Fondant Cake Decorations - 7 Tips For That Perfect Wedding Cake
By Donald Saunders
Fondant icing, which can be made using a recipe or bought ready-made, is an excellent icing choice for wedding cakes and for other "special occasion" cakes. Drying to a smooth matt porcelain finish, it can be used for cakes of any shape and makes the ideal base for the simplest or most intricate of decoration.
A soft sugar-based icing, fondant icing is commonly rolled out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch, draped over the cake and smoothed and pressed into place before being trimmed to fit perfectly.
Though fondant cake decorations are ideal for a wedding cake, fondant icing is not always easy to work with so here are some tips to help you get that perfect result.
Tip 1. If the cake has a number of tiers, each tier should be iced individually before assembling the cake. It is also a good idea, when the final design allows, to store the tiers separately and then to assemble them just before the cake is needed.
Tip 2. Fondant icing should be stored in a plastic bag (or covered in a non-permeable plastic wrap such as Sara wrap) and placed in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from drying out. The container should be kept at room temperature and should not be put in the refrigerator. If the icing does dry out and harden it can usually be revived by popping it into a microwave oven for a few seconds and then kneading it back to life.
Tip 3. You will need to start by a clean working surface and rolling pin, and wash your hands thoroughly, if you are going to get a smooth, perfect finish. long hair, long fingernails, jewelry on your fingers or wrists and fluffy clothing may all cause problems.
Tip 4. Fondant icing has a tendency to dry out very fast and should be applied to the cake quickly (within at most 5 minutes) after it has been rolled out. Once fondant icing is applied, the cake can be stored quite happily for several days at room temperature.
Tip 5. For that truly professional looking finish, and to obscure any rough edges, make a decorative border to go around the cake and, in particular, to conceal the join between individual tiers.
Tip 6. Before the cake is covered with fondant a thin layer of icing known as a "crumb coat" should be applied. This will create a tacky surface for the fondant to stick to.
Tip 7. Do not refrigerate fondant icing but store it, and use it, at room temperature.
When thinking about the quantity of fondant icing required try to have too much icing rather than too little, as excess icing can always be stored and used at a later date.
As a general guide, for 3 1/2 inch high cake layers a 8 inch diameter round cake will need about 2 pounds of icing, while a 10 inch diameter square cake will need about 3 pounds of icing.
Some people find that fondant cake decorations, in spite of their wonderful appearance, are somewhat bland and this can be remedied by adding flavoring, often accompanied with coloring. There are a large number of flavorings available and typically to flavor one pound of icing you can add 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, kirsch, or your favorite liqueur, 2 to 4 ounces of melted bittersweet, milk or white chocolate or 1/2 cup of dried, shredded and sweetened coconut. About the Author Visit us at TalkingWeddings.com for all of your wedding needs including fondant cake decorations.
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