Bumble Bee Cake

Wow! Cake Boss really better watch his back because Mrs. Rooster and I are becoming some cake decorating professionals! Our first cake was the zebra cake {HERE} and since then, we have made two more fondant icing cakes.  I know this one was only our third, but damn, it sure was snazzy!  We are definitely  learning as we go and we learn something new each time … I am pretty sure the next one will be 100% perfect, this one was about 80%.  Here is the Bumble Bee Cake and then the rest of the post is pretty picture heavy with some tips on fondant.  I will be showing off the party in a few days after I sort through the pics.

Fondant Recipe:  Makes 3 lbs (Covers about one layer of cake.)

1 c light corn syrup

1 cup shortening

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract (leave out when leaving fondant white)

2 pounds confectioners sugar

corn starch for dusting the counter-tops

Mix corn syrup, shortening, salt and vanilla.  Gradually mix in confectioners sugar.  Start mixing with spoon and then you will eventually need to use your hands.

We used Wilton food coloring for our colors.  They seem to be the best.  Even for the black.  Mix in coloring in with the wet ingredients.  Be sure to cover your counter-top with some type of protection, such as was paper.  The food coloring WILL tint your counter-tops.

Add “dirty icing” to the cake before fondant.  Let cake cool, add icing, place in refrigerator, and then knock off any pointy pieces of icing that might be sticking out.

The fondant will look like this in the bowl after mixing.

 

Make your fondant into a block as pictured above and dust the counter-top with the cornstarch.  What worked best for us, was rolling the fondant out ONE time.  If you keep balling it up and adding cornstarch, then the consistency changes each time; thus making the fondant more “dry” and dry leads to cracks. {{We didn’t realize this on our first two cakes, and everything kept cracking and tearing.}}

We invested in the big mamma jamma rolling pin that is sold in the cake decorating aisle. (Use a coupon!)  A MUST! It was such a lifesaver; we were able to get the icing one single thickness.  And it allowed us to roll out the icing one time … and one time only.  I don’t have a picture- But with the big rolling pin you can roll the icing onto the rolling pin to drape it over the cake.   This helps the big piece of fondant not to tear.  

We cut out the circles and stripes way to far in advance, thus making the fondant crack.  While not using fondant, place in the refrigerator “balled up” and cover.  Fondant works best when it is at room temperature.  There wasn’t a “trick” to adhering the fondant shapes to the layer of fondant.  The shapes adhered pretty well since both pieces of fondant where at room temperature.

All done!  Super fabulous cake!  Mrs. Rooster picked up the bumble bee topper at HL for $2!

Here is the tu (Okay, UT, yes, I am a Fightin’ Texas Aggie!) cake that Mrs. Rooster needed to whip up for the schools cake walk.  I felt like we did an awesome job on this cake, especially since it was the second one.  See how the fondant kind of tore at the bottom … that’s because we didn’t have the big ‘ol rolling pin.

Let me know if you have an questions! I will try to help you in any way possible.