I make my own fondant - it's cheaper and tastes better - but, when I cover my cakes, I seem to have a lot of air bubbles and have a really hard time getting them all out and making my cakes perfectly smooth. Not sure if the reason for the air bubbles is because it's homemade MMF or not. Does anyone else have this problem or any suggestions for avoiding or eliminating air bubbles?

Are you putting it over BC or ganache? You could try putting a very thin layer of shortening on the underside of you fondant before you put it on the cake to help it adhere better..

Karen

I'm just covering cakes frosted with buttercream. I usually spray with a little water so it sticks, but I've tried not using the water and still get air bubbles. I'll try the shortening tonight and see if that works.

I use homemade fondant, too, and I roll it out onto a vinyl mat greased with shortening, then flip the mat onto the cake. Works perfectly every time- as the 'pretty side' of the fondant is on the mat the whole time I'm rolling out! I got the mat for $26 dollars at Amazon.com, it's by NY Cakes.

I actually tried that last night - I have the Wilton matt - it does role out quite nicely, but I still got air bubbles. Just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong - and I never see them having this issue on any of the cake shows. What recipe do you use for your homemade fondant?

Also, I'm not sure how you normally do it, but if you smooth the top first, then go around and smooth down about a inch at a time, that usually gets most of the bubbles out...

I got it off a youtube tutorial- I put one bag of mini marshmallows in a bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of water, microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave for 30 seconds - add a cup and a half of sifted powdered sugar, stir, then put 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar on my mat, dump the marshmallows onto the sugar, and knead until no longer sticky and it breaks apart easily-doesn't drag.
This is super easy, super yummy, and I've never had problems with it...if I make ahead of time, I wrap well, and pop in microwave for 20 or 30 seconds before using.

SugarEdProductions made a video, flawless fondant- it was helpful to me, as well- she addresses air bubbles in there, she will poke a tiny hole with a pin and get air out.

I find I have more bubbles if I dont sift the powder sugar well enough because chunks slightly break down but leave a bubble. I also find I have bubbles if I over knead when trying to add color. I just have to roll it out several times. and pin prick the bubbles.

Thanks for all the input. I do use a pin to get the air bubbles out, but it jus seems that there are so many my cakes don't look as smooth as I'd like. Your recipe is a little different than mine. I use the 16 oz bag of marshmallows with 2-3 tbsp of water and a little vanilla. After melting marshmallows I add a 2 lb. bag of powdered sugar and mix with my KitchenAid. This is also a very easy recipe, but I wonder if mixing with the mixer could have anything to do with the air bubbles. Maybe I'll give your recipe a try.

Toster,

You're getting bubbles under your fondant, not in the fondant, right? If that's the case, then the recipe probably doesn't matter that much - I would think it's more about the technique in applying the fondand to the cake.

First, you should fill your cakes and then put something fairly heavy on it and let it sit for an hour or so to get excess air out of it. I usually just put a little parchment, then set a cake pan with my can of shortening in it on top of mine.

Then, you need to make sure you work from the top down smoothing the cake...

I use the same recipe as you and don't normally have a problem with bubbles.

Good luck,

Karen

I use my hook attachment - works great

I have covered many cakes with MMF and never had a problem with air bubbles...until last weekend! I was so frustrated that I ended up throwing away the MMF and made another batch. For me, it was because I put too much frosting on the cake. I usually do a very thin crumb coat, but this time thought I'd do a thicker layer (I am fairly new to this and just thought I'd try it out). When I removed most of the icing and re-covered, no air bubbles.

So...maybe that could be the problem? Try just a very thin crumb coat...you should be able to see the cake through the icing.

I've worked with MMF with a regular layer of butter cream underneath, not just a crumb coat. It really is about letting it settle so the air gets out and then how you apply it. Like someone earlier mentioned, smoothing the top and the going down, around and inch at a time a great way to apply the buttercream. I use SMBC or ganache and I don't add anything to attach the fondant. The heat of my hand rubbing binds it together. Now, you may always on occasion get an air bubble, but for the most part I don't and if I do, it's just one or two.

Never thought of the air coming from the stacked cake - but that makes sense. I have a cake for this weekend, so I'll try that and see what happens. Thanks for all of the advice.

I had this same problem with my MMF until I stopped mixing it in my mixer using the bread dough hook and mixed it by hand instead. Pour your powdered sugar out on your clean kitchen counter and make a well in the center. Pour your melted marshmallows in the center of the well and then using a plastic bowl scraper go around and around in a circle incorporating the edges of the fondant with the powdered sugar until it's handleable without the use of the bowl scraper. Then the last step is to roll it out not once but twice - after the second rolling smooth with a fondant smoother then place fondant on the cake. No bubbles.