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IMBC under fondant for a cake that will fly?

post #1 of 14
7/29/12 at 2:58pm
Thread Starter 
Hi folks

I have not had much experience with IMBC under fondant, and will soon be going on a plane with a cake. I'd like to use IMBC under the fondant, but am worried that as it will be at room temperature for so long, the IMBC will soften so much that it will go all lumpy bumpy and loose it's smoothness. I usually use an extremely thin layer of fondant, so there may not be much support there.

Any advice? Should I just use ganache instead?
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post #2 of 14
7/29/12 at 3:24pm
I understand your reason for the imbc. I also think ganache would do the same thing. Hope someone will see this that has done either or.
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post #3 of 14
7/29/12 at 3:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by icer101

I understand your reason for the imbc. I also think ganache would do the same thing. Hope someone will see this that has done either or.



??? IMBC is soft, whereas ganache sets hard, I don't understand what you mean?
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post #4 of 14
7/29/12 at 5:56pm
I wouldn't use either. Ganache and IMBC need refrigeration after a few hours because of the perishable ingredients in it (cream in the ganache and butter in the IMBC). In both cases I'd be most worried about melting then bacteria. Also please check with your carrier about allowing a cake on board and where they will allow it - in your lap, in the overhead or in the belly of the plane. Also I've heard that some demand that the cake be X-rayed so any wires from gumpaste flowers stuck into the cake will be suspect. IMBC under fondant is used all the time with great success - when refrigerated and protected.
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post #5 of 14
7/29/12 at 6:12pm
Thread Starter 
Neither melting nor bacteria are a concern for me at all, I'm wondering what kind of ganache you girls think I'm going to cover it with? I'm not talking soft ganache like you might get inside a chocolate, I'm talking the kind you use to cover cakes with, it sets very firm, almost as hard as the original chocolate. And it's fine at room temperature for a long time. Same with IMBC for that matter, it's fine at room temperature too. Otherwise nobody would eat it as it would be disgusting to eat refrigerated IMBC, it would be hard like a block of butter!

Also I'm not flying within the U.S.A., so we don't face the same restrictions as you might. It's still relatively simple and pleasant to fly here without being suspected of wrong doings. The airline staff will bend over backwards to help me, they'll probably even loan me a staff member to help carry it on-board as I'll have my toddler with me too.
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post #6 of 14
7/29/12 at 6:16pm
I have just gotten off a plane in Reno, NV for the ICES convention and I traveled with a cake, albeit a dummy cake with fondant. I traveled from Virginia and had no problem at all. It fit under the seat and I had it in a 9x9x9 shipping box on a 9x9 cake board. Can't address the icing under the fondant question but traveling with it was no problem. No one looked twice at it.
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post #7 of 14
7/29/12 at 6:25pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JanDunlevy

I have just gotten off a plane in Reno, NV for the ICES convention and I traveled with a cake, albeit a dummy cake with fondant. I traveled from Virginia and had no problem at all. It fit under the seat and I had it in a 9x9x9 shipping box on a 9x9 cake board. Can't address the icing under the fondant question but traveling with it was no problem. No one looked twice at it.



Thanks Jan, I'm jealous you're at ICES! Must keep an eye on forums to hear what people say about it, always an exciting time of year.

Yep, I'm not worried about travelling with it in terms of trouble with the airline, just in terms of how the IMBC under thin fondant will fare with all the jiggling about in the plane. I was kinda hoping a few people would come on here with some success stories to ease my mind!
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post #8 of 14
7/29/12 at 7:29pm
I would do ganache. I always use ganache under fondant, and I know that it will stay firm. IMBC, is much more temp sensitive--i wouldn't chance it.
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post #9 of 14
7/29/12 at 7:49pm
Hi, after reading how nice the staff will be on your plane, i really assume that they could put it somewhere to keep it cool and then you won,t have any worrries at all. Good luck all the way. My friend took a fake cake covered in fondant, in the over head compartment and when we got to our destination, it was ruined. The heat from the compartment messed her fondant up really bad and the decorations also. I truly would assume that even hardened ganache could get soft in a heated area like the over head compartment. You might could hold it all the way. Thats another thought. hth
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post #10 of 14
7/29/12 at 7:52pm
Thread Starter 
I'm going to slide it under the chair in front of me, it's only one tier, so should be OK. Sadly I can't keep it on my lap, safety regulations don't allow it, and neither would my three year old! icon_wink.gif
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post #11 of 14
7/29/12 at 8:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeniseNH

I wouldn't use either. Ganache and IMBC need refrigeration after a few hours because of the perishable ingredients in it (cream in the ganache and butter in the IMBC). In both cases I'd be most worried about melting then bacteria. Also please check with your carrier about allowing a cake on board and where they will allow it - in your lap, in the overhead or in the belly of the plane. Also I've heard that some demand that the cake be X-rayed so any wires from gumpaste flowers stuck into the cake will be suspect. IMBC under fondant is used all the time with great success - when refrigerated and protected.



This is 100% not true. Sorry, but IMBC/SMBC (when made properly) are 100% completely shelf stable.

http://www.texascottagefoodlaw.com/Resources/Recipes/SMBC.aspx

Yes, this is a Texas webpage, but it is a published scientific study on how harmful SMBC is - either it grows bacteria or it doesn't - and the State of Texas found that it does not.

As for ganache, this is literally the 1st time I've ever seen someone say it needs to be refrigerated. That's also 100% not true, otherwise the entire country of Australia would be dead. icon_biggrin.gif

As long as your cake is kept in temperatures in the mid to low 70's (or colder!), your IMBC cake isn't going to ripple, melt, get bumpy or whatever. It will be fine! And I don't know about you, but I'm always cold on airplanes!

People regularly bring food on planes. In fact, Ron Ben Iserael Cakes regularly flies their cakes (full of supports, wires, beads etc) all over the US, they exclusively use SMBC as the buttercream of choice and they have no problems.

Good luck!
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post #12 of 14
7/31/12 at 7:34pm
I'm curious, how long can SMBC stay out of refrigeration? I went to the Texas Website and didn't see a time before it spoils.
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post #13 of 14
7/31/12 at 8:07pm
Mold and bacteria are 2 different things. It will mold eventually, just like cake and any other food will. But it does *not* need refrigeration because it does not grow bacteria which will give people food poisoning.

Personally, I think it starts loosing it's flavor after about 4 days. It will hold its flavor longer if kept in the fridge.

Edited for typo.
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post #14 of 14
8/1/12 at 6:44am
Appreciate it!!
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