Rolled icing help!

Faith

I've promised to make a birthday cake for a friend next week, and she wants one covered with rolled icing. I've never done this before, and was hoping someone could point me to a good tutorial on the internet? It doesn't need to be decorated, I just maybe need to dye the icing a more interesting colour than white. Thanks!

Magic Monkey

There's an excellent tutorial here. Coloured pastes, as opposed to liquids or powders, are best when colouring rolled fondant. You don't have to use apricot jam as per the video, anything that goes with the cake's flavour will work, e.g. smooth orange marmalade, cherry, etc.

The most important steps when decorating are rolling the fondant out evenly, avoiding flaps by smoothing out the top half, flapping out the fondant then smoothing the bottom half and rotating (it's best to elevate the cake on something, but not too high or the fondant can pull downwards and tear), and the final smoothing action - instead of icing smoothers, you can imitate this with impeccably clean cupped hands lightly dusted with icing sugar.

Acoshla

That's one of the best tutorials around. You can use buttercream or chocolate ganache too instead of jam etc. Don't over-knead the icing or it will dry out and tear/crack, just do the bare minimum to mix in the colour and soften the icing.

If you do get small cracks in it when you cover the cake there is a tip that if you rub another little ball of the icing against it it can get rid of the cracks, it does work on very small ones alright, handy tip if you get a little one in an obvious spot on the cake.

Faith

Thanks a million guys. I don't have time to practice one first, but my friend knows I've never done it before, and I'm sure she'll be delighted with any effort I make. Looking forward to trying it now!

Can I get the icing in Tesco? And should I go to a more specialised store for the colouring, or is that in Tesco too?

Magic Monkey

You can get the icing in Tesco, it's in the baking aisle under "Read to Roll Icing." Tesco only sell the liquid colourings. If you can get the colouring pastes in a specialised store, perfect, otherwise you could make a paste with some liquid colouring and icing sugar before mixing it into the icing.

Acoshla

Don't get Tesco own brand, get Dr. Oetker or Shamrock, I find the Tesco icing to be poor quality and when it's your first go you're better off having good quality on your side.

DreamC

I would not agree about a poor quality of the Tesco own brand icing. I prefer it to all others, use it everywhere in my cakes. It tastes all right too. I never buy Shamrock, imho their quality is not worth the money they charge for it.

Acoshla

I don't buy Shamrock either, but I know it's one of the brands Tesco stocks so I suggested it, I personally found Tesco icing to not be as good as the one I use but that's just me.

Faith

Right, another question. The friend wants a sponge cake with jam and cream in the middle, but covered with icing. I'm not sure that cream will work in this way? Is there anything I can do to make it work, or will it be fine? She hates buttercream so that's out of the question.

Magic Monkey

Use whipped cream, but ideally sandwich it and ice it on the day. If not, do it the night before and refrigerate it. Won't be ideal, but it will work. Here's another guide that'll give you some help with doing the jam/cream layer. There are many kinds of buttercream, boiled buttercream for instance has a very light texture and the mouthfeel is similar to whipped cream, plus it's more stable than freshly whipped cream. And your friend doesn't have to know

DreamC

The use of fresh cream is not recommended in the decorated cakes as the fresh cream filling cannot stay out of the fridge for more than 30 minutes. And fresh cream is regarded as a high risk ingredient as the consequences of food poisoning with it may be very serious. Also when rolled icing comes into a contact with fresh cream for any prolonged time it would melt. I would agree with Magic Monkey and recommend to use any kind of buttercream or ganache instead.

Faith

Thanks for the help everyone! It wasn't exactly professional looking, but my friend was delighted with it. I went with lemon curd for the filling, as it was the easiest option and she'd mentioned she likes it.

washiskin

Spadina wrote: »

I don't buy Shamrock either, but I know it's one of the brands Tesco stocks so I suggested it, I personally found Tesco icing to not be as good as the one I use but that's just me.

Have to agree with you there Spadina - I find it too soft and breaks too easily when laying on the cakes. It IS however, easier to get a colour into.

BTW, Decobake are back in the shop again in Clane and have a special of Renshaws Brilliant White at €11 for 5 kilos.
They also have a nice selection of pastes and powders and are really keen for Wedding cake toppers if a little short on choice. The staff are really nice to call into as well.