Creating A Fondant Ruffle Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

Fondant ruffle wedding cakes are a contemporary trend in wedding cake design, combining wonderfully with lace and pearl accents to create a vintage aesthetic. Fondant frills come in many different styles, but it is the super frilly, delicate designs that are most popular with brides. This tutorial will show you how to make a fondant ruffle wedding cake, a technique that is perfect for beginners as it is very forgiving.

Choosing the right fondant

Type of Fondant

There are different types of fondant available, such as ready-to-use fondant, homemade fondant, and modelling/florist fondant. Ready-to-use fondant is a convenient option, while homemade fondant allows you to customise the flavour and consistency. Modelling or florist fondant is not recommended for ruffles as it may be too hard and difficult to work with.

Additives

To create the perfect consistency for ruffles, you may need to add CMC, Tylose, or gum paste to your fondant. These additives help to stiffen the fondant, making it easier to shape and ensuring it holds its form. However, adding too much can make the fondant hard and difficult to eat, so use sparingly.

Colour

When choosing the colour of your fondant, consider the overall design and theme of the wedding. You can create a monochromatic look with different shades of the same colour or use multiple colours for a vibrant effect. Remember to prepare your colours in advance to allow the gelatin to set and reduce stickiness.

Thickness

The key to delicate-looking ruffles is to roll the fondant thinly. Aim for a thickness of around 1mm; this will give your ruffles a light and airy appearance. However, be careful not to make it too thin, as it may become unmanageable.

Tools

Having the right tools will make creating ruffles much easier. You will need a circle cutter or piping tip to cut out the fondant circles, a ball tool or small rolling pin to thin the edges, and a foam pad to support the fondant while you work. Additionally, a ribbon cutter is recommended for cutting strips of fondant, but a pastry wheel and ruler can also be used.

Practice

Finally, remember that practice makes perfect! Fondant ruffles can be time-consuming and require patience. Don't be discouraged if your first attempts don't turn out perfectly. With practice, you will develop the technique and create beautiful fondant ruffle wedding cakes.

Cutting the fondant into strips or shapes

Before you begin cutting, it's important to roll out the fondant thinly. The recommended thickness is around 1mm, as this gives the ruffles a delicate appearance. If your fondant is too soft, you can mix in a small amount of gumpaste or tylose powder to make it firmer and easier to handle.

Now, let's talk about the cutting process:

• Strips: Roll out the fondant into a long strip. The recommended width is around 1.5 inches, but you can adjust it according to your preferred design. You can use a pizza wheel, pastry wheel, or a fondant ribbon cutter for this step. Remember, the strips don't need to be long enough to go all the way around the cake. In fact, it's easier to handle shorter strips when creating the ruffles.
• Shapes: You can create different shapes for your ruffles, such as circles, squares, or petals. Use fondant cutters or the back of a large piping tip to cut out your desired shape. For circles, a 1.5-inch cutter is commonly used. Cover the cut-out shapes with plastic wrap or place them in a single layer inside a plastic zip-top bag to prevent drying out.

It's important to work with clean edges when cutting the fondant. Use sharp tools like a pizza wheel or a sharp cutter to avoid shaggy edges, which can give an untidy look to your ruffles.

Once you've cut your strips or shapes, you can move on to the next step of creating the ruffles by thinning and shaping the fondant pieces. Remember, the beauty of this technique is that every ruffle will be uniquely different, so don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with it!

Attaching the ruffles to the cake

Attaching the ruffles to your fondant cake is a delicate process but is quite straightforward. It is recommended to cover the cake in fondant and let it air dry before you attach the ruffles. This helps the fondant set around the cake so you can press the ruffles on more firmly, and they won't fall off.

To attach the ruffles, start at the top of the cake (if the ruffles are pointing up) and paint some sugar glue onto the cake. Pick up your ruffled ribbons and begin to attach them to the cake, leaving the ruffled edge free and gluing the remaining flat part of the ribbon to the cake. Press it on firmly in small sections, and you can even add tiny pleats to give it more dimension.

