Hi everyone,

Tried my first fondant cake this week in the Wilton class, and I forgot to ask my instructor these questions:

1. How long can you keep a fondant-covered cake out of the fridge if you've coated it with real buttercream beneath the fondant?

2. For how long is cake supposed to be good (without drying out) if it is covered in fondant? I tried mine for the 1st time several days after coating in fondant, and it was so dry I almost choked! Used the same recipe I always do, which is usually buttery-moist.

3. I made multiple loops for a stacked bow and put Saran wrap balls inside each loop for shape, then left them out overnight. The next morning the bows had completely broken...could this be due only to the Saran wrap expanding, or is there another cause for them drying out & breaking?

Thanks for your input!

Personally myself, I don't really like refrigerating fondant cakes because I think they get weepy afterwards. Now, it is extremely humid here, pretty much year around, so that may have something to do with the amount of condensation I get on my cakes. I really won't even freeze cakes before I decorate them any more for the very same reason, they just get SO damp. I also never let any cake sit for more than two days before the function. I typically bake Thursday evening for Saturday cakes. And that's fondant or buttercream.

For your loops, not exactly sure why they cracked. Did you mess with them any while they were drying. I have had to teach myself DON'T TOUCH when drying. I've had cracking because they were dried a bit but not all the way and when I messed with them, they'd shift some and get cracked. A suggestion, when I dry my loops, I cut them a little bit thicker and set them on their side to dry with nothing in them. For "tie" bows, I shape a folded up piece of foil to the shape I want and wrap the fondant around it. I also always add some gum tex to my fondant for hardening.

Hope it helps...it ends up being a lot of trial and error to see what works for whatever climate you're in I think.

I baked mine on Tuesday and crumb coat with buttercream the next day. The fondant was covered late in the evening of Wednesday and cake was delivered to the wedding on Saturday. There's no complain about dryness. I did another one last week baked and decorated same day and eaten 2 days later. Received feedback from the bride the cake was so nice that it was not enough to go around. By the way, I used buttercake. I can safely say a fondant covered buttercake can last 1 week. I'm only curious how long can a crusting buttercream which uses cake flour last on a cake. Hope someone can shade some light.

I'm not sure why it was dry ~ I once baked a cake on a Sun and covered teh 2 tiers on a Monday and we did not eat it until Friday and it was excellent (and we ate it over the next few days after that Fri). I did keep it in the fridge all week though due to the warm temps so maybe that helped. However like sarahnichole said fondant can get a little weird after being refrigerated and then coming out into warm humid weather. I had one like that and it got sticky but still tasted great

Not sure what to say about those bows ~ though I use tissues, not saran on mine.

I noticed this question is asked alot, I really think it depends on the recipe and the area you are in. My suggestion would be to do a test run, bake a cake, cut it into small pieces cover them and run trials, put a few pieces in the fridge and leave the others out, mark them 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 1 week, you know whatever, and then taste the cake and record your results, then you will know in your own mind, well this particular cake lasts 2 days out of the fridge, 4 if refridgerated and so on and so on.

For example I use a special brownie cake recipe that I'm renowned for among family and friends, it's freezable and lasts a good week or so in the fridge, tends to go a bit stale after 3 days out of the fridge (by itself, will do better if covered in fondant) and while keeping it in the fridge keeps it fresher, it tastes and cuts better if bought to room temperature.

I think it's worth doing your own personal tests on the cakes you use, so that YOU know the time span. I find people really like the idea that they can freeze any left over cake too, that's if there's any leftover to freeze!

Thanks, everyone, for your input! That is helpful info...trial & error is what it's all about, isn't it?

While I'm at it, I'd love to solicit some good homemade fondant recipes. Anyone know a good one, or do you just recommend looking in the recipes here on CC? Thanks again!