I'm trying to post an image, but am having difficulty ... I'll ask my husband to help me later this morning when I have a break from work and he's available.

So, I've had this happen one other time, but didn't think too much about it at the time, but this time it's a little out of hand. I torted, filled, and iced a cake two days ago, then covered it with fondant and stacked yesterday, and did some of the preliminary decorating last night. The cake has been appropriately refrigerated due to the fillings, which I routinely do and which never causes any problems. This morning, there was a puddle of green (my fondant is green) icing-like goop sitting on my cake board, smack dab in the middle of the cake's front. ARGH! It's like the icing separated or something, like the cake leaked. It's disgusting, it's unsightly, and if I wipe it up, more oozes out over time. What went wrong? Should I expect this to happen again? Will it compromise the structural integrity of my cake, if the filling or the ganache is somehow separating? I've used all of the components of this cake before in different recipes, except for the fact that I covered it in ganache this time before the fondant, which I had never done (but don't think that's the problem ...). I've never had these issues ... my icings were all my regular recipes and all.

So, for the details ... I made a chocolate fudge cake (same recipe I always use, a variant of the WASC), and filled alternating the layers of cake with banana buttercream and chocolate cheesecake filling. The cheesecake consisted of cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, cheesecake pudding and a little Lorann oil with some melted chocolate chips stirred in. I've made that filling several times before, and in this case, I had actually made a double batch for another cake a few days ago and refrigerated the remaining part, simply without adding the chocolate chips until two days ago (because the other cake was a straight-up cheesecake filling with no chocolate). I crumb-coated the cake with banana buttercream, then, a spreadable chocolate ganache, which I used while it was still more pourable than spreadable. Then, like I said, refrigerated, and covered with fondant. Is it condensation somehow, with the extra layer of ganache? I am SO FRUSTRATED and don't really even know how to cover it up adequately

Thanks for any help!

-Emi.[/img]

Ive heard that creamcheese frosting can cause the fondant to 'melt' . But also refridgerating your fondant can cause condensation to build up, and make the fondant melt, it goes slimy and gooey. Hence why its recommened you dont put them in the fridge.

Sorry this happened to you, must be very frustrating. Im sorry i cant comment on the structure etc, as i havent any experience there. Hopefully some one else will pop up and will give you a better idea

The only other thing I just thought of is that I had to use Satin Ice fondant for this cake, since my friend (former teacher) feels very strongly about not using gelatin (or marshmallows, for that matter), and wanted a kosher fondant (not the whole cake, just the fondant).

And yes, Caths Cakes, could it just be the fondant melting? I refrigerate my homemade Michele Foster's Fondant with absolutely no problem. Though, come to think of it, it started having the goo ooze out before I ever refrigerated it, last night ... I just didn't think anything of it until it became a big puddle this morning.

ARGH! Thanks for your help!

This just happened to me for the first time ever last weekend. I redid the fondant three times on one cake! It was horrible.

For my situation, I chalked it up to using cream cheese icing under the fondant. Someone mentioned that cream cheese is very high in moisture, so maybe that caused it. I decided to always use butter cream under the cakes from now on, and only use cream cheese as a filling.

Since you put cream cheese inside, I'm assuming that isn't the problem. I've also heard of other people using ganache with no issues, so it wouldn't seem that that would cause it.

The only other thing I can think of is that maybe your cake wasn't fully thawed when you iced it. Did you start with a frozen cake?

I know that I'm paranoid even this weekend crossing my fingers this won't happen to me again. I wish you a lot of luck!

Oh - by the way - Geraldine's sells a dessicant that is food safe and prevents moisture from forming on fondant. I am probably going to buy some.

You said that you used a pourable ganache. I think maybe it was the ganache. I think maybe your ganache was too wet???? Just a guess.

I'm no expert but I think the filling oozed out of the cake. Did you make a dam for your fillings? (ganache works really well) I don't think refridgeration caused this I refridgerate all my cakes including fondant never had any problems. Just don't cover them they need to "breathe".

I'm no expert but I think the filling oozed out of the cake. Did you make a dam for your fillings? (ganache works really well) I don't think refridgeration caused this I refridgerate all my cakes including fondant never had any problems. Just don't cover them they need to "breathe".

If you are going to use ganache under your cakes, then it really should be spreadable ganache that will firm up, rather than pourable. Don't use a buttercream crumbcoat either,. the ganache IS your crumbcoat. I have noticed that on areas that have a little oozed buttercream filling, my ganache doesn't stick as well to the cake, so make sure you remove as much as possible.

