i guess my main question is how to make cleanly-covered fondant cakes, particularly around the bottom edge. i've always had to put a strip of fondant around the bottom edge (like a ribbon) after stacking the cakes to hide some frosting smudges. how do you make those borderless fondant cakes? amazing!

also, i want to share that the frostings i use aren't always buttercream consistency, some are softer but not runny or watery but therefore could "melt" a bit in my warm hands. i fill with the frosting, i make a dam so i don't have an issue with oozing on the sides. then i frost the whole cake relatively thickly (because i like that there is more frosting to each bite). should the frosting all around the cake be a very thin layer only like a crumb coat so it won't ooze at the bottom after the fondant has been laid?

i don't know how to further explain my precise concerns, i hope this makes sense to most cakers out there. is there a super secret solution to all these issues combined? thanks so much to all who care to share their tips and tricks!

I'm no expert but one thing that helps me get a smoother edge on the bottom is to put the cake on some kind of tiny stand. You want something that will prop the cake up, but not come to the edges of the cake...like a coffee cup or something. (Depending on the cake you'll need something big enough so it is still stable!)

That way, when you drape the fondant, it is easier to cover the edges and trim. Are you putting your cakes on the same size cake board? (Like if you have a 6 in cake on a 10in board, the cake should be sitting on a 6in cake round, then then 10in one) This is something I learned in a cake decorating class so you can move the cake, but also cover it with fondant and have to worry about the frosting going everywhere

I've had problems with drooping frosting when using something that doesn't crust over...Maybe keeping the fondant thicker will help? That way if the frosting does droop, you might not see it under the fondant?