How to Cover a Round Cake in Fondant Icing | Sugarpaste
1. Our first tip is one of the cake decorating profession’s best kept secret – there’s actually no such thing as the “perfect” cake. The secret is to know how to cover or camouflage imperfections by using things like ribbon, sugar flowers and other detail. So don’t beat yourself up too much, and remember you can hide a few little mistakes with a bit of clever decorating.
2. If you want a perfect finish, you also need a perfect base. Before you even start to think about the fondant, you first need to make the surface of your cake as smooth as possible. If there are any lumps or raised areas of your cake, use a sharp knife or cake leveler to level it and trim off any excess areas. Then, you need to cover your cake with a layer of buttercream or grenache. The layer should be about ¼ inch thick, so that it not only smoothes the surface off, but so that your cake tastes great too! Use a tool like the PME Side Scraper to get the best finish possible. You’re aiming for the buttercreamed surface of your cake to be as flat as can be and with every crack filled in. Many professional cake decorators then pop their cake into the fridge for 30 minutes to give themselves a firmer surface to work with.
3. Now you’re ready to prepare the fondant. Sprinkle icing sugar all over your work surface so that the fondant doesn’t stick, then start to knead it into a smooth round ball.
4. To work out exactly how big your rolled fondant needs to be, measure the top and sides of your cake and then add on another inch to be on the safe side. Don’t be tempted to guestimate as trying to work with the wrong sized rolled fondant will just mean you’ll have to start again and that you’ll probably have sticky buttercream in your lovely fresh fondant!
5. Start to roll your fondant out with a large rolling pin, keep moving your rolling pin around and carefully lifting your fondant from the work surface to prevent it sticking. Dust a little extra icing sugar onto your work surface if needed. Try not to use too much icing sugar though as this can dry your fondant out and lead to cracking. If your fondant gets too dry, carefully add a drop or two of water and work it in.
6. Your fondant should be about ¼ inch thick and make sure you measure the width of your fondant so you know it’s the right size.
7. Take a deep breath and gently lift the fondant by draping it over your rolling pin. Move it into position over the top of your cake and carefully lie it onto your cake.
8. Use your hands to smooth outward from the centre of your cake and down onto its sides. The goal is to smooth away lumps and try to avoid folds or creases. Be careful your fingernails or jewellery don’t catch the cake and leave indentations.
9. Using two smoothing tools, like the PME Straight Edge Smoother and Polisher, helps get a much more professional finish. Have a smoother in each hand and carefully work to flatten and smooth the fondant around the cake’s surface – working at opposite sides of the cake at the same time. Using this tool can really make a big difference to your finished look.
10. Your final step is to trim away the excess fondant off the bottom of your cake with a small sharp knife. The ideal piece of equipment for this is a Cake Decorating Turntable as it allows you to reach the bottom of the cake without having to lift it up or touch it yourself. It’s also great for when you’re smoothing the fondant too. If you’re using one, make sure you pop your cake onto it before you roll out your fondant.
All you need to do now it leave your cake overnight to dry before you begin to decorate.
