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Covering a tall cake with fondant method?

post #1 of 26
10/23/09 at 6:47pm
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I am looking at making a tallish round cake that would maybe be 8 inches tall (maybe 7 inches) and about 4 inch in diameter.

Now would this we too tall for the normal fondant over the top and smooth down the sides method? Or should i go for the wrapping the fondant around method i have heard about? If so could someone tell me some tips on how to do this?

Thanks
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post #2 of 26
10/24/09 at 5:29pm
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nebody? icon_biggrin.gif
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post #3 of 26
10/24/09 at 9:19pm
I know you are awaiting a reply and wish I could help you. I am anxious to see what others have to say, also. I do know that the smaller the cake, the more difficult it is to smoothly apply fondant. I would imagine the wrap method would be the method of choice. I have only seen it on the various cake shows and haven't worked up the courage to try it myself. Hope you find the info you are looking for.
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If you have knowledge, let others light their candles on it.

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post #4 of 26
10/24/09 at 9:34pm
All I can offer is what I have seen on cake competition shows....they put the fondant thru a machine(so they don't have to roll such a large slab) and they start slappin it on the sides and smoothing, more times than not though I see it coming back off...so thats not gonna help....maybe tonedna can answer....look her up in member list...or sugarshack
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post #5 of 26
10/24/09 at 9:40pm
When I tried to cover a tall cake for a show cake I ended up with to many folds in the fondant to smooth out, so I cancelled that design. If I was to make it again I would do the wrap around method.
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post #6 of 26
10/24/09 at 9:51pm
I'd wrap it around...I had to do that for several cakes, esp my large Nestea and Nescafe cakes in my photos...I used royal icing as "caulk" for the seam, as I can't seem to blend the seams well like they do on tv. haha.
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post #7 of 26
10/24/09 at 10:18pm
I just did this last weekend. The top layer is and 8" round, 7" tall. I used the regular fondant on top method, and used ganache underneath. It took a lot less patience than I'd expected. It wasn't as easy as a short cake, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be either. Just kept going at it, gently smoothing it out until it was done!
LL
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post #8 of 26
10/24/09 at 11:24pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the replies everyone!

Hmm...i think i am gonna have probs with this lol I don't know if i will be able to do the wrap method well and will prob make a mess of it.

How do you do it Kitagrl? do you just pick up the fondant and wrap it around or is there a specific way to do it?

My prob i was thinking with the fondant over the top method is that the fondant around the top rim of the cake might tear with the weight but I am going to cover that up anyway so it wouldn't really matter too much, but am concerned i will have a hard time smoothing it down the sides like someone said cose it will be a thinner cake but maybe if like previously said i just have patience with it icon_smile.gif

nice cake SharonK1973!
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post #9 of 26
10/25/09 at 1:28am
If you use ganache under the fondant it will give you a firmer surface to work with. I'll never use butter cream under fondant again.
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post #10 of 26
10/25/09 at 11:12am
Elise this is totally off topic but can i just say your sugar cookies are seriously unbelievable - i could cry with jealously looking at them - you really are an artist - this is the one thing to do with caking and baking that i literally CANNOT do AT ALL, your an absolute genius.
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if in doubt stick on more stuff

check out my lovely cupcake shop at www.thelittlecupcakecafe.co.uk
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post #11 of 26
10/25/09 at 12:08pm
I will try and walk you through the wrap around method i use and hope you understand.

this was for a 6" high cake.

place the cakes on individual cake boards.securing in place with buttercream/ganache. dowel the base cake and middle cake if using three.spead a thin layer of buttercream or ganache as the fondand glue.
Roll fondant to approx 5mm thick and cut into a rectangle slightly longer than the cake is high. turn fondant over so that the upper side is the side to attach to the cake.Place the cake on its side and position it with the base edge against the edge of the fondant and roll up, trim the fondant as nesessary to creat a neat edge. straight join and rub closed using the heat of your hand. ( if a join still shows you can always try and make it part of the design)
Stand the cake upright on waxed paper and fold fondant over the top of the cake. cut away excess and use your hands or a smoother close the edges until neat and smooth.
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post #12 of 26
10/25/09 at 1:48pm
I just did a 6in round cake that was 10 inches high (R2-D2 in my pics). I covered the cake with ganache so it gave it a nice firmness. I didn't think I could cover it with fondant the usual way because I didn't want it to tear with all the weight. So I decided to cover the cake in 2 pieces. I rolled out the fondant so it was high and wide enough to cover half the cake and smoothed down the sides as I went along. Then I did the same to the other side of the cake. You wind up with a seam running up one side and down the other. I didn't have to worry about that because my seams were being covered up by the decorations. Good luck.
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post #13 of 26
10/25/09 at 2:19pm
For the tall cakes, ganache is especially helpful because its firmness gives you a semi-hard surface under the fondant so you can glide the fondant into place.
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http://kellersfrostedcakes.blogspot.com/
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post #14 of 26
10/25/09 at 3:24pm
You're definitely going to want to use ganache - because gravity already wants to get the cake from where it's so tall.

I just made one and DIDN't use ganache. I had a lot of sagging on the bottom. The cake was perfect, except for the bottom two inches.

So that's my recomendation. Don't use buttercream - unless you're going to stick in the fridge immediately.
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post #15 of 26
10/25/09 at 6:16pm
I did my Nestea cake like msulli said. Its awkward but I would just slap on as much fondant as I could and then just smooth it and then you can take a sharp knife to evenly slice it in a place easily seamed.

I don't have a scientific way to do it...LOL...I just try to make it happen I guess.
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