Anyone in here decorate cakes?

[Disneynutbsv]

Well, as a bunch of ya'll know, I have been dying to try fondant but have been patiently wading my way thru Wilton Course I and II first. So many of you brave souls take it on (fabulously I might add) right off, but I wanted to wait.

THE WAIT IS OVER!!!

It's not perfect but I'll try not to be too hard on myself since it's the first one but I learned a TON of to do's (and don't do's ) but all in all it was a good experience.

So glad I have my cake buds to share with

This is awesome!!! Great job!

 

[Disneynutbsv]

So, MosMom unknowingly led me to a new cake and here it is:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-photo-64138.html
I can't get photobucket to come up now, so this is the link.

I love that cake!!!

 

[MosMom]

Bengal, I hope you ended up getting your fondant right. I had already logged out by the time you pm'd.

 

[stargrazer]

It's fabulous!! Now head on down to Louisiana and you can help me with my cake. I can promise lots of humidity, a heat index of 105-115 degrees, and lots of good food

Questions: was it better/worse than you were expecting? How long did it take you to decorate it? Are the flower centers fondant or frosting? What about the balls around the edges?

I can only hope my first fondant cake comes out so nicely!

Hey there, I know ya'll have moved on already but I thought I would at least answer your questions

It was both better and worse at the same time...the steps themselves aren't difficult, and it's like playdoh...but it's also kind of touchy...one of those 'get it right the first (or at most, second!) time' kind of things, IMO. Today I've moved on to making roses for my 'final' tiered cake and that is going VERY well.

It took, all told, about 4 hours. I'm sure if I had experience I could have knocked it out in two.

The flower centers are fondant dots cut out using a #12 icing tip. The balls around the edges are buttercream, if I had it to do over I would have used a much larger tip to make them to cover some of my mistakes

From what I've caught up on here, your cake will be great - you've got Mo helping you out!

I've never used MMF but looking forward to giving it a try. I was so intimidated by just using fondant I didn't want to try to make the stuff. It's the wilton pre-made on my cake, it'll get peeled off before it's eaten.

Good luck, can't WAIT to see your cake!!

 

[stargrazer]

P.S. A HUGE thanks to everyone that commented on my cake. I was really nervous when I did it, hoping it would come out, because I knew I would be showing it to my cake buds

I really appreciate all the comments

 

[bengalbelle]

I made the MMF using the marshmallow fluff last night. It tastes great, but I'm still not 100% sure it's the right consistency. It had a slight stickiness to it, but it looked like I was borderline having too much sugar so I stopped.

I'm going to try another batch in a little while with the marshmallows and Crisco.

I did buy some Wilton fondant last night in case of emergency.

Stargrazer thanks for the idea of using the tips for circles!

 

[bengalbelle]

I just wanted to add I'm sorry for all of the questions, but I've never had/seen (in person) a cake with fondant on it before, so I wasn't sure what it should feel like or taste like. If I had decided on a cake sooner, I would have tried to take a class. I do appreciate all of the help

 

[stargrazer]

No apologies necessary, BB. There's no such thing as a stupid question except the one not asked!

 

[stargrazer]

That is SO cute!!

I took the Wilton 1 class and was blown away at how much the supplies cost. But I learned to make cute, decent cakes and for the $150 in supplies I spent (I used Michael's and JoAnn's coupons for the big stuff) I've made a half dozen cakes and saved myself at least that much over ordering them from a store or bakery and they (for the most part) tasted better.

I agree with you on the cost of the supplies taking the class. One of the girls in my first class was on a SUPERTIGHT budget. She was taking the class with a friend so they split all supplies except the class kit and took turns making the icing for each class and shared it.

I am bad when it comes to that stuff, I like having all the 'tools', both necessary and the not-so-necessary, but my gawsh I have spent amounts of money between the three classes.

I try not to stress, hubby has an expensive hobby, way more expensive than my cakes, and I keep telling myself that what I spend in hard supplies I will make up for in never buying a cake again!

I have kept all my reciepts, maybe someday I'll get the courage to add them all up

 

[cryssi]

I just wanted to add I'm sorry for all of the questions, but I've never had/seen (in person) a cake with fondant on it before, so I wasn't sure what it should feel like or taste like. If I had decided on a cake sooner, I would have tried to take a class. I do appreciate all of the help

the first time I used fondant, I bought the wilton one so I would know what the consistency should be. Tasted terrible, though. Now I make MMF with marshmallows so it tastes good. A tip I got from my local cake supply is to knead the mmf with cornstarch. I was previously using crisco. The cornstarch stiffens it up a bit and makes it nice and satiny. It was a great tip!

btw, questions are what we are here to answer!

 

[bengalbelle]

Thanks

My fondant wasn't satiny. It was kind of like playdough. I'm going to make another batch in a few minutes but I forgot to buy cornstarch. I will go ahead and open the Wilton fondant and keep playing with mine until it's similar. I was hoping to not have to use it.

