Something that's been frustrating me for a while is how to get embossed fondant onto the top of a cupcake in a nice dome, without compromising the embossing.
I can cover a domed cupcake with smooth fondant & get it on perfectly. But when I try to cover a cupcake with already embossed fondant my technique for applying the fondant to get a nice even dome shape presses out all the embossed texture. If I try to emboss after applying the fondant then pressing the texture onto the cupcake messes up the nice dome shape, and the texture really doesn't apply well either.
The look I'm trying to acheive is this type of thing:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallthingsiced/4441173096/in/set-72157624150372650
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallthingsiced/4100457234/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallthingsiced/4570000761/in/set-72157624150372650/
I guess what I'm asking is what do you use to smooth embossed fondant onto a cupcake perfectly without ruining the embossing. I have tried using foam to press the fondant on, but that doesn't seem to work to get a nice even dome.
Would appreciate any pointers you can give!
TIA 
Have you tried putting the fondant on when the cupcakes are still warm to see if it will conform to the cupcake? I know people do it with cookies. However it does look like there is buttercream under the fondant, so I don't know if that would work. You may want to look on cakejournal. There are some tutorials on there on how to put fondant on cupcakes.l
To get a perfect dome with UN-embossed fondant on a cupcake I find I have to go over it with a flexible smoother to get a perfect finish (even after creating a dome with the buttercream/ganache beforehand as a base). If I just pat the fondant down without using the smoother it ends up being a lumpy dome.
Using the smoother on embossed fondant flattens out the embossing, but without using a smoother (ie just patting the fondant down with a piece of soft sponge) I find I'm left with a lumpy dome.
Here's something from the cake journal about the fondant domed cupcakes:
http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/cupcake-decorating-part-3
Here's something from the cake journal about the fondant domed cupcakes:
http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/cupcake-decorating-part-3
Thanks for that link Keciak.
That is very similar to what I've been doing, except that I use a thin flexible smoother instead of my hand, and I don't stretch the fondant disc before applying. Not sure how much difference the stretching that would make, but I'll certainly try it next time.
I use the wilton 1A tip to get a nice mound of BC - I don't swirl it on, just use pressure in the dead centre of the cupcake until it builds up to the amount I want. I let it crust and then use a small foam roller (look up Melvira method on here) to get a smooth dome almost to the edges of the paper.
Let crust again and chill briefly. Roll fondant, emboss, cut circles. Make sure you rolled out on lots of cornflour or icing sugar so the circles don't stick, or they will distort when you pick them up. Spritz the top of the frosted cuppies with boiled, cooled water. You should be able to get the circles on nicely with just a very light touch of the fingers. It's important to get a nice looking dome of BC first though. Much like icing a cake, if the BC isn't perfect, your fondant won't be. I find cupping my hands around the edges of the cupcake where the fondant meets the liner helps neaten that up.
I use the wilton 1A tip to get a nice mound of BC - I don't swirl it on, just use pressure in the dead centre of the cupcake until it builds up to the amount I want. I let it crust and then use a small foam roller (look up Melvira method on here) to get a smooth dome almost to the edges of the paper.
Let crust again and chill briefly. Roll fondant, emboss, cut circles. Make sure you rolled out on lots of cornflour or icing sugar so the circles don't stick, or they will distort when you pick them up. Spritz the top of the frosted cuppies with boiled, cooled water. You should be able to get the circles on nicely with just a very light touch of the fingers. It's important to get a nice looking dome of BC first though. Much like icing a cake, if the BC isn't perfect, your fondant won't be. I find cupping my hands around the edges of the cupcake where the fondant meets the liner helps neaten that up.
That may be part of my problem: the buttercream not being 100% perfectly smooth to start with - I've been relying on the flexible plastic smoother to smooth out any slight imperfections after the fondant goes on...which is fine with plain fondant but doesn't work with embossed fondant.
The Melvira rolling method would only work with crusting buttercream though I assume - I only ever use butter (never shortening) so I guess my buttercream isn't suitable. 
I only use butter too, but it's not the type of fat you use, it's the amount of fat compared to icing sugar that makes it crust or not. I use 200g butter per 1kg of icing sugar, flavouring and enough milk to get the consistency I want (this gives me enough for around 24 cupcakes). If you use equal amounts of fat and sugar, it won't crust. The crust only enables you to roll over the frosting - once you have spritzed it to get it damp to stick the fondant on the crust will disappear. So it's important to have it slightly chilled so it doesn't mess up when applying the fondant.
I only use butter too, but it's not the type of fat you use, it's the amount of fat compared to icing sugar that makes it crust or not. I use 200g butter per 1kg of icing sugar, flavouring and enough milk to get the consistency I want (this gives me enough for around 24 cupcakes). If you use equal amounts of fat and sugar, it won't crust. The crust only enables you to roll over the frosting - once you have spritzed it to get it damp to stick the fondant on the crust will disappear. So it's important to have it slightly chilled so it doesn't mess up when applying the fondant.
I didn't know that! All this time I thought you had to use shortening for a crusting buttercream 
- probably because all the recipes I've seen on here for 'crusting buttercream' seem to have shortening in them. I had come to accept that I'd never be able to make crusting buttercream, being the butter-snob that I am! 
Thanks for that info!
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