Hello all!

I'm new to decorating with fondant and have been having issues with MMF.  It covers the cake smoothly until I get to the bottom.  No matter how much I smooth it with my fondant smoother or hands, it always bubbles or tears especially at the base of the cake! I don't know if I'm using too much icing under the cake but when the fondant mixes with it, this is what happens.  I often have to cover the bottom of my cakes to hide any imperfections.  Can anyone tell me how to avoid this?   

Teapot cake with fruit and crackers made from fondant:

My first fondant cake:

Is your cake really cold when you add the fondant? 

I think it might be a combinatin of too thick b'cream undercoat &/or that you are rolling the fondant too thin.  Bubbleing most likely is from the undercoat not being smooth.  Unlike the other poster I almost never worked on cold cake - almost always at room temp so I don't think that is the problem

Hmm...the first one wasn't. I let it come to room temperature from the fridge.  The second one was ice cold and I still had the same issue.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  I'm thinking of giving up on MMF. :(

I use Liz Marek's marshmallow fondant, known as LMF and it is very soft and easily stretched, but I haven't had any problems with it cracking.  It does sound as though you may have too much frosting underneath your fondant and that it is being pushed to the bottom as you smooth the fondant.

Is that recipe on here? See, I love the way MMF tastes. That's why I've been reluctant to use the commercial ones. 

So how much icing should I use under the cake? 

http://artisancakecompany.com/recipe/the-best-marshmallow-fondant-recipe-ever/

Here is the link to Liz Marek's page and the recipe.  When I am going to cover a cake with fondant, I try to do a layer of buttercream no more than 1/4" thick.

I agree with SandraSmiley, I too had a love hate relationship with fondant but after LMF it's only love. It's stretchy and super easy to work with. try it you won't regret. 

Thank you so much SandraSmiley!! You totally ROCK!! No more than 1/4 thick? Okay, got it!  

Minileo, I've heard a lot of good things about Michelle Foster's fondant but I'm definitely going to try this one first. Making your own saves a ton of money! 

Okay, the recipe says to put it in a mixer. I'm not sure my mixer can handle it. Is it okay to knead it by hand? 

www.cakecentral.com/t/775913/ready-made-fondant-vs-homemade

Yes! This one is almost an exact match to the LMF.  I should be able to knead hers by hand as well.  I think I'm going to try that one first, then Costumeczar's then Michelle Foster's version.   I have the time so I'm sure I'll have good results this weekend. 

Another issue I have is air bubbles.  I don't know if I'm not kneading it enough or not.  However, I just poke them with a pin and smooth out the fondant. 

SandraSmiley, when I initially joined CC, I fell in love with your little lady cake topper and the Romeo and Juliet bust! They are fabulous!!  Did you make them out of this fondant as well?  Your work is fantastic!!

the most recent cake I did I used the Liz  Marek recipe and I think it was my favorite.

I still have a lot of issues with fondant like you mentioned, but I think a big part of it is I've only done maybe 5 fondant covered cakes. I assume it's just practice really. I watched a youtube video where it showed sort of pulling out each fold and smoothing it, that really helped but I still have issues.

I'm not giving up I'm just hoping after I make a few more fondant cakes I'll have less issues each time :)

good luck!

your fondant also looks a little wet/soft. Possibly not enough powdered sugar incorporated?

try the LMF recipe and report back! :)

Thank you Coffeelover! Yes, the fondant for the first cake was very soft but the one for the teapot cake was so dry I had to keep adding bits of Crisco.  Eventually it came better.  I think what helped is mixing it with Wilton fondant.  I hate the taste but I added a bit of LorAnn's oil and it was delicious! You couldn't tell the difference.

Oh yes, I'll definitely tell how the LMF recipe turned out.  I have a Beauty and the Beast cake I have to make and I'm really nervous.  Its for my friend's little girl's birthday so I want it to be perfect!  I watch YouTube as well! They have great videos! I saw how to stack a cake using dowels.  I'll need those for this cake as well. 

@CupCake.Goddess ‍, don't forget to put a cake board under each tier to rest on your dowels!  You probably already knew that, but I recently discovered that it is not a given that everyone already knows this.

LMF does taste good and I add tons of flavoring.  I substitute vanilla, almond and butter flavorings for the water called for.  Seldom use any water.  You are correct that fondant (any fondant or gum paste) is hard on a mixer.  I bought a 7 quart, pro model KitchenAid just for it's powerful motor.  You can start your fondant in the mixer and add sugar until it starts to labor, then mix in the rest by hand.  It is not hard to do.

I've covered several cakes with fondant and have gotten pretty good at avoiding wrinkles and booboos, but I still cannot get really sharp edges.  It could be that, while very tasty, LMF is just too soft for really shrape edges.  Or, it could be that I just don't yet know how to achieve the desired effect.  As for air bubbles, I think everyone gets them and a pin is one of our best friends, lol!

Thank you so much, @CupCake.Goddess ‍, for your nice comments on my work.  All of my large figures are made of modeling chocolate.  I have used LMF with Tylose added for smaller figures (without wire armatures), as well as gum paste, but everything else is modeling chocolate.  

@SandraSmiley ‍ No, actually I didn't know that.  I'm a nervous wreck and I appreciate any tips I can get! lol I'm just going to take my time on it and pray it works out for the best.  I have to go to Michaels tonight to find the smaller boards.  Its a lot of work but seeing the reactions of people really makes it worthwhile!

Okay, I'll try that.  Sharp edges so difficult to do but they really make cakes stand out.  You think you don't know how?  With those fabulous cakes?  lol  You know enough to teach an entire city. lol  You're so welcome!!

Seeing work such as yours inspires me to keep going.  Baking and decorating really makes me happy!  I'm excited to go home and see how these wire armatures work.  I cannot thank you enough!!