What fondant do you use?
It depends…I have two recipes I use. I rarely ever buy store bought unless I need red or black! – then save yourself some effort and food color and buy some Satin Ice!
Now, back to the recipes! I’ve found both on Cake Central’s website. One is a marshmallow base fondant and the other is a cooked gelatin base. The marshmallow is super quick to use, a little stickier, a little softer, but tastes great! It’s called Rhonda’s Ultimate MMF…click here. The only change I made in her recipe is I don’t use the lemon juice, only the extract, and I boost the vanilla a bit.
The other gelatin base fondant is amazing to work with…not sticky, sets well on the cake and lasts for a while. It’s a bit more labor intensive to make, so you have to have the ingredients and a bit of time…but it’s worth it! Click here for Michele Foster’s Fondant. The only change I made to her recipe was to use whatever milk I have on hand. I hardly ever have cream in the house, and the recipe works just as good with regular milk.
Remember a few things for any fondant recipe…Let the fondant rest after you make it for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight), use cornstarch to roll it out (not powdered sugar), and cover a chilled cake that you’ve spritzed with water or vodka…and have fun!
How do I get cornstarch off my fondant?!
There are three ways I’ve found that work. I usually use Crisco and rub a small amount evenly over the entire surface with my fingers. Then, I go back over it with a really smooth clean towel or tissue and buff it out to leave a satin-like surface. I’ve found tissue works great because it’s so smooth and soft and leaves a great finish. The second way is vodka. I’ll use a small paint brush on flowers, decorations, etc to get rid of the cornstarch. The alcohol evaporates to leave a very clean finish. The third way is to take another piece of fondant (from the left overs) and put a ball in your fingers and buff the cake with the fondant. It works really well to remove any left over cornstarch and buffs the surface a bit.
What’s modeling chocolate? – do you have a recipe?
Modeling chocolate is my preferred decoration medium because it cuts so beautifully, is quick to make, hardens to hold it’s shape (as long as it’s thick enough), and tastes amazing…better than fondant! I never use it to cover a cake (that’s what fondant is for) because it’s too firm and hard to smooth without tearing. But it’s perfect for most decorations after you cover your cake in fondant!
Basically it’s a mixture of chocolate and corn syrup. There are two recipes…one for using real chocolate (click here) and one for using Wilton candy melts (click here). Also, here is a video (click here) for making it…it can be a little tricky because it seizes…but that’s okay! Once it cools and hardens slightly you can knead it together like playdoh. A little trick…after I mix the chocolate and corn syrup together, I pour it out on wax paper or saran wrap, and dab it periodically with a paper towel because it releases wax (if you’re using candy melts). After it begins to firm up (but is not completely hard…say 2-3 hours later), I begin kneading it and getting it really smooth. It’s easier to do that when it’s not 100% hard! Then, when you store it away, it’ll be ready to go. All you have to do is just warm it up by kneading it on the counter for a bit. Enjoy!
What’s ganache? – when do you use it?
I LOVE ganache! The flavor is beautiful! Basically ganache is the inside of a truffle…the better the chocolate you use, the better tasting the ganache is. I buy the pound plus bar from Trader Joes. I think you get 17.5 oz for $5. It’s imported chocolate from Belgium and is smooth and beautiful! To make ganache, you use 1 part heavy cream to 2 parts dark chocolate (over 53% cacao). So, for every 2 oz of chocolate you use, add 1 oz of heavy cream. If you’re using white chocolate then the ratio is 3 parts chocolate to 1 part heavy cream.
To make it, simply heat up the cream in a microwave safe bowl (don’t boil it). Melt the chocolate slowly in a second bowl. Add the cream to the melted chocolate and wisk until incorporated and smooth. Let sit at room temp for until you have the desired consistency for spreading on a cake or crumb coating a cake before fondant. You want the consistency to be like smooth peanut butter or tooth paste. Once it sets up overnight, it creates a beautiful firm shell on your cake that makes it super easy to apply fondant. Click here for a few videos that you might find helpful!
How do you get sharp corners?