Continue all the way around, adding extra pieces of ribbon as needed. You can hide any seams by pinching the top of the ruffle together. Move down about half an inch below the first ruffle and repeat the steps, overlapping the first layer of ruffles.

If your fondant is too soft, you can use toothpicks to hold the ruffles up until they dry. You can let them dry for a few hours or overnight, and then when you remove the toothpicks, the ruffles will sag a little, covering the holes.

Attaching the ruffles to your fondant cake is a time-consuming process, but the effect is well worth it!

Cake covering and layering techniques

Before you start adding ruffles to your fondant wedding cake, you need to cover the cake in fondant and let it air dry. This will ensure that the fondant sets around the cake, so you can press the ruffles onto it firmly without them falling off. It is recommended to leave the cake overnight to dry.

When it comes to the fondant ruffles, there are different ways to add them to get different styles. You can cut strips of fondant, thin them out, and attach them to the cake. You can also cut circles, thin the edges, pinch them to create a ruffle, and attach them to the cake. This can also be done with petals or squares.

For each technique, you will need around 350 separate shapes, which are folded into the ruffle and pushed onto the side of the cake. The thinner the fondant, the more delicate the ruffles will look. You can use a rolling pin to roll the fondant out to around 1mm in thickness, which is thin enough to be delicate but not too thin to be unmanageable. If your fondant is too soft, you can mix in a small amount of gumpaste or tylose powder to make it firmer and easier to work with.

When attaching the ruffles to the cake, start at the top and work your way down. Paint some sugar glue onto the cake, then attach the ruffled ribbons, leaving the ruffled edge free and gluing the flat part to the cake. Press the ruffles on firmly in small sections, adding tiny pleats to give them more dimension. Continue adding ruffles all the way around the cake, adding extra pieces as needed.

If your fondant becomes too soft and the ruffles won't hold their shape, you can use toothpicks to hold them up until they dry. You can let them dry for a few hours or overnight, and then remove the toothpicks. The ruffles will sag a little, covering the holes, or you can use tiny dots of buttercream to cover them.

Finishing touches and decorations

Now that you have created your fondant ruffles, it is time to add some final touches and decorations to your wedding cake. Here are some ideas and instructions to help you achieve a beautiful and elegant finish:

• Lace and Pearl Accents: Combine fondant frills with delicate lace and pearl accents to create a vintage-style design. This can be done by using edible lace moulds or stencils to create lace patterns on your fondant and adding small pearl dragees or nonpareils as accents.
• Flowers: Peony roses are a popular choice for decorators when it comes to accessorising fondant frills. You can create sugar or cold porcelain peony roses in advance and then attach them to your cake using edible glue. Other flower options include sugar blossoms, sugar peonies, and ruffled sugar flowers with pearl centres.
• Colour Options: Fondant ruffles can be made in a variety of colours to match your wedding theme. For a soft and romantic look, consider using pastel colours such as peach, pink, and blue. For a more unique and modern look, try an ombre effect with gentle shades of blue-grey.
• Tiered Cake: If you are creating a tiered wedding cake, you can place dowels in the centre of the cake to support the additional tiers. Cover each tier with fondant ruffles, ensuring that the ruffles are evenly spaced and aligned across all tiers.
• Additional Details: To enhance the overall design of your cake, consider adding an asymmetrical floral sash, lace piping, or a ruffled offset peony. These details can be created using fondant, gum paste, or sugar paste and can be attached to the cake using sugar glue or edible glue.
• Presentation: Display your finished wedding cake on a cake stand or pedestal that complements the overall style of your cake. Add some fresh flowers or greenery around the base of the cake for a romantic and elegant touch.

Remember to plan your design in advance and allow yourself enough time to create the fondant ruffles and add the finishing touches. With careful planning and attention to detail, you can create a stunning and memorable wedding cake that will impress your guests.

Frequently asked questions