Creating A Wedding Cake: Covering Basics

Fondant is a popular choice for covering a wedding cake, with many recipes available online. It's important to have clean hands and a spotless work surface when working with fondant, especially white fondant, as it can easily pick up traces of colour or lint. You can also cover a wedding cake with sprinkles, or wrap a ribbon around the bottom of each tier, securing it with a dressmaker's pin.

How to cover a wedding cake in fondant

Covering a wedding cake in fondant is a fun and easy way to decorate a cake. Fondant is a pliable frosting, sometimes called sugar paste, that can be used to create a variety of shapes and designs.

Before you start, make sure you have a clean work surface and clean hands, especially if you are using white fondant, as it can pick up traces of colour or lint. Use a chart to determine how much fondant you will need based on the size of your cake.

Roll out the fondant to a thickness that will allow you to manipulate it without tearing. Smooth the fondant onto the top surface of the cake and then down the sides, being careful not to create any pleats or folds. Use a cake smoother or your hands to achieve a neat finish. Trim off any excess fondant with a sharp knife, and neaten the bottom edge against the cake board, tucking in the edges if necessary.

To finish the cake, stack the tiers and wrap a ribbon around the bottom of each tier, securing it with a pin. Remove the pin before serving the cake.

How to cover a wedding cake in sprinkles

Covering a wedding cake in sprinkles is a fun and easy way to decorate a cake. Here's how to do it:

• Start by frosting the sides of your cake only. Use an icing scraper to create smooth, straight sides with a buttercream finish.
• For the buttercream ridge that forms around the top rim of the cake, use an angled icing spatula to frost it inward (across the top of the cake) and create sharp edges around the top rim.
• Place the cake back onto your turntable and remove the cardboard circle from the top of the cake, then frost the top with buttercream. Use your angled icing spatula to make sure the top of the cake is as smooth and level as possible while maintaining your sharp edges.
• When you're finished, pop the cake back into the refrigerator for about five minutes so the buttercream on top begins to set slightly.
• Place the smaller, cut cake board on the top of the cake, then carefully lift the cake and roll it in the sprinkles. Make sure that all your sides are coated evenly.
• Place the cake on a stand and remove the small cake board from the top.
• Finally, pour sprinkles over the top of the cake and smooth them with your icing spatula until the entire top is level and covered in sprinkles. Be sure to press down slightly to make sure that they stick to the frosting.

How to stack a wedding cake

Stacking a wedding cake is a delicate process, but with the right tools and techniques, you can create a stable and elegant masterpiece. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to stack a wedding cake:

Prepare your tools and cake tiers:

Before you begin stacking, gather all the necessary tools and ensure your cake tiers are ready. You will need a sturdy cake drum, cake boards for each tier, wooden dowels, a serrated knife, a spatula, and a scraper. Make sure your cake tiers are baked, chilled, and sometimes frosted before stacking. Chilling the tiers is crucial to firm up the frosting and prevent slouching or collapse.

Insert dowels for stability:

Dowel each tier to provide stability and prevent collapse. Start by plunging a dowel into the centre of the bottom tier. You may need to trim the dowels with a serrated knife to the appropriate height. If your cake is particularly tall or heavy, consider using a central dowel that runs through the length of all the tiers for extra support.

Stack the tiers:

Now it's time to carefully stack the tiers. Position each tier directly on top of the other, ensuring perfect alignment with no wobbling or sliding. Take your time and handle the tiers gently to avoid any mishaps.

Pipe buttercream for a seamless finish:

Once all the tiers are stacked, pipe buttercream around the edges to seamlessly blend each layer. This step gives your cake a smooth and polished appearance.

Decorate and admire:

With the stacking complete, it's time to add the final touches. Decorate your cake with intricate and colourful details, fresh flowers, or ribbons. Step back and admire your creation. You've successfully stacked a wedding cake!

How to use ribbon to decorate a wedding cake

To decorate a wedding cake with ribbon, start by carefully cutting your lengths of ribbon to match the length of your cake, allowing extra length for draping. Secure the ribbon at the top of the cake using sugar paste, and drape it down, with the strand sitting on each layer. You can also make roses out of ribbon and attach them to the cake to add a special touch.

If you are using buttercream icing, you will need to make sure that you don't get any on the outside surface of the ribbon. You can do this by ironing waxed paper onto the back of the ribbon before applying it to the cake. Put the seam at the back and attach the ends with royal icing. You may need to cover that spot with a flower or other decoration.

To keep the ribbon close to the cake and looking even, hold it with a dressmaker's pin so it can be pulled straight. Once around the cake, use another pin to finish off. When the ribbon is stuck down, remove the pins and cut off the excess.

To finish the cake, stack the tiers and wrap a piece of ribbon around the bottom of each tier, securing it with a pearl-headed dressmaker's pin. Make sure you remove the pin before cutting and eating the cake.

How to use fresh flowers to decorate a wedding cake

If you want to decorate a wedding cake with fresh flowers, there are a few different methods you can use. One way is to use straws to insert the flower stems into the cake, which will avoid ruining the appearance of the buttercream icing and the structure of the layers. You can also use floral picks or stems wrapped in plastic wrap and then inserted into straws. If you don't want the flowers to touch the cake at all, you can place a frosting-covered board on top of the cake, adorn it with flowers, and then remove it when it's time to cut the cake.

When using straws or floral picks, it's important to keep the stems and straws short, especially if the flowers are small and light. Only poke them all the way into the cake if the flowers are very heavy. You can also tape the stems and wrap them in cellophane to create a corsage-like effect.

If you're using a lot of flowers, it's recommended to use a disc with oasis (provided by the florist) on top of the cake, with a small disc of wax paper around it to cover any petals that shouldn't touch the cake.

A cascading effect can be designed onto a three-tiered cake for a beautiful and glamorous look. Position the flowers down the sides in a cascading pattern to achieve an elegant, feminine look, using a range of different types of flowers.

Frequently asked questions