HTH!

I would say the ganache is the culprit along with the condensation from refrigerating your cake. I just can't do that without problems, so I gave up on refrigerating fondant. I had the same problem when I put apricot jam (syrup) on my ganache to adhere fondant, what a disaster. I guess I put too much and the fondant was melting and oozing out.

did you cover the cake in the fridge?

The only time i have had fondant melt in the fridge is when i covered it with plastic and the condensation formed under the plastic and melted the fondant.

OK, I have a question about your fridge? Do you use it for anything other than your cakes? (i.e. home fridge) If so do you have the adjustable humidity controls? I have a fridge specifically for my cakes and I keep it at a medium temp with the lowest humidity setting, and I keep nothign but uncovered cakes in it...

I found that when I cover fondant cakes they sweat... I also found if I put anything else in that fridge that is liquid because of my temp and low humidity it tends to cause problems for my cakes... I have learned the hard way that fondant cakes are very tempermental.

Sorry this happened and hopefully all works out for you.

Thanks so much for your sympathy and your tips, guys! Let's see, to answer some questions ...

The ganache was spreadable, I just put it on before it was completely to room temeperature, so in essence, "poured" it a little at first. However, this was a full day prior to the fondant, and it had definitely set well by then, and the consistency at room temperature was similar to butter.
I do keep other things in my fridge, since I don't sell my cakes but rather just make them for friends and family members (as much as I enjoy it, I don't think I will ever go to professional baking/decorating) ... good points about the humidity control ...
I did cover the cake, but only loosely (in a box with the lid propped open due to the size of the cake, but no plastic, breathing well).
My cake was never frozen, only refrigerated ...
Good to know I don't need a buttercream crumbcoat!!
And yes, I can only think that my filling might have leaked out despite the dam ... ugh, what a mess!

Thanks everybody! Live and learn ...

When using ganache under fondnat; you so not put BC under it. That might be one problem.

what was the ratio of choc to cream when you made the ganache. how firm did the ganache get on the cake before you put the fondant on?

The ratio was about 2.5:1, and it was pretty firm by the time I covered it (think the consistency of a firm truffle). I could kick myself now for putting buttercream under the ganache! Force of habit ... what does it do?

By the way, I posted a picture of the cake now, having just wiped up the goop and plopped a couple of leaves on top. But I know it will fill out with stuff all over again shortly. At this point, would you continue to refrigerate it? I'm worried abot the perishable filling!

Sorry, forgot the link ... http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1465814

emiyeric your cake is gorgeous! That little girl is going to be ecstatic. Sorry you are having all the problems with it, but ..... wow... awesome cake.

OMG this is what happened after your post got me going about ganache??? I think your cake looks amazing, i hope it stands up til serving time!!

Your cake is beautiful...I adore their daintly little dresses!

LOL! GottaLuvCake, you crack me up! Yes, this happened after we got all excited about the ganache ... I will say, though, it was freakin' delicious! And I've learned so much about it, now! So, learn from my mistakes and use the ganache!

Thanks so much for your sweet comments, guys!

I agree that the filling and/or ganache is the culprit. I use FondX and Satin Ice fondant exclusively. I refrigerate every fondant covered cake and have NEVER had a problem. Condensation is not your problem here; it dries. It does not cause oozing. If the manufacturer of the fondant says that it can be refrigerated or frozen, then trust that it can be.

I think she meant that the fondant was melting and oozing, though. That's happened to me, but it definitely was because I iced my cake in cream cheese icing - at least I think that is what it was. I never over fill my cakes, so it wasn't a matter of it having too much filling. Then when the condensation started forming, the fondant did ooze.

And actually, now that you mention it SugaredUp ( and I know it had been mentioned before), the only other time this had also happened was also with a cream cheese-based filling. I don't typically overfill, and I do dam, but I do not in the least bit doubt that I might have had a small area where the filling might have come into contact with the fondant. Also, the ganache bit that Sugarshack and some of the other posters mentioned, where I applied it over the buttercream ... I wonder if the places where the cream cheese filling might have come in contact with ganache would have been less stable and therefore, more likely to leak onto the fondant and melt it? Interesting stuff ... all I know is, I'm going to be EXTREMELY careful next time I use cream cheese icing anywhere!