Cryssi, for the cake I'm using the Margie's Incredible Cake recipe. I think you're the one who posted it? I substituted DH Moist yellow for the Devil's food and vanilla pudding. I'm using raspberry filling on the bottom layers and just filling with buttercream for the top layer (smash cake).

 

[cryssi]

isn't that the greatest recipe?? I like white cake (using the whole eggs) and vanilla pudding the best...yum...makes me want some cake...

OT, but we were at a baby party last weekend and the cake was sickeningly sweet. I couldn't even eat it, and I live for cake! It was a bakery cake, probably from a chinese bakery, but that doesn't really make a difference. Anyway, I told DH "too sweet! my cakes are better...and he said yeah, they are!" wahoo! he's a self proclamed cake-hater (well, it's not his fave) but he likes my cakes...

 

[bengalbelle]

isn't that the greatest recipe?? I like white cake (using the whole eggs) and vanilla pudding the best...yum...makes me want some cake...

OT, but we were at a baby party last weekend and the cake was sickeningly sweet. I couldn't even eat it, and I live for cake! It was a bakery cake, probably from a chinese bakery, but that doesn't really make a difference. Anyway, I told DH "too sweet! my cakes are better...and he said yeah, they are!" wahoo! he's a self proclamed cake-hater (well, it's not his fave) but he likes my cakes...

I haven't made it yet. I'm baking the cakes tomorrow. I'll let you know!

 

[LJC1861]

This is a great thread! I have been reading, and learning from it for the entire thing. Now I have a question.

I am making 2 cakes for a 50th birthday party this weekend. As I have never made fondant I am just going to have to use the Wilton pre made stuff. I know it doesn't taste that great however. I am wondering if the fondant can be flavored with some vanilla flavoring? If not, I am frosting the cakes with homemade chocolate buttercream so that should do and the fondant can just be decoration.

I am doing a tombstone, which I have colored white fondant with black and green for a fabulous marble effect and a pair of flip flops in lavender. My practice cakes turned out great and I anticipate that the final cakes will also be great. Rather than bake huge sheet cakes, I ordered the cake from Sam's. They thought I was a bit strange for ordering them without frosting, but who cares! It was far easier to order the cakes pre-made and just do the decorating. I will be sure to post pictures when they are done.

Linda

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

Thanks

My fondant wasn't satiny. It was kind of like playdough. I'm going to make another batch in a few minutes but I forgot to buy cornstarch. I will go ahead and open the Wilton fondant and keep playing with mine until it's similar. I was hoping to not have to use it.

My MMF is always slightly softer than the Wilton stuff. My instructor had us do equal parts powder sugar and corn starch and make a puff to use on the fondant, it works great!

 

[MosMom]

I have a knee high stocking that I put corn starch into so as you tap the knee high (which now has a ball of corn starch in the toe) on the counter it gives off the perfect amount of corn starch.

 

[cryssi]

I have a knee high stocking that I put corn starch into so as you tap the knee high (which now has a ball of corn starch in the toe) on the counter it gives off the perfect amount of corn starch.

what a great idea!

 

[stargrazer]

This is a great thread! I have been reading, and learning from it for the entire thing. Now I have a question.

I am making 2 cakes for a 50th birthday party this weekend. As I have never made fondant I am just going to have to use the Wilton pre made stuff. I know it doesn't taste that great however. I am wondering if the fondant can be flavored with some vanilla flavoring? If not, I am frosting the cakes with homemade chocolate buttercream so that should do and the fondant can just be decoration.

I am doing a tombstone, which I have colored white fondant with black and green for a fabulous marble effect and a pair of flip flops in lavender. My practice cakes turned out great and I anticipate that the final cakes will also be great. Rather than bake huge sheet cakes, I ordered the cake from Sam's. They thought I was a bit strange for ordering them without frosting, but who cares! It was far easier to order the cakes pre-made and just do the decorating. I will be sure to post pictures when they are done.

Linda

Welcome to the thread! Can't WAIT to see your cakes, I have heard of people buying the cakes from Sam's...and also tubs of frosting. Let us know how it goes.

I think you can flavor fondant but I don't know about flavoring the pre-made stuff, it might change the consistancy? I'm glad you asked though, I know one of these gals will have a good answer.

Good luck caking!

 

[cryssi]

I flavor MMF, but put it in the marshmallow (likewise with the coloring) before I add the powdered sugar.

 

[LJC1861]

Sam's would not sell me the frosting. I was a little annoyed, especially since they did not reduce the price of the cake. I could have purchased a 5 lb bucket separately, but they would not include the amount they would have used on the cakes in a small container. I have a recipe for buttercream frosting so I just decided to make my own.

Linda