anyone else, but it was horrible.
as far keeping their freshness - total darkness. Not just away from sunlight. I keep mine in a closet. No issues. If they are going to be on display (even without sunlight), I just accept that they will fade.
I now use crisco under my fondant on dummies. I massage it onto the dummy and apply the fondant. It makes the fondant very easy to peel off, even after several months. I then wash the dummy in the dishwasher or under hot water with dishsoap.
Rae
I've not had luck hand washing mine with just soap. Never even considered the dishwasher.. that's works? Cool!!
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