Ok, I was asked by a client if I could decorate a carribean fruit cake for a wedding. I have never seen nor worked withe one before, so I need to know where to start.
Do I ice the cake before I apply the fondant? Oh, and do you fill it with anything?
Is the surface of the cake sticky enough that it doesn't need icing?
Do I have to refrigate the cake after I apply the fondant?
Thanks
Dina
Do I ice the cake before I apply the fondant?
By "ice the cake", I presume that you mean buttercream ? No way ! Ask the client if they require marzipan or a thinner layer of sugarpaste as an undercoat ...
Oh, and do you fill it with anything?
Fruitcakes are never filled, torted or layered ...
Is the surface of the cake sticky enough that it doesn't need icing?
The baked surface of the fruitcake is never naturally sticky. To adhere the undercoat to the fruitcake, you will need to used apricot jam glaze ..
Do I have to refrigate the cake after I apply the fondant?
Fruit cake it stored in a cardboard box and placed in a cool place. No part of an iced fruitcake required refridgeration.
Watch this video from the UK Womans Weekly - it's for Christmas cake, but you will get the general idea ..
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/286336/Video-recipe--How-to-decorate-a-Christmas-cake
The only thing I would add: if there are divots or depressions in the surface to the cake, use well kneaded marzipan or sugar paste to "putty" the hole, so the surface is smooth and blemish free ..
.
thanks you have been very helpful. when you say undercoat, do you mean that you put a thin layer of fondant first then cover that with another layer or fondant?
Dina
auzzi answered all your questions. a few other notes...some people make their fruit cake super moist and that will play a part in the covering with both marzipan and fondant. You may want to ask for a sample cake to see what the texture is and how "wet" the cake is.
Yes, but I am not sure what is an Undercoat? is that a thin layer of fondant that you apply direclty to the cake and then you apply a thick layer of fondant on top?
traditionally marzipan is put on top of the cake. to get the marzipan to stick to the cake, i melt guava jam, (the clearer the jam the better) and brush a layer of the jam on the cake. roll out the marzipan the same way you would the fondant. apply to cake. leave to dry a little bit. roll out fondant, brush marzipan with white rum or clear alcohal, (not a lot) then apply fondant. trim and decorate as usual.
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