There are two methods I use. The Aussie Method (click here) or the upside down frosting technique (click here for a video tutorial). Remember whatever your cake looks like before fondant is what it will look like after fondant! So, you need to get your crumb coat super smooth with sharp corners. I prefer to work with ganache because it sets firm, like a shell, and I can get really sharp corners on my cakes. If you’re using buttercream, you’ll want to chill your cake so that buttercream sets up hard before covering your cake in fondant.
When it’s time to cover your cake in fondant, brush on a mixture of 1/2 corn syrup and 1/2 water onto the cake. Then, roll your fondant about 1/8″-3/16″ thick. The thinner your fondant, the sharper you can keep those corners.
What buttercream do you use?
Again, I have two recipes! I guess all great things come in two?! I LOVE my Swiss-meringue recipe. I use the SMBC (Swiss Meringue Buttercream) for pretty much everything. I used to use it for a crumb coat on all my cakes, but have since switched over to ganache. So, it’s not very often I use it as a crumb coat now…mainly always as a filling!! YUM!
Here are the quantities:
5 oz pasterized egg whites
10 oz sugar
15oz unsalted butter
3 Tbsp vanilla
It’s a 1:2:3 ratio that works out beautifully! The mixing method is the same on all Swiss-Meringue Buttercreams, so click “here” on how to make it. This video explains everything beautifully!
I also use a powdered sugar based frosting when I’m in a hurry and making cupcakes!! I don’t usually use this for cakes as it’s not as stable as the SMBC. It is NOT a crusting buttercream because there’s too much yummy fat in it! Here it is:
1 lb unsalted butter at room temp – whip for 10 min on high
1 – 7oz jar of marshmallow cream – whip until incorporated
1 lb powdered sugar – whip on high for 5 min
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (add a tbsp at a time until right consistency) – whip on high for 5 minutes
3 Tbsp vanilla – whip until incorporated.
This makes a really light amazing buttercream. You can add more heavy whipping cream (the liquid, not actual whipped cream) if you want, depending upon the consistency you’re looking for.
*You can also throw in a block of room temp or softened cream cheese at the end to make it even more yummy! – remember to use full fat cream cheese and not let it whip too long or it can curdle it.
What cake recipes do you use?
Unfortunately I keep just a few to myself because I’ve spent soo many hours trying recipes out, tweaking them and testing them. BUT, I have shared a few amazing recipes…here is a link:
A good place to look for recipes is food.com and foodnetwork.com. Search for whatever cake flavor you want, and click on “most popular” and you’ll get some wonderful recipes!
If you need a great vanilla cake recipe that is good for carving, try this one:
Mermaid Vanilla Butter Cake
How do you support/stack your cakes?
If I’m making a tall tier/double height cake, I will only stack 4 layers high before I add support and a cake board. I use cardboard circles or foam core for the base of all my cakes. After I stack 3-4 layers of cake (or half the height of the final cake), I place bubble straws into the cake in a circular pattern with one in the middle. Then, add a little frosting, melted chocolate or royal icing on top of the straws and place a cake plate on top and continue stacking. Easy! If it’s just a regular height cake (up to 5″h) I don’t use any internal support.
Better to use more straws than less! – a good rule of thumb is use how ever many straws as the diameter of your cake. A six inch cake needs 6 bubble straws. You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, grocery stores, Asian stores. I love bubble straws because they don’t displace the cake like dowels, no worries of splinters (from wooden dowels), easy to cut and store.
How do you paint on your cakes?
I use Americolor or Wilton gel colors. Mix them like acrylic paint to get the right consistency…but use vodka instead of water. You need to use an alcohol base medium to thin…never water! Water will make your fondant sticky whereas vodka won’t…the alcohol evaporates leaving the paint to dry nicely. No worries about the alcohol being left…it’s okay for kids!
How do you take such nice pictures?
Here’s a post on my DYI photo booth (click here). The trick is that no matter the camera, try not to use a flash! Try to get up against a window, or outside in a covered area. Also, get some photo editing software to help boost the lighting levels and sharpen the pics a bit. I use Photoshop Elements 7.0.
