Cake Decorating Help - total novice!

Argh. So, DS birthday next week He has begged for a party but I haven't been able to sort it out.
He has also begged for a Lightening McQueen Cake. So I have decided, I need to do that, if nothing else!
I found a few tutorials for how to carve one in terms of shape etc but, fondant?????

Where can I buy it? Is fondant the same is that orchard icing? Can I make my own?
How do i make it look smoothly moulded? My last attempt with that orchard stuff was so creased and cracked and awful.
What about colouring the icing? Where can I get gel colour (instead of food dye). I am leaving it so late to plan.
If all else fails i am going to fergusson plarre and getting a picture cake with him on it, but i do love baking and i want to give it a shot.

Any tips, ideas, physical help and instruction (lol) appreciated!
Thanks x

fondant is easy once you have your first go...do you have a cake supply shop close by? you can buy it ready made from them and its great...I prefer Bakels.

you need a good crumb coat on the cake after you have carved it either buttercream or ganache, get that smooth and your fondant should be smooth too. you get the gels from the cake shops too. Its hard to get a good red yourself but you can buy ready coloured fondant too.

Id do a mud cake it would hold up better for a car shape. dont roll the fondant too thin.

If you want recipes or anything just ask. Shaped cakes are my favourite, I just made my nephew a nemo cake for his 2nd birthday and it was so much fun :D

You can buy fondant at supermarket, in white, or at cake decorating shops in pretty much any standard colour. I wouldn't try making it yourself, I've not seen one cake recipe that didn't refer to it as "store-bought" or similar. From what I've seen, your best bet to colour white fondant is to jab a skewer with food colouring into it, knead, add more, knead, add more, etc. though if you can I'd recommend buying it pre-coloured.

Gel colour, same deal. Cake decorating shop, maybe supermarket. It depends whether you mean the writing gel or the actual gel colouring (if that makes sense). Writing gel is everywhere, as you probably know :)

I can't remember exactly where you live, but there's a great cake decorating shop opposite Greensborough Plaza, Sarah's Cakes or something like that. I just bought the majority of the prep stuff for Amelia's cake there. They had buckets of fondant in a heap of colours, as well as buttercream. With a shaped cake like Lightning McQueen, I'd do buttercream instead of fondant, but that's just me. I'm a bit of a beginner and I'm scared of fondant :lol: I've just read a lot of books so I can get Amelia's cake as perfect as possible myself :p

ETA: I just remembered, apparently you're supposed to have a thin coat of jam or something to help stick fondant to the cake, and try not to have any gaps since it can dry the cake out. HTH.

Planet Cake Ganache is great for a crumb coating. Don't bother making your own fondant. The less stress when attempting something new the better! Buttercream might be an easier option if you are unsure.

Fondant - best tasting white Choc (cake art have a white Choc but it can be expensive) or bakels I buy on bulk.

Don't attempt to colour red it takes a lot of time and effort it can be done but buy it in a roll.

You will need tools - a smoother - its almost looks like a trowel but with the handle over the flat part or planet cake use plastic (like the front cover of a display book with all the plastic pockets inside) cut down to a hand held size.

Sugar syrup ( 1 part sugar to 2 parts water) to make fondant stick)

Crumb coat yes

If you can wait 2 days go to cakesaroundtown online and have everything delivered. It's fast delivery I'm in Vic and get it in 2 days :)


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Oh if you are really insistent on making fondant make marshmellow fondant - it's easiest and nicest tasting homemade variety. I attempted white Choc at home - NEVER AGAIN lol

Google mmf and plenty of recipes will come up.




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You can buy printed icing cake decorations on ebay. Lightning mcqueen is readily available.

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I thought about buttercream - but i cant find any examples to look at. Would it be piping the whole cake? I tried to buttercream an Iggle Piggle cake two yeards ago and it wasn't my friend, it looked like a crumb coat but i did it the night before with no research and just for fun.
I wonder if i just made a round cake with race track over it and put his cars on it... easy way out? LOL. I could do cupcakes with stick ons etc as well.
His birthday has crept up so fast and i forgot about everything :(
Im not sure where cake shop would be over here - Im in werribee area if you happen to know? Or ill be heading to south wharf costco on the weekend so already driving if there is anything else this side of town?

Suzie Q in Niddrie is ment to be great a friend swears by them and has done courses there.

If all too hard you can get the edible pics and stick on cake, or get those picture rings that are plastic and often on donuts. Or order 1 from Fergus plairre they do awesome cakes we got a buzz light year cake from there last year for DS1.

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Or order 1 from Fergus plairre they do awesome cakes we got a buzz light year cake from there last year for DS1.

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I LOVE FP but I wasnt sure if they would do character cakes or if they just do the edible picture on top.
I might give them a call and save experimentation for when i am feeling more healthy

Yes give them a call or look on website! I ordered Buzz online and you just nominate store you want to pick up from and they call you next day to confirm order.

Hun I'm in werribee too - spotlight is your best bet they have a few things like americolours and sometimes fondant but it's a rip off $20 for half a kilo.

Look I'm going to the cake shop in 15 mins - pm me what you want Its in the city and I can pick it up for you.

When's the bday???


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Or try borgs in altona!!!!! Harrington square :)


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Check out Wilton lightning McQueen cake Tin then hire from borgs is also a great idea - its very easy I can help you if you need


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D ^ The more I think about it, I am almost certain I have met you before. I think you must have come in for a tour of the centre I work at :)

His birthday is on Thursday. Thank you for the offer, sorry I missed it! I have no idea what I need yet. I will keep searching today and decide tomorrow.
Thanks for all your help! x

Me?!? How are you going with the cake?


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I gave up! I went to Suzie Q on the way home the other day and it closed about 15 mins beforehand, totally bummed!
Next year it is ;)