ATotally right Lizzybug, the true skill of a good decorator is all in the coverup LOL :D Really pretty cake FrenchieJo :)

So far managed to avoid a huge shopping spree in Lakeland, but this came through the door today, so beautiful!

[IMG ALT=""]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3239771/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

AOooh! I was looking at that book! Looks lovely! They little pock marks are a nightmare. I tried to fill one in with a bit of extra fondant and it just looked worse!

Oh that looks lovely Mel.

Thanks Frenchiejo I tried her mudcake recipe a couple of weeks ago not had a chance to try the fudge cake yet.

Here are the pic of the dummy I covered to try the MMF I made yesterday. I had the dummy upside down so I could see how the MMF would do on sharper corners and it did really, well not even any signs of it trying to tear even though I rolled it 3mm thick when normally with SP I roll 5mm. It is not very smooth and the bottom is not great as the dummy curved in, it was my first time covering a dummy so a bit more practice I think.

AFoxy Roxy, I'm Covering some dummies soon, just realised I dont know where to start, how do you do it?

ALove the cake frenchiejo.

Nanny on my craftsy class they said to rub some trex over the dummy then you can peel the SP off and wash it (the dummy that is) and then reuse it if like me you are just using it for practice. So I just rubbed some trex all over and rolled the MMF and treated it like a real cake. I think Petitecat has done some dummies she might have so helpful words of wisdom for you. 

 duh! I have just realised I didn't add the pics to my last post so here they are.

I have just found this video, he rolls the SP onto his rolling pin then unrolls it so the underneath is on top of the cake.I'm going to try this that actually makes more sense so all the marks where you might have popped a bubble will be against the cake. Genius why did I never think of that  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques/cover_cake_fondant_icing

AThats looks OK doesn't it?

I've been asked to make a 3 tier dummy cake to go in my hairdressers, she's going to sell on peoples hats and fascinators, so I'm making cake to go with it as a way of promoting my cakes too, was gonna do very pale pink with the cake lace around it and some roses on top, what do you think?

Ok, after reading about using double sided sticky tape for glueing ribbon to cake boards I did it successfully for the purple ribbon but for the white satin its puckering and doesnt look tidy at all on the top end.  I tried my best to get the sp to 3mm but some are a bit more some sides a bit less but the satin ribbon isnt looking sharp at all.  I have time tomorrow to buy more ribbon but this 15mm satin in white looks crap.  What can I buy to look sharper just too wavey in some parts?

Thanks Nanny, That's a great way to promote your cakes and I like the cake idea.

Chasingmytail I had a pink organza ribbon that just wouldn't stick with the double sided tape, I have used glue dots before now when I have ran out of double sided tape I got them in the poundshop in the craft section and just cut them in half as they were a little big for the size of my board. They are a lot more sticky than the tape.

AHi chasingmytail

Have you tried using spacers for your Sp? You can use anything that's the size you need, they don't have to be actual spacers.

Also, the paste needn't be 3mm exactly. As long as it's even it's ok to be a little thicker.

The ribbon can be tricky. I've been doing it for years and can cover drum edges no problem now, but I asked my hubby to do it when I was pushed for time a while ago and it was like you've described, so really just a practice thing.

Take your time to get the tape on the drum evenly. I know that sounds really silly, but when hubby did it it was a bit wavy, a bit creased. Adhere the ribbon to your start point, then attach it in fairly large stages, not tiny bit by tiny bit. You will never get it straight if you do it in little chunks. If you are working on a square drum, go from corner to corner, pulling the ribbon out straight, placing your fingers of your other hand under the drum so that when you take the ribbon towards the drum you can give it a bit of help to stay level with the board. The aim is to align it as much as you can before it goes near the drum, then put it on in one go per side. Level it to the bottom of the board, not the sugarpaste. Even if your paste is a little uneven if you have it lined up at the bottom it really won't notice as much.

Round is much the same but you obviously can't go corner to corner.

Also, if you take the ribbon off the drum and it peels away some of the board this will show up under the next ribbon, so if possible use something with a bit of texture like a grosgrain.

Hth :)

ALovely cake frenchiejo. I need to work on my roses and I think you did really well covering up any marks because I can't see any. I would need much more decoration than that on my cake to hide my mistakes!

Guys, serious you need to be less chatty!! I am so behind!! Hehe!

Tiddy - the zip on your bag cake is fab!

Maisie - I think both your cakes turned out great!

Siany - Your Alice display turned out fantastically!!

Frenchiejo - I can't believe that is your first large cake! It's so clean and the design is so cute!

Roxy -  your practice turned out better than ok! I still struggle with square cakes!

A[quote name="Mel37" url="/t/622656/a-thread-for-all-uk-bakers/7185#post_7518694"]Totally right Lizzybug, the true skill of a good decorator is all in the coverup LOL :D Really pretty cake FrenchieJo :)

So far managed to avoid a huge shopping spree in Lakeland, but this came through the door today, so beautiful!

