Applying Fondant
Ok, so my routine of cake decorating is, I put my buttercream cakes in the refrigerator over nite. I get up super early next morning at 630. Take the cakes out of the refrigerator.
I start gathering my supplies. I start to roll out my fondant. I cover my cakes and that’s when ANXIETY kicks in!!! I have no problem what so ever in making cakes, putting buttercream over them and decorating them.
But when it comes to putting the fondant on, I get ANXIOUS!!! Once I got the fondant on and covered them really good, start seeing condensation……..bubblying……….what the heck? It’s getting sticking!
My question to those professional bakers out there! Please please help me. How long after I take out the cake from the refrigerator can i apply the fondant?
When I apply my fondant, it’s hard for me to manage it because it starts to get sticky!
My goal is to one day have cakes with out having a trim around the bottom!! What is the secret to doing this?
Any tips please!!!
Thank you so much!!!!!!
4 Replies
If you put your cakes in the fridge it should only be for about 20 minutes, just to firm up the buttercream, but not totally chill the cake all the way through. The cake itself should still be room temperature.
The fact that the cake is chilled all the way through is what is causing the condensation and stickiness to happen. You should cover the cake with fondant either at room temperature or just chill the icing until it firms up a bit.
Leaving the cake in the fridge over night is too long. You should use spreadable ganache under your fondant, it is stable at room temperature, and firm enough to hold up to covering it with fondant without losing its shape.
But if you are set on buttercream don’t let the cake get cold, just the icing.
Good luck.
Teri, Ontario, Canada http://www.TeriLovesCake.ca
I actually keep my buttercream cakes in the refrigerator, up until the moment I cover them with fondant ~ as well as after covering & decorating them. I don’t have any condensation or sticky issues because I keep my refrigerator set to 40 degrees (fahrenheit). I once accidentally bumped the temperature gauge in the fridge, which set it a few degrees colder, and I immediately started having problems with fondant… so for me, 40 degrees is definitely the magic number! Occasionally I’ll get a bubble or two in the fondant, but it’s easily fixed with a small pin prick to let the air out and then smoothed out so it’s not noticeable. For me the occasional bubble is worth it to keep my cakes refrigerated and ‘food safe’.
Hope that helps, good luck!
~Thea
thea jo, http://www.facebook.com/bakermamacakes, www.bakermama.com
I crumbcoat my cakes and leave them in the refrigerator overnight to set. I remove the cake the next day and allow it to come to room temperature – then I cover it with fondant. If you cover a cake with fondant while still very cold, you will get air bubbles and bulges because as the cake comes to room temperature, it will expand. The sticky fondant may be a combination of the cold cake underneath coming to room temperature and the humidity level in your home.
Fondant will eventually dry – once covered, let it rest without touching it. You may want to put a fan in front of it to expedite the drying process.
You will always have to trim the bottom of the cake – it would be difficult to rolll out fondant to the exact size of the cake.
I don’t know if my method is the correct one, but it has worked fine for me.
Good luck and don’t get anxious – it willl be fine!
DJ - Fun Fiesta Cakes
