Hey everyone,

I need some help. I have been baking cakes for a long time and recently getting into using fondant more and more. The last two cakes I've mad have been 9x3 with 3 layers and BC to dam and cream cheese frosting to fill. I left the cakes cool completely before filling. I crumb do a light crumb coat and allow it to harden in the fridge for an hour before applying another coat. The first cake I made I left it harden for a couple hours. This time I let it harden overnight and it didn't make a difference. I pulled my cake out and placed the fondant on it right away. I used a homemade marshmallow fondant at 1/4 inch thickness. By the time I was smoothing it down I could feel the squishy BC underneath the fondant!!! It was hard as a rock when I put it on. I'm in Arizona so no humidity whatsoever. It started to tear in places. I then put it back in the refrigerator for another hour and no matter what the fondant became ripple ans bumpy. I have no idea what the problem is!!  Can someone please help!!! I've got a wedding cake to make soon and I need to fix this ASAP!!!

I have never chilled a cake between the time I crumb coat and add the fondant.   I see no reason for it.  I was taought the b'cream had to be 'fresh' for the fondant to stick to it.  The chilling you are doing is probably causing condensation between the 2 icings.  And it might be the fondant is too thin.  Maybe try rolling it a bit thicker and do not chill the cake.

I am not sure I can be of help, but I have had the same problem.  What do you use to grease your cake pans?  I was using generous amounts of homemade cake release (1 part vegetable oil, 1 part solid shortening and 1 part flour) and it seems that the oil in the mixture was absorbing into the outer surface of my cake causing the frosting so slide off.  The end results looked just like your cakes.  I have gone back to covering my pans with parchment paper and keeping my cakes refrigerated until time for delivery and have had no further problems.

Oh, and I also use homemade marshmallow fondant, Liz Marek's recipe.  It is so soft that I've wondered if that could be part of the problem.

I always chill my cakes after icing and before fondant.  And to make it stick I spritz a tiny bit of water on the buttercream.  Ive had it be smooth and bumpy so I don't think that's what causes it.  There must be something else. 

So it could be a couple of things: One the buttercream icing you are using.  Do you use one that crust or not? The other thing to try is going side instead of down with your smoothing. Do not put so much pressure when smoothing your cake.  Instead of pressing down toward the cake board, start out holding the fondant up and out as you press lightly to the side and work down that way.  If you put to much pressure you will move the buttercream around.  I chill my cakes but I also use a crusting buttercream under all fondant cakes.  This always give a great end product. The only time my shop ever has issues is if the Humidity is unbearable. I use molding chocolate on those days!! Hope this helps in some way.

What fondant are you using?  The lady above remarked on Liz Marek's recipe, which is really great, it gives you more flexibility.  You have more time and it is easier to fix issues since it smooths to perfection. It is really easy to make and is better then any store bought you can find.   You may want to try this for covering your cakes and then using the store bought for figures, or outer designs that need to dry quick like Maggie Austin's Ruffle design.  Just thought.  Best of luck!!

Thank you Kakeladi! I will try it out.

I typically grease my pans with a little bit of shortening. I have kept both of my cakes refrigerated as well which hasn't caused me any problems. The problem comes when I lay my fondant on the cake and try to smooth it out. I can feel the squishy BC under the fondant and it gets bumpy. Sometimes it starts to tear as well.

I use a standard buttercream. I chilled my cake for a couple hours before I added the fondant so the BC was really hard. I also use a homemade marshmallow fondant but I will check out the one both of you recommended. Do you have a good recipe for crusting BC I can try instead?

Thank you for your help!!!

sure sounds like you are not rolling the fondant thick enough.  It should be the thickness of a cardboard cake circle - about 1/4".  The crumbcoat needs toabout the same thickness & be super smooth.