Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi, just viewed the Birdcage Cake tutorial – when Paul says he uses half Regalice and halft Satin Ice, does he mean the Stain Ice fondant or gumpaste. I understand it’s qute difficult preventing the fondant from tearing when you put it on, so was wondering if adding some gum paste/florist paste or some cmc would help. Has anyone tried doing this? Thanks.

Hi PennyR

I think Paul means Satin ice fondant mixed in with the regal ice. Satin ice fondant has gum tragacanth as one of it’s ingredients and is sturdier than regal ice. I’ve added gum trag to Renshaw’s just enough to make it manageable, if you add too much you’ll end up with gumpaste. So yes you can add strengtheners with caution

Thanks for that – how much Gum Trag approx would you add to 1 Kg of fondant, do you think? Thanks.

I’ve added a teaspoon to 1kg, and it was fine.

That’s about how much I used but go gingerly and see how your sugar paste strengthens. Gum trag is stronger than tylose and CMC , so you may not need as much. Let the sugarpaste rest and strengthen before using.

Thanks a lot, guys – anything to stop fondant tearing and cracking! x

Hi, I am going to be doing a birdcage cake and watching Paul’s video he touches briefly on dowelling. I have 2 x 6″ cakes, which are set on cake cards and a shaped cake for the top, also set on a cake card. Not sure whether to dowel just the bottom tier or if I should dowel both 6″ cakes. Any advice anyone?

Hi Susan

I would recommend dowelling the 6″ cakes too just to stop any movement. Better safe than sorry, you don’t want to know what happened to me! x

HI miwl, do you mean dowelling both cakes separately then putting a dowel through the centre of both to hold both tiers together? Oh, I would love to know what happened to you, it’s a learning curve as they say! lol

No, what I mean is have a card between each dowelled tier. Stupidly I didn’t do that even though Paul clearly says that’s what had to be done and the cake shifted. If you want to put a dowel right the way through you’d need to drill a hole in the separating card but you’d have to make sure the holes are perfectly centred. Hope I’ve understood you properly and this makes sense.

Yes, that’s what I’ve done. cakes are on cards and I’ve dowelled the bottom 2 tiers and then I’ve put a dowel through the 3 cakes from top to bottom. Hopefully that will hold it in place!

That will hold it! x

Yes, I think it will. Now for the hard bit – the fondant!!!

Well, strengthened up the Renshaw Duck Egg blue sugar paste and it worked a treat!! No tearing or elephant skin. Turned out well.

Great extra feed back Susan, so pleased for you, well done. As you say everything is a learning curve and my next one will be a better job. Luckily I made the cake for a friend so not a major disaster, just a bit embarrassing! xx

Thanks miwl, I was quite pleased with it. And, for the first time, I’ve actually posted a photo on Paul’s Fb page.

Unfortunately I can’t see it, I don’t have facebook and can’t see other members pictures or comments. I just about manage to drive my laptop everything else is way above my head! x

lol xx