Cake Decorating Part Deux

 

I went to get another cake decorating class with The Best Friend.  This week was a fondant class.  It was really fun.  I like how you have a little more control over the medium than frosting.  I don't have a steady enough hand to control the pipping bag as I would like.  This way, it is more shaping stuff by hand.  I apologize now for the picture.  I forgot my camera and I had to use my camera phone.  First we had to frost our cake with a crumb coat.  This is to be used a glue for the fondant.  

   

 

The cake has to be in the fridge for a about 30 minutes until it hardens.  The frosting needs to be smooth or it might ripe the fondant.  While that is happening, we had to take the fondant and start kneading it.  It goes from a glossy look to a matte look. 

 

 

One tip the teacher gave us to keep the fondant wrapped so it won't dry out.  Since fondant is so sensitive, what ever surface I used to roll out like a table or rolling pin, the properties of the material will take form in the fondant.  Like if you are working on a wooden table, there is a chance of a wooden pattern be indented into the fondant.  Next we got to die the fondant.  I only took a little of it to cover the cake.  I decided to go with a marble look.  I was trying to copy the ocean.

To get all the color incorporated, the fondant would need to be kneaded.  Lets just say, I had blue fingers for a while.  Once all the color was incorporated, than I had to roll it out.  I got used to this because of all the empanadas I would make.

We used corn starch to prevent the fondant from sticking to the surfaces.  After a while, the fondant became sticky (it is all sugar and water).  Than we took the rolled out fondant and covered the cake.  I ran my hands over the cake prior putting the fondant on top to smooth out any bumps or sharp edges from the butter cream.  Than the fondant would have to be smooth out by hand to have it contour to the cake.  The edges would be trimmed until it was to the edge of the cake

 

Than we got to decorate.  For The Daughter, I decided to make a penguin and a polar bear.  BTW, black sucks in making.  You have to use brown first than black food coloring.  My hands was covered in food die.  The Best Friend decided to make a moon and star theme.  I was so cute :D