How Do You Decorate Your Cake Board?

If you don't want to use fondant but want colour you can use contact.

Contact paper, it's plastic stuff that's got a pattern on one side and a sticky back that you can use to adhere it to stuff.

It a plastic type substance with sticky backing.  Kids in Australia quite often cover their school books with it to help them last the year.  It comes in clear and colours and patterns. 

I usually find it at home improvement stores such as Menard's, Lowe's, etc.  

In Australia you can buy it at places like Target, Kmart etc and also stationery stores.
 

You have Target in Australia? I'm packing my bags!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

You have Target in Australia? I'm packing my bags!

Lolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll - love it.

Come on down - the weather is warm and the beer is cold  

Bluehue

You can get any kind of paper to put on your board and then cover that with the clear contact paper.  The contact paper was designed to be used as a drawer and shelf liner  and it is located where the home organization stuff is in stores.  I've used it before but am not crazy about it.  I find that whatever paper I use will be dulled considerably because of the opacity of the Contact paper.  It technically IS 'clear' in that you can see through it, but it is not super clear.

I use primarily white freezer paper to cover my boards.  You find it in the foil section.  It's food safe so you can apply your cake directly to it. (With the contact paper you need to have your cake on it's own little cake circle so it won't be directly on the surface)   It's sturdy...easy to clean (shiny side up!) and looks very nice when you wrap  a coordinating ribbon around the sides.  It's also cheap.   Depending on what the cake design is, I will sometimes bring elements of the cake (vines, flowers, etc.) down onto the board to tie in with the cake more.  I have covered with fondant before and I do love the look, however it is a PIA (for me anyway) to apply.  If I practiced more, I'd probably get better at it!

HTH! 
 

Sturdy drums, with a thin layer of fondant, and a fabric ribbon wrapped around the edge. I am a stickler for a clean finished board. It completes the presentation of the cake! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmijok 

I have covered with fondant before and I do love the look, however it is a PIA (for me anyway) to apply.  If I practiced more, I'd probably get better at it!

HTH! 
 

Oh my word, girl it's the easiest thing in the world! And you barely need any. I rub the drum with a bit of shortening, roll out the fondant super thin, drape it on, and the gently roll over it with my rolling pin to get the fondant all the way to the edges. Then, you can cut most of it off from the middle (where the cake sits and you wouldn't see it anyways-saves a little more!). Then, gently press and rotate your fondant smoother up against the edge to neatly sever it. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZCouture 

Oh my word, girl it's the easiest thing in the world! And you barely need any. I rub the drum with a bit of shortening, roll out the fondant super thin, drape it on, and the gently roll over it with my rolling pin to get the fondant all the way to the edges. Then, you can cut most of it off from the middle (where the cake sits and you wouldn't see it anyways-saves a little more!). Then, gently press and rotate your fondant smoother up against the edge to neatly sever it. 

Well you make it sound easy for sure!   My problem is the rolling and draping part.  I don't cover my cakes with fondant so my experience with it is limited to decor only!  When I try to roll the stuff to a nice size round (or something that could be cut into a round or square), it's just a mess.  It's why I make terrible pie crusts!  Something about me and rolling pins don't mix--- BUT you've given me hope, so next time I will definitely try it again because I do love the look!  Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZCouture 

Oh my word, girl it's the easiest thing in the world! And you barely need any. I rub the drum with a bit of shortening, roll out the fondant super thin, drape it on, and the gently roll over it with my rolling pin to get the fondant all the way to the edges. Then, you can cut most of it off from the middle (where the cake sits and you wouldn't see it anyways-saves a little more!). Then, gently press and rotate your fondant smoother up against the edge to neatly sever it. 

That's what I do too. Easy as pie and gives a really nice and professional look.