Any CAKE decoraters out there? HELP!!!!

This is the easiest fondant recipe I know. You don't have to be an expert, you just need to have a rolling pin and a flat counter! Hope this helps! Oooo, and don't forget to frost the cake first! Not thick, just a thin frosting to hold on the fondant!

Fondant recipe

Ingredients

* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1 cup shortening
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
* 2 pounds confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt and vanilla flavoring, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
2. To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick or thinner if you can. Drape over frosted and chilled cakes and smooth the sides down, or cut into strips to make bows and other decorations.

First off if your a women on the go SOMETIMES tops will sell you some of there buttercream from the bakery ...but anyways i use to work there as a cake decorator and had my own cupcake business going.

i recommend making a small cake then and then making the amount of cupcakes to match..this way your not making an entire sheet cake-smaller is easier. Secondly dont go to far out of you skill level and try to keep things slightly basic.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=clown+throwing+up+cake&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=954l4032l0l22l14l0l0l0l1l965l8444l5-1.9l10&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=642&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

Go online and look up videos and pictures to get ideas as well.

If you have any direct questions on icing tips or how to do something just add me or email me and let me know

I have also bought pre-made fondant from arts & crafts stores, which works out well (and you get a good workout for your arms trying to roll it out!). You will have to put icing underneath to hold it in place. a simple icing made from shortening instead of butter will melt at a higher temperature. (but probably won't taste as good!) I made my wedding cake last year, and I had a carrot cake with cream cheese icing, covered in fondant. It was in the middle of July and even though it was inside, the icing melted a bit and the fondant got all saggy. LOL! so if it needs to hold up to the heat, try shortening...

I grabbed this off of allrecipes.com, but this is very close to the one I use and it tastes wonderful.
Original Recipe Yield 2 1/4 pounds of fondant

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
* 4 tablespoons water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 pounds confectioners' sugar, divided

Directions

1. Place the butter in a shallow bowl, and set aside.
2. Place the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir the water and vanilla extract into the hot marshmallows, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading. The dough will be very stiff.
3. Rub your hands thoroughly with butter, and begin kneading the sticky dough. As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with confectioners' sugar.

and ps i dont think you should do fondant-buttercream is just so tasty and everyone knows what it is so theyll eat it

Just a thought....if you have no fridge then don't use fondant...it requires cold storage until ready to serve.

Don't put the fondant in the fridge, it turns to something awful. I am very busy,and would never, in my life ever make my own fondant. this is my cake schedule" Bake Tuesday night, crumb coat Wednesday or Thursday, decorate Friday night or Saturday morning, always with a day or two in between the fondant and the buttercream. my Satin ice is in a tub in the cabinet, and my Wilton is sealed with saran wrap in a Ziplock bag in my cake tackle box.

My buttercream, the link I gave you, keeps in the fridge for a week. fondant in the cubbard, BC in the fridge. most fondant will keep for 18 months, if it is premade, in the cupbard. Cakes are fascinating to me, I'd become a Wilton instructor, if I had the time to train, and the money.

doesn't answer the question at all..... but I love this site:

www.cakewrecks.com

i love that site!

if you make buttercream icing it will melt/go soggy if not kept cool.
your best best is ready to roll out fondant icing because it doesnt need to be kept in the fridge!
i never make my own 'roll out icing' i buy the ready to roll stuff as i dont have time to make it myself!!

put a think layer of frosting on the cake

4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup shortening
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla extract

muuch better than buttercream and then put your roll icing over the cake!
remember to get it frosted and covered quickly after it has cooled to stop the cke drying out!