JennyBee - 03 June 2008 10:00 PM

Patrincia,

I did use Rose’s Recipe.  I apparently dodged a huge bullet by being fortunate enough to have Crisco of a certain age.  I did mention on that blog thread that my store brand (Hannaford for those who know of it) all-vegetable shortening still has trans-fats in it.  I don’t know if it’s not being phased out, or it just doesn’t sell as quickly.  But I have my 3 lb can.

I didn’t get the impression that she was turning the fondant under the cardboard.  I just assumed that the advantage was being able smooth past the cake bottom and to trim cleanly without worrying about bunching.  It was very easy to fit the fondant with the cake on the cake pan, and I got a nice neat edge.  Maybe she’s just sealing it to the board?  I would have to watch her again.

I am new to using cake boards, as well as anything resembling a cake decorating stand.  I have always just decorated the cake on the plate, but it is always difficult to get a good bottom treatment, and still keep the plate neat, strips of waxed paper or not.

I see some grocery stores, and Wal-Mart, are now carrying both the trans fat and non-trans fat shortenings now - they must have gotten a lot of flack from customers.

Re the cake wheel video - the creator of the cake wheel posted on another cake board about her product.  She suggests using a “wheel” that is smaller than the cake diameter you are covering so that you can get the fondant smooshed down and tucked, ever so slightly, under the edge of the cardboard.  The video has been edited since then, and you can’t quite see that detail now, but that’s they way she designed it.  I prefer to have the cake sit on my counter and then I cut the excess off flush with the counter top.  I guess it’s like anything else though… everybody has their favorite way of doing things.

JennyBee - 03 June 2008 10:00 PM

I am new to using cake boards, as well as anything resembling a cake decorating stand.  I have always just decorated the cake on the plate, but it is always difficult to get a good bottom treatment, and still keep the plate neat, strips of waxed paper or not.  I have never had the luxury of picking up a cake to decorate it, or after it is decorated.  Now, with the cardboard bases, I can put them on a lazy susan on a small round of waxed paper, just about an inch larger than the cake.  After decorating, I pop it in the fridge to chill.  When cold, I peeled off the waxed paper and put it on the serving plate.  No smudges, no fingerprints, no smeared decorations.

I’m not sure I understand your waxed paper technique… can you explain again?

I put my cakes on cardboards that are the same diameter as the cake (8” cake on 8” cardboard), but for easy transporting to and fro, I place the same cake and cardboard on a larger ‘sacrificial’ cardboard topped with a bit of non-slip liner, so it’s an 8” cake on and 8” board, then onto a piece of non-slip shelf liner which is sitting on a larger cardboard (say a 10 or 12”).  The larger board really helps you move that cake around without accidentally marring your beautifully finish.  I call the larger cardboard ‘sacrificial’ because it’s usually all covered with buttercream finger prints by the time I’m done decorating.

JennyBee,

Beautiful cake!  I never would have guessed that it’s your first fondant.  If you like genoise, the strawberry cloud cream is one of my favorite things to pair with either genoise classique or genoise au chocolat! 

Best,
Julie