How to Make Fondant Overlays on Cakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this post, I will be showing you my own method of making fondant overlays on cakes. This is a very easy technique which can be used for snow caped, melting ice cream and melting candle cakes. There are two ways of achieving this look. The first involves cutting out the fondant cap on a flat surface and placing it on the cake. The second, which is the method I use, involves draping the cake with fondant and carving out the cap on top of the cake. This method was used in the Christmas Cake above and the Frozen Cakes below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOOLS:

(1) Rolling Pin

(2) Sharp Blade or X-Acto Knife

(3) Paint Brush

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDIBLE COMPONENTS:

(1) A Cake with Covered Sides

(2) Water

(3) Fondant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE PROCESS:

(1) Cover the sides of a frosted cake with fondant. This could be plain fondant or decorated fondant. In the Frozen cakes, the sides were covered with quilted fondant. A tutorial on how to quilt fondant can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIP: To make very red fondant, color white fondant with red color paste the day before you need it. Wrap it tightly with cling film and leave the fondant to rest overnight. The red color will deepen as the fondant sits. This rule applies to all deep fondant colors esp Red, Black, Deep Brown and Royal Blue.

(2) Next, brush the top of the cake with a bit of water. Do not brush the sides. Roll out white fondant enough to cover the top of the cake and part of the sides and drape over the cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) Using a sharp blade, cut out the overlay to create the shapes and curves that you want. Make quick sweeping curves . The slower you work, the more chances for you to make mistakes. Picture hills and valleys in your mind and try to replicate this on the cake. It helps if your blade is very sharp. I often use new blades for this. It also helps if the white fondant is somewhat firm and not very soft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) Using a blunt tool, smooth out the edges of the overlay. Brush underneath the overlay with a bit of water and stick it to the sides of the cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5) Finish the cake with whatever topper or design you choose to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BONUS TUTORIAL:

(1) Fondant Olaf Cake Topper Pictorial.