What is your process in building a cake?
After baking my cakes, I remove them from the oven and press any dome down with a wet paper towel thus making the cakes nice and flat. See pics at bottom of THIS post. I then turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack and let them cool for 5-10 min. or so. Usually, not longer. I wrap them (still warm) up in plastic wrap (I love using Glad “Press and Seal” because it doesn’t shrink and change the shape of the cake but still seals in all that moisture) and place them in my freezer. I let them sit in there at least over night or up to two weeks. I’ve done some experimenting with this…honestly, every cake I’ve frozen was more moist than the non-frozen one! So, that’s why I do it. And, being a busy mommy, it helps a lot with planning ahead! I usually don’t have 2 or 3 solid days to work on a cake. I have to work in a small spurts! :) Once frozen, I put them in my fridge with a light weight on them (usually a book or something weighing at least a pound) to help them settle as they un-thaw. This helps with bulges. You can also use a cookie sheet with a few pounds of something on it. After they’ve sat another 8-10 hours un-thawing, I take them out, torte the layers while they’re nice and cold (cut them in half to give me two layers of cake) and begin stacking my cake. I weigh out each layer of frosting. I place my first cake layer on a board, then on the scale. I add my frosting and weigh it out to see how much works with that cake. Usually it’s about 4 oz for a 6″ cake and 6 oz for an 8″cake. I use SMBC (see recipe above) so, I’m not sure how it weighs compared with other types of frosting. You might have to experiment with that yourself…but I like a lot of frosting! I then add my next layer of cake, put it back on the scale and measure out my frosting again so it’s the same as the first layer. I do this up to 4 layers of cake or 5 thin layers of cake. If I need anymore (for a tall or double height cake), I add bubble straws and another board…then continue to stack my layers. Once the cake is stacked, I place it back in the fridge for 30 min or so until it firms up and put a small weight to the top to help it settle/smoosh a bit if necessary. I do this because when you add fondant to the cake, you’re adding a few pounds to it depending upon the size of the cake. If you can get it to settle under that weight, you won’t get buldges in your fondant. Once it’s sat in the fridge for a bit (sometimes overnight depending upon my schedule), I take the cake out and I carve the bulges/edges off the cake all the way around to make it nice and straight and to make sure it’s about 1/8″ in from the cake board…so that when I put the crumb coat on, there’s at least 1/8″ thick coat of ganache/buttercream on it. Then I add my crumb coat (ganache or buttercream) using either the upside-down frosting technique or the Aussie Smoothing Method. Once the crumb coat is on and it’s nice and smooth, it goes back in the fridge to firm up…sometimes for only 30 min. and sometimes overnight – again, depending upon this busy mom’s schedule. At this point, if it’s a buttercream covered cake, I cover it in fondant right from the fridge because I want sharp corners and the SMBC is nice and hard from the fridge. However, you have to be quick because the fondant will get tacky. If it’s a ganache covered cake (which I almost use exclusively), I let it sit out for a good hour then cover it in fondant and begin decorating it. I want it to not be super cold, but closer to room temp so I have time to smooth the fondant and play with the edges to get them nice and sharp. Then, decorate as usual!
What program do you use to design your cakes?
I am a commercial interior designer who specializes in Dental Office design. Yes…it’s a funny niche’ but I love it! :) I use AutoCAD for my profession so I use it for my cakes too! Unfortunately coloring things in AutoCAD doesn’t work that well, so I create a PDF of my drawings and import them into Photoshop Elements to color them in and add additional notes/fonts if necessary. AutoCAD is a very expensive program, so I wouldn’t recommend it for cake decorating. If you already use it/have it, awesome! If not, there are other options out there that don’t cost $1000 to purchase…including Photoshop and Illustrator.
Do you think you would ever do a short course on PhotoShop Elements? I purchased it over 1 yr ago thinking I would get the hang of it being somewhat savy but it is very difficult to me. I think I purchased the wrong one. Above you mentioned Photoshop…you “did not” say Photoshop Elements. What do you recommend I buy? I want to be original with my designs like your first two classes and can’t draw worth a hoot :(( please help Jessica.
