http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Gift-Box-Wedding-Cake.aspx

This is the cake a friend asked to make as a surprise for his wife on their 25th anniversary the end of May. (He is throwing a large party for her). It's funny how you look at cakes when you have some experience.... If I had the experience that most of you have, it wouldn't be a problem, but I now have just enough to look at this cake and go.... oh no.

I think my main concerns are -
1. This is a bc covered cake (which is good because I really don't have the experience with fondant yet anyway) - but at the bottom of each layer there is no beading/edging to hide the cake boards. How can I do this? Is it really possible to do bc and have the bottom edges look so clean without being hidden?
2. After using ribbon over bc on that wedding cake, I'm not wanting to use it again on this (it just soaked up oil - and I had tried lining it too, but it still managed to suck up oil) Isn't there some kind of oil-proof ribbon out there?? I guess I could start playing with fondant for it, but with the nice bow and lose curled ribbon cascading down the gifts, I'm afraid it would be too much for me to pull off.

I guess that's it for now. I'm sure I'll have more later.

I saw a neat trick for getting perfect edges with no decoration on Sharon Zambito's buttercream video. First, you make the base of each tier a little smaller than the diameter of the cake, so that the base doesn't show throught the icing. When you've finished smoothing, take a decorating bag with a #1 tip and fill in all the little gaps at the bottom. Smooth these and repeat as necessary. I honestly haven't tried this yet, but in the video it worked like a charm. I've seen on other threads here that it helps if you iron your ribbon between two layers of waxed paper before you put it on a buttercream cake. This impregnates it with wax and helps it resist soaking up fat from the frosting.

You know, I have that video. And watched it too. Guess I need to watch it again!! Thanks for pointing that out! I will definitely check it out.

I've tried the waxed paper ironing and it didn't work for me. Not at all. And since some of it would touch the cake and some of it would just be cascading, if some soaks it up, some wouldn't - so it would be too noticeable.

I was just reading about polypropylene ribbon - I could be wrong, but it's sounding like it's food safe and doesn't absorb stuff. Does anyone know more about this?

The only foolproof fix I have found for ribbon on buttercream is to pre-grease the ribbon....

I made a wedding cake that was buttercream iced but required a ribbon for the border of each tier. I used a fondant "ribbon" and it worked out great.

Here is a link to the cake in my photos.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1808211/mint-greenroyal-purple-jarrett-wedding-cake

I laid out a long strip of clear strapping tape and put the ribbon on it and then trimmed away the extra tape that wasn't covered in ribbon. Learned that on CC.

Also if you use a wired-type of ribbon you can get those nice cork-screw curls that will hold the shape of what ever you wrap them around ( like your hair with a curling iron). If you went that way I'd avoid any ribbon with glitter on it since that glitter will get on your cake and that won't be good.

mommachris

And if you use fondant for the ribbon, the curls are no problem. You make those days ahead. You cut the the fonday to the correct with and then wrap it around something that will give you the shape you want, rolling pin maybe, then slide it out and set it up to dry. You'll need to make your bow ahead too.

I guess I really need to get busy with practicing. Too many things I haven't done yet!

costumeczar said "I've been doing that for years, never knew it was anything unusual. You don't even need a #1 tip, just fill in the gaps and have at it."

LOL costumeczar, I'm sure it's not unusual, just unusual for me. I'm a total buttercream dolt and everytime I discover something new, I feel like I've discovered America! I always tried to cover up the edges with a big fat border, and it hasn't always looked great that way.

Don't feel bad Marianna - I watched Sharon Z's bc dvd and still thought this was a novel trick to finishing a bc cake. It's all new and scary to me!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet... I suppose I should play with the fondant, but I picture it being thick and ugly (at least how I would make it!). I saw on the Sugarcraft site that they sell polypropylene ribbon that is food safe and does not absorb oil. Not sure if other polypro ribbon would be just as safe... But that may be just plain easier for me, even though I'd love to know how to do the fondant. I'm afraid of this cake as it is! lol! Especially since I have to transport it to another state - and that it's for a perfectionist!

Well, I wish you the best of luck with it! Let us see how it turns out, okay?

Thanks - and I will!