Evening!

Question, I always see directions for covering a cake with crusting buttercream, so this is directed at people that DO NOT USE crusting buttercream.

I usually make SMBC cakes with fondant accents, I have only totally covered a few cakes in fondant. Question: Once you crumb coat, do you refrigerate your cake until the buttercream is hard before covering, or do you put it straight on? If it's cold, does it make your fondant sweat and goop up? I also am using MFF and don't use commercial so bonus if you do too.

Thanks,

Jen

i crumb coat and then also apply a normal layer of buttercream (i typically use IMBC so it's non-crusting too). i'll leave that in the fridge until it's nice and firm. then i apply the fondant (i use toba garrett's recipe). i usually keep my cake in the fridge until a few hours before it is to be served. it does sweat, but just don't touch it and it will eventually evaporate as it comes to room temp.

it's been easier for me to get cleaner edges and smooth surfaces with the fondant if the icing underneath is cold/firm.

I use smbc and mmf too! I do crumb coat and sometimes a second coat if they're icing fans. Then I do let it get nice and firm in the fridge before the mmf goes on. I've read so many opinions about whether smbc needs to be refrigerated and usually if I'm delivering the same day, it doesn't go back into the fridge. If it does need to be refrigerated because of timing or the filling, I empty out my fridge and put the cake in inside the cardboard box I'm delivering it in- this seems to cut down on the condensation. Feel free to check out my pix- they've all been done in smbc and mmf!

I use imbc and I put mine in the fridge to let it harden and then I use mff but I don't have a problem with it sweating.

I have hot hands, so I put mine in the freezer for about 15 minutes, to make the butter rock hard, so when I smooth the fondant, it stays cold. It works for me, and because it's in such a cold place for such a short time, the inside of the cake doesn't get cold enough to cause a blowout later.

Theresa

Thanks everyone! I tried it once and it was a little strange, my fondant didn't really stretch like I expected it to because it stuck ans started to get so cold, so now I know I just need to work a little faster.

I would follow the advice of Playingwithsugar. I found the MMF tried to blow out in one spot on an important cake from the cake being refrigerated over night before putting the fondant on it. (it happened when it came to room temperature) I will refrigerate (freeze) it just to firm it up next time.

Freeze it for 15 minutes, instead, Loucinda. Trust me, it will work a lot better, because it will stay cold on the outside long enough to get the fondant hand-smoothed, without having to worry about air expansion inside once it warms up.

Theresa

To clarify, I use MF fondant, not marshmallow fondant, the blow out issue is a concern for both though, right?

That would be MFF not MMF, but I think the issue would be the same no matter which one you use.