[IMG ALT=""]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3239771/width/200/height/400[/IMG][/quote]

Got mine today too Mel. Looks lovely at first glance. Can't keep up with you lot - been away looking after dear old mum. Gardening etc had to take priority over cakes, so will just say hello and say some beautiful cakes on show here. Listening to the Cake Lace discussions because I am trying mine on Monday. Hello also to the latest contributors to our thread. You are all very welcome.

Thanks Natt if you are referring to the photo I posted today it is a dummy not a cake, I've not mastered the square cakes myself yet but I will keep trying, we will both get there in the end or die trying  

AHi Natt, you started the new job yet? Cant remember if its this week or next?

Catsmum, love the lace, ordered another mat today, the peacock mat.

Easy when you get into it I promise!

Night all, been finishing off my mem,all I can say is, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Night Nanny and night all 

ANanny - yes I did, I started training in Porthcawl on tuesday, so far so good! Really enjoying having a routine!

AGood morning!!!

Frenchiejo, your cake is so pretty!!:-)

A quick question for Roxylee, I am going to try my airbrush today. When you clean it, do you have to clean with the air brush cleaner or just water would do?

Morning all!

Petitecat while I am using the airbrush if I want to change the colour I use water to clean it,I just spray it out into a jug. When I have finished I clean it a couple of times with water then I clean it with the cleaning fluid. I don't have the cleaning bottle you can get so I spray it into a jug when cleaning it with water but when you do the cleaning liquid you have to put some kitchen roll in a food bag and spray it into the kitchen roll. I didn't the first time I used mine and near choked. Have fun.

AI want one now!! Morning all. Work for me today, no talking till I get home, I cant keep up otherwise, only joking, talk away cake friends!

AFor heaven's sake - here I am enjoying the free wifi and decide to check in but I can't scroll back several thousand posts!! I can't believe you have all gone and done cake lace! Ive only been away a few days! I shall check out everyone's progress when I'm back. :)

AHiya Dayscakes, now you know you cant go away from us for long, I have work today and no doubt I'll gave to catch up on pages tonight!! I dont mind though, I wouldn't have it any other way, its lovely to be involved with a lovely bunch like you guys, awww, group hugs((((())))).

AAnd yes, you have to get cake lace too, beautiful!!

Kathy, how's the tan?

Chasing, I use double sided tape for putting ribbon around my drums. I don't place the tape on the whole drum though, just have 2" bits of tape every 6" or so. On a 10" cake drum I only have 4 strips of tape around it. I align the tape with the bottom of the drum, otherwise bits of the drum will show. I pull tight enough so that the ribbon doesn't pucker. I found glue makes the ribbon pucker. HTH

AMe too, always used doubled sided tape, dont normally have probs, there are different widths of tape too, guess you already know that tho?

I use double side tape but have used glue dots in a pinch, when I say glue dots I mean these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001P5ULGW/?tag=cakecentral-20+dots

not wet glue.I might use these for the diamote ribbon I need to stick to a board in a few weeks. When I stuck the diamonte on a board last time with a satin ribbon underneath it stayed at first but later stated coming loose in places.

Hi everyone hope all ok ? Hope you are enjoying your hols Days Cakes..

I am having a horrible time with my minecraft cake :-( haven't posted anything so far as I'm so disappointed with it. the green became so soft after colouring it and has torn on the edges of the cake, all I can say is I will go back to it after work and hope by some sheer miracle I can cover bad bits with those peeksy grey squares !

The dreaded christening cake it next week and she wants quite a bright salmon pinky colour which I am now dreading doing in case same happens.

Hope you are all enjoying your cake lace ..

Jo, sorry to hear you're having SP troubles. Maybe try a different brand of SP?

Roxy, forgot to say great covering on the square dummy. Did you use the MMF? Did it go on ok? By the looks of it it's really smooth. I'm about to make some MMF today. I'm hoping to be able to use it for daughter's cake next week. 

Well hello you chatterboxes!

Jo I feel your pain! I have just finished two minecraft cakes and I dont care if i never see another square ever! Like you do i decided to change my original design and make the squares smaller....why I do it to myself I dont know lol.

Anyway I managed to bribe the headmaster in the end and gave out some leaflets. I say some because hardly no one was there! Turns out it was after school club day so everyone was at home 

But those that did come and look at the cake loved it and took leaflets and ive now be inundated with enquiries so not a total failure.

I am today suffering though.....I decided to have a whole bottle of blossom hill strawberry rose to myself last night and boy am i suffering . Never tried it before but let me tell you it gives you a hangover like red wine  and on top of all those squares too!

Yes I know I wont get any sympathy for my self inflicted pain  but take it as a warning ladies....its evil! haha!

Ah all is not lost then Tiddy at least you will get some reward.

Yes Petitecat I will have try different SP, out of interest once you colour it do you guys leave it on side (uncovered) for a while to firm up ?  I think I added too much trex then it was unrecoverable, I am at a very strange place as doing cake for favours and no real income from them so find it hard to justify the cost of online purchases and paying extra for delivery puts me off.

This was Tesco's own fondant brand, I think maybe to get proper results I need to make the jump but there in lies the drama of what brand !!!