Hi everyone - I've been on here for weeks reading helpful tips for doing a 3D R2D2 cake for my son's bday Saturday....After LOTS of online reading and searching, the abundance of info has actually left me more confused I learned that ganache is also a popular thing to use under fondant for a smooth appearance. I need some opinions: For a beginner like myself which would you say is the easiest to coat my cake with before the fondant...BUTTERCREAM OR GANACHE?

THANKS FOR ALL THE OPINIONS, I WELCOME ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AS I AM EAGER TO LEARN!

PS. For those who opt for ganache would I have to do white chocolate since the base of R2d2's fondant will be white?

I say ganache. It's easy to apply, easy to repair and makes a rock solid cake so that you don't get the slide, bulge and other issues you may get with buttercream. I personally have only done a few fondant cakes but after doing a couple with ganache instead of fondant, I find the extra expense of the ganache to be worth it because it was so much easier and less stressful to work with and I got a much sturdier cake from it. Especially since R2 is kind of tall

I started cakes using buttercream under fondant, and just recently (after reading on here) decided to try the ganache on my football helmet cake....wow- was that way easier!!

I found it to be easier, tastier, and cheaper!!!! You wouldn't have to use white chocolate, since it won't be seen until the cake is cut.

I made the ganache (also very simple) and after it cooled, I put in on the cake, kind of smoothed it...popped it in the fridge - and then was able to smooth it perfectly with the hot spatula method.

If you're a beginner, I'd definitely recommend the ganache.

Good to know...i'm beginer to and i'm looking for make a cake with with chocolat ganache next week end...
But i don!t have a recipe....i know you put cream,with chocolat....but something more????
Tanks

Not to confuse you anymore, but I also like to use a mixture of buttercream and ganache. I apologize I am not sure where I got or saw the recipe, but I will make both buttercream and ganache and mix them together. I have had great results doing this. I find that the ganache by itself can get a little messy and that drives me crazy, but it could just be me . Good luck!

For ganace under fondant you usually use a setting recipe
For semi-sweet and dark choc it's
2:1 choc to cream so 16 oz of choc by weight to 8 oz(1 cup) of heavy whipping cream

For white choc or milk chocolate most people use 3:1
I don't have great luck with white chocolate chips because they're not really white choc and they tend to separate. Use a real white chocolate or use chocolate chocolate.

You can add extract to the ganache after you add the heated cream if you want to flavor the ganache as well.

Definitely use real chocolate, not cooking chocolate, it will taste sooooo much better!

Thank you so much for the replies coming in...how long do I have to let the ganache set before I put on the fondant? I won't be able to put it in fridge to chill because the cake is tall and I only have my personal fridge which won't fit it..thanks

ALSO, USING THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE WON'T SHOW UNDER MY WHITE R2D2 FONDANT?

fondant covers everything, so no- your ganache won't show, and ganache is simply cream and chocolate...crazy simple!

If you can't refrigerate, can you put it outside for about 10 min to chill? (I live in NY, so sometimes my fridge consists of the back porch ) You don't have to let it sit a long time, just long enough to harden -it will get softer from the heat of your hands when you start putting fondant on, so you want to work fairly quickly.

If you can't chill it to set up most people let it set overnight but if you ganache it in the morning you should be able to cover it early evening.

AHello everyone, I'm new here and I've read the whole thread and I've actually used butter cream mix, dark chocolate ganache and milk chocolate ganache underneath fondant and I agree that ganache is much easier to use and gives a neater look. Problem is when I used dark chocolate, it tasted So bitter underneath the fondant and when I used the milk chocolate with the ratio 3:1 it wast right. I made it and let it set over night, next morning just warmed it up a bit in the microwave"30sec then 15sec" I found an oily layer on its surface plus that oil started to run down the cake when I crumb coated the cake. It settled fine after putting it in the fridge for 10 mins but it didn't seem right Any advice?

AHi as we are talking ganach here does anyone live in a hot country and use ganache? I was wondering if you have the problem of it melting after you put the fondant on as you can't put the cake back in the fridge after the fondant is on as it sort of melts it the fondant. I live in a hot country and had this problem last summer with a cake I had to do.

little cloud -

Did you have the right amount of chocolate to cream ratio...

The *oil slick* can happen if you don't have the right amount of chocolate.....

And sometimes it can happen if you boil your cream to long... the cream really breaks down and just doesn't incorporate the melted chocolate correctly.

joandwade

You can put a ganached/fondant covered cake in a fridge....not that I ever do and wouldn't do.

Many dispute it but the cold dry air in a fridge can dry a cake quicker than if it left sitting on a bench.

And then again - many don't get to eat their cakes at the occasion for which they have been ordered.... so they wouldn't know if their cakes were moist - dry or otherwise.

If you use a good quality chocolate and use the right ratios - there is no reason why your ganache would melt under your fondant in hot weather.

I live on the west coast of Australia...

Our summers range from 30C - 45C ...... which equals 90F - 120C

Its Autumn now and still we are having days in the mid 30'sC... 90+F

Perhaps what you could do - is ganache your cakes in the evening when the weather cools a little.... maybe

I only use ganache as I know, no matter the temp it is safe to use...

Hope this helps

Bluehue

AThanks maybe I did something wrong then I'll try it again :-) as I' m quiet new to all this so all the advise is welcome. Thanks girls x

APlease advice needed

Hello everyone so I've never used butter cream as a filling in my cake I alway ganache them and let the ganache set on the cake over night out side the fridge before applying the fondant. I wanted to try something new by filling the cake with buttercream and then ganaching the out side of it. My question is would the butter cream be fine out side the fridge over night? Since I can't put the ganache inside the fridge because if I do then the cake will sweat and the fondant would be ruined

I use ganache and it's a LOT easier. Makes the house smell good, too! But not all cake flavours go well with chocolate ganache. I still tend to use buttercream (red velvet cake). If you're wanting a sharp edge, definitely go for ganache.