Sept 2021 Cake! Magazine Sept 2021 | Page 10

Step 1 :
I cover my cakes using the wrap method . I cover the top first , then the sides . In this tutorial I am covering polystyrene dummies , but the same process applies to ganached cakes . To begin , paint the top of your cake only with sugar syrup ( piping gel if you are covering polystyrene ).
Step 2 :
Dust your bench with a little cornflour . This will stop the fondant from sticking . You ’ ll need to roll out enough fondant just to cover the top of your cake .
Step 3 :
I use acrylic rolling guides on either side of my fondant to ensure it is rolled out to the same thickness .
Step 4 :
Place the piece of fondant on top of the cake .
Step 5 : Step 6 : Step 7 & 8 :
Use a cake smoother to secure it to the top of the cake , leaving the excess around the sides .
Place an acrylic board on top of your cake ( you can use an acrylic smoother too . Take an acetate sheet and gently cup it in the palm of your hand . Place it around the cake and push it up under the excess fondant . This will act as a cutting tool and remove the excess fondant .
I use an acrylic board so that you can easily see the fondant being cut . This method ensures a clean cut , so that the fondant on top is exactly in line with your cake . If you don ’ t have these tools , you can cut the excess off with a sharp blade . I like the top of the fondant to dry before I cover the side , so leave your cake for around 2 hours to set up . Brush the side of your cake with sugar syrup ( piping gel if you are covering polystyrene ).