Fondant covered torah cake-please help!

Senior Member Joined: May 07 2008 Posts: 215

I am hoping to make a torah shaped cake for ds birthday party- on sunday.

I want to make the cake part today and freeze. Already made 2 jelly rolls (although they have a hole down the centre bc didnt roll properly- its the first time I made it)

I made some marshmallow fondant for the first time yesterday and put in the fridge. How do I know if it will be enough? I used this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/marshmallow-fondant/Detail.aspx

when making I didn't use all the margarine...just what seemed good enough to grease my hands.

I'm so worried it wont work out. I want to cover it motzei shabbos. Do I need to take out the cakes before shabbos or can I do it on the frozen cake??

what can I use for the sticks/ends of the round sides??
can I cover the cake with jam to make the fondant stick??
do I need special equipment?

thanks for any answers!

Executive Member Joined: Aug 23 2009 Posts: 398

Good for you Smile

I've never heard of marshmallow fondant, but it sounds tastier than the regular kind. For regular fondant, you are supposed to "seal" the cake by melting some jam and brushing the cake with it (you can use a pastry brush). It is generally easier to jam or ice cakes when they are partially frozen, because they don't crumble as easily as a defrosted cake.

For sticks/ends, how about pretzel rods covered in chocolate? You could use the fondant, but it would droop. If you can't get pretzel rods you could do the same with breadsticks, just tell people not to eat them cuz they'd probably taste pretty yucky. Or you could use some kind of candy cane/stick. You may be able to get some in plain white, otherwise you'd have to be interested in a cute colored Torah.

You shouldn't need any special equipment--they make things for smoothing out the fondant, but you don't *need* them, it's just a nice thing to have. It can be smooth without the tool.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 24 2009 Posts: 1285

You need to put butter cream to seal in the crumbs n let it dry. When try u remove any sharp edges and roll out the fondant roll half over onto the rolling pin n roll over cake smooth the top and remove the bubbles then stretch other the sides. You can cut down extra with a pizza cutter.

For the stick how about dip a pretzel stick in chocolate.
_________________
G-d grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, encourage me to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.

Executive Member Joined: Aug 23 2009 Posts: 398

You can use butter cream icing or jam. Either is fine, according to the Wilton method, anyways. If you don't mind the fruity flavor addition to your cake, the jam is just easier since you don't have to make it.

Silver Member Joined: May 07 2009 Posts: 591

Yes. Coat the cake first with buttercream frosting which will act as a glue for the fondant to stick to the cake. Don't worry too much about crumbs getting into the icing when you ice it because (unless the cake is dark and your fondant is thin) you won't see them. I've made that exact MMF recipe a few times and I don't always use all of the margarine and it still comes out fine. (However, if it's too dry or not elastic enough, it may be that you needed the rest, but I've never had that problem with this recipe.) That recipe also makes a lot so it should be enough to cover two jelly rolls.

You don't need any special equipment to work with fondant. Just a rolling pin. Knead the fondant well with your hands to soften it before you try to roll it. Use a lot of confectioners sugar (or cornstarch) on your work surface and rolling pin to prevent it from sticking. It may take a few tries to roll it thin enough and be able to transfer it onto the cake (The thinner you roll it, the better your cake will taste, but if it's too thin, it will tear when you try to transfer it onto the cake.) Once on the cake, you need to smooth it out (you can use your hands) and cut off the excess at the bottom (you can use a knife).

There are a lot of tips out there for transfering the fondant onto your cake. I've always been able to just pick it up and transfer it, but one trick I read is to roll the fondant onto a piece of waxed or parchment paper and then wrap the whole thing over your rolling pin and then pick it up and unroll it onto your cake. The paper prevents the fondant from sticking to itself when you roll it up to transfer it.

I personally would defrost the cake before putting on the fondant. I'd be afraid that as it would defrost under the fondant, there would be moisture or condensation and the water will dissolve the fondant.

For the stick ends, you can use any food that has the right shape (a pretezel rod, a candy stick etc..) and cover it with icing and then fondant so that you can make it whatever color you want to match your cake.