How to make a wedding cake: a sneak peek under the icing

A perfectly smooth, fondant covered cake is the base of most cakes, especially wedding cakes, and this isn't quite as easy as it looks. Wacking fondant over a lumpy, bumpy, lopsided cake won't give you a perfect finish, in fact the cake may even look worse than when you started!

So; how do I cover a cake with fondant icing and get a smooth, even finish?

To stand a chance of flawless finish you need a good base, which means a smooth cake underneath. Measure and level off your cake tiers so that they have sharp, clean edges and so they are all the same height (using spirit level and carpenter's square if you're being ultra precise). Then, using a cranked pallet knife, cover your cakes with a chocolate ganache or a buttercream (flavoured if you like). Smooth, chill and repeat until you have a perfect base for your fondant icing.

There are loads of tutorials and videos online that show how to do this... and hopefully soon I'll have time to film my technique to share with you! Until then, give it a go. With a little practice, your fondant covered cakes will look a lot better.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch cakes@frizellecakes.com

Frizelle Cakes is based in Chichester, West Sussex and delivers throughout Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey. www.Frizellecakes.com