Stressing Out Over Fondant Covered Dummy Cakes
Decorating By RHULL Updated 7 Apr 2013 , 3:16am by leah_s
I need to make a graduation cake for my daughter. I tried to tell her that what she wanted in this graduation cake was way beyond her momma's ability, but I could have it made for her. Her response "that's why I am giving you 2 years notice, so YOU can practice!!!" OH MY!!!! Well, a year of that time has passed, and I have not practiced once...I've had plenty of nightmares about it, but haven't taken that big step to actually try it. I really want to surprise her with this cake but this will be the first time I have covered a dummy cake with fondant, or any other cake as far as that goes, and could use some help, please. Here are my questions:
1) The cake will be 2 tiers - 6" and 10" and will be dummy cakes. The dummies will be covered in white fondant. I am decorating it with a black fondant ribbon at the base of the tiers and using red icing to pipe lines. How many days in advance can I make the dummy cake? If I cover and decorate the dummies Tuesday, will it still be ok on Sunday? If so, how do I store it until time to display it?
2) What type of icing would be best to use for the red lines. They will be very fine lines. I don't want them to bleed on the white fondant! Sometimes when I decorate cookies, over a couple days time the red begins to bleed. Will that happen on the fondant?
3) How long should I let the fondant set on the dummies before I apply the decorations?
4) What is the best method to apply the black fondant ribbon to the fondant to avoid any bleeding onto the white fondant?
5) I read a couple of comments on the forum about dummy cakes "sagging" at the bottom after 2 or 3 days. How do I avoid this?
6) Of course, I'm open to any other advice you might have. This is really stressing me out.
I'm so sorry for asking so many questions, but I really want this cake to be special.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hello RHULL,
If you are doing an all dummy cake you can start several weeks in advance. I will be doing a cake for our fair and will be doing the same thing. You can also do your stripes and decorations at the same time or you can let it harden a bit before hand. Where you are so nervous just take your time and work on it when you are comfortable with the time you have.
I have never had a problem with things sagging on a dummy cake and I would use royal icing as a base for your fondant and for your icing stripes. Your black fondant should not bleed if you don't get it to moist when applying it. I would roll out the black to the thickness you want, cut your ribbon, gently roll it up. using a small paint brush moisten a line where you want to attach the ribbon (use alcohol as this will dry faster than water but water will work, just not to much.)
Hope this helps.
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