Hi there!
There’s actually a short bonus lesson in my latest Craftsy class, “Clean & Simple Birthday cakes”. Click the link above on the side bar for 50% off that class. Otherwise, I’d recommend getting a few books from your library and doing searches for “photoshop elements tutorial”. There’s So much out there. Perhaps someday I’ll do a bigger tutorial. My only problem is that it’s such a big program and I’m afraid I’d get 1000 questions about it!! LOL!!! I wish you the best!
Hello!
I have two questions. First.
I tried freezing my cake but it tasted stale when I brought it out a week later. Everyone says cakes are more moist after they’ve been frozen but do they taste as great as they did on bake day?
I let my cakes come to room temperature, then I level and cut layers before wrapping up in plastic wrap and sticking it in the freezer. When I was ready to decorate, I took them out, filled, put on a crumb coat and decorated while frozen. Am I doing this the right way? I have a four layer wedding cake I need to make and I’d like to bake ahead to save me the stress.
How many layers of wrapping do I need to ensure a good seal that will lock in the freshness while the cake is frozen? Doesn’t refrigerating dry out the cake?
Secondly, it’s very warm where I live. I love MFFs fondant but it turns to jelly outdoors. Will adding tylose make it more stable? Also, I’ve never used ganache to crumb coat but I like that you can get really sharp edges and it sets firmer than buttercream at room temperature. Is it better than SBC under fondant in hot humid climes?
Hi Antoine! Bummer about the freezing. My cakes taste better after I’ve frozen them but I wrap them up well in plastic wrap within 10 min of pulling them from the oven so it traps some of that moisture. Try that next time perhaps. I don’t level/torte…just wrap and freeze. Then, after they thaw for a bit in the fridge (so they are still cold) I’ll unwrap them, torte, stack and fill them. At that point I’ll put a weight on them and let them settle overnight, then chill really good (with the weight on), crumb coat, chill if buttercream or let sit and harden if fondant, then cover in fondant. If I freeze the cake due to my timeline, I’ll do it after crumb coating (before fondant). I’ll wrap it up in two layers of saran wrap. I’ll take it out a day ahead and let it come to room temp, then chill for an hour or two (if buttercream), and cover in fondant.
If it’s really warm where you live, I’m not sure adding a bit of Tylose will work. You might need a fondant made for hotter/humid climates like the Carma Massa Tropica fondant. You can try adding the Tylose, but I’m not sure it’ll give you the results you need…but it’s worth trying it out when you can make a cake to play with.
Blessings!
Do you think I can paint on Swiss meringue buttercream?
It doesn’t really work. It’s best to use an American base buttercream and then air brush.
Hi Jessica,
I really love your blog and all of the cakes you’ve done – so inspiring! I also love your classes on Craftsy! They have helped me tremendously. My next feat is creating a better buttercream. Currently I am making an American Buttercream. I fill my cakes with it. I crumb coat with ganache and then cover with fondant. I tried Summer Stone’s fool-proof Swiss Meringue Butter Cream and am hooked – I can’t go back to American Butter Cream. I did make the recipe with the pasteurized egg whites in a carton and it turned out beautifully.
I do not refrigerate my cakes once I assemble them. Therefore I am wondering if I can safely use a SMBC recipe as a filling. If left out, could that get someone sick? Could I make the recipe using meringue powder or powdered egg whites to create a buttercream that can be left out at room temperature safely? Any assistance or advice that you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated. I am new with SMBC so I do not know the technicality of what is safe or unsafe.
Hi Kelly! Yay! – another SMBC convert! I love love love it too! I can’t really advise on how long you can leave it out. That’s something you have to check into your local food handling codes for (especially if you are in business). I can tell you what I’ve done from my experience though, but I don’t advise you do this. If I make a basic SMBC with only the eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla, I am comfy leaving it out for up to 3 days…and never had a problem and NO one has gotten sick. I’ve had friends leave my cakes out (filled with SMBC) for a week, without issue. BUT, I’m not sure I would trust it that long. So…I keep to about 3 days. I hope that helps!