Hi there, hoping someone can help. My name is Maria, nice to meet you all. My question is…making a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting…the cake will NOT be covered in fondant but I will decorate cake with colorful fondant decorations, flowers, etc…...1 when would you put fondant decorations on 2 unlike applying fondant to fondant this is fondant to cream cheese, how would you apply for cut outs to stick???frosting?? I read vodka???
3 once cake done, should it be refrigerated with fondant pieces on
4 if so, will something happen to fondant..i have never refrigerated a fondant cake….
5 if not, how long can a cream cheese frosted cake stay at room temp…sorry soo many questions, soo many details with this red velvet lol
thank, maria

so

This is always a dicey subject.  Some people have success with refrigeration, but I think the big issue is CONDENSATION!!!  I’ve had cakes look like they were melting once the fondant appliques got wet from condensation (very humid weather) and I’ve had successes where the decorations stayed crisp and firm.  I think you can refrigerate but use caution….I’ve gone so far as to put a container of silica gel in with the cake to absorb any moisture.  Keep the cake covered until it warms up—that way you don’t introduce moist warm air next to a cold cake=condensation.  Cream cheese has more water—so it may not agree with the fondant decorations like a buttercream would.  If the decorations are easy enough to apply an hour or two before serving that may buy you enough time to get the best of both worlds.

thank u so much for all your advice. I don’t want to ask to use buttercream on top as i don’t want to sacrifice taste for looks…how would u apply the decorations, worried they won’t stick….so much stress, lol…..thanks again, maria

They should stick on just fine.  I think people use vodka when applying to fondant directly.  The buttercream I speak of is NOT the icing sugar variety but an Italian Meringue buttercream which is silky and smooth and delicious!

I totally concur with Sherrie’s remarks - in that I have had a lot of cakes ruined by trying to utilize fondant decorations on Creamcheese or meringue buttercream type icings. The only kinds that you can stick fondant cutouts on ahead of time and not have to worry about them running is the decorator’s icing sugar type buttercream frosting or fondant (egg white works great to stick them on). Otherwise just put them on right before presentation.