How are the ball shapes made that I often see cakes decorated with around the base. are they made from cake or is it just fondant rolled into balls? thanks

Balls of fondant.

Yes, just balls of fondant. If you want different size balls just pinch off an amount but if you want a more uniform size all the way around roll your fondant into a rope using two dowel rods on either side- rolling all three so you get a uniform size rope- then cut into the same size pieces - up to you.

OR you could roll out your fondant flat and use a shape cutter like a circle or oval & cut out a bunch at once....then roll into balls. You get a uniform size that way too.

thanks for your replies. quite simple really, and yet looks very effective.

I am just starting to do cakes.. from belize (central america). We dont have a school here to teach this kind of stuff but I always see that they color them with gold or silver.. what do they use to make it like that? Or they look like pearls, so pretty. Amateur I know. I learnt everything I know from online videos. So really can use ALOT of help. Thanks.

hi Dr3amCak3s, not sure about what other people use but when I need to colour things gold or silver I use a cake decorating lustre powder. You mix with a little bit of clear alcohol, such as gin or vodka to a paint like consistency and then paint it on to your fondant. I'm self taught myself and learnt from books and I think the internet is a godsend that is how I came across this fantastic website, which is so full of great ideas.