cake decorating questions advice please...

Is there any reason why I could not cover a chocolate cake ( a dense mud cake type) with almond marzipan to get a good base instead of crumb coat butter cream and then cover with fondant ? ? . Reason being she wants chocolate cake but likes nice clean lines - slightly rounded as with fondant is ok is just got to be straight -and the top will be fiddly and I need it super flat so I would get a better result with this method I think - its not a formal cake and I can't do royal icing yet like a christmas cake ! !

I know that fruit cakes are usually marzipan and royal ice but can they be covered in fondant ? ? Is there a reason why fruit cake is done that wayor is it just tradition ? ?

Also icing run outs - why do mine stick to the paper ? ? I have used glad greaseproof on the shiny side and even lightly oiled with spray rubbed in before doing the runout.

Also is it possible to do runouts but with lolly ? ? Do I use candy melts ? ? I tried toffee but its too hot and melts the icing lines, then sets to quickly and gets more caramel the longer I keep it heated. I imagine it would be difficult to cut unless very thin.

A lolly question - can I use gel colouring or is it best to use the water based supermarket colours ? ? Some colours tend to dissapear after a while if the toffee is coloured and painting it I have not tried and not sure which type of colour to use.

I think thats enough for now. I hope some of you experts can advise me.

nikki38 wrote:

Also icing run outs - why do mine stick to the paper ? ? I have used glad greaseproof on the shiny side and even lightly oiled with spray rubbed in before doing the runout.

Try baking paper, it's great for all sorts of things. Might be worth a try.

Try wax paper for your run outs

I thought I was ! ! I might have to invest in a silicone sheet - but I need a semi transparent one at least so I can trace.

regarding your first part ofyour message (I think) when we got married 4 years ago our wedding cake was 3 tiered. The top and bottom ones were fruit cake with the usual almond and white icings and the middle cake was a chocolate mud cake which was iced exactly the same (maybe not the almond layer) but it looked identical from the outside as the other 2 layers. It was perfect. it was made and iced by Decor Cakes in Otahuhu Auckland. I can't tell you anything further about icing though sorry.

Hi there, should'nt be any reson why you can't use marzipan. I am pretty sure it is just tradition for fruit cakes.
As for your runouts you could try doing sugar runouts (Sugar water- toffee) but run it out onto a stainless bench, very lightly oiled! these will then just lift straight off the bench once cooled! Working with caramel can be difficult but once you get the hang of it there is so much you can do with it, even make toffee springs (Done by wrapping threads of caramel around a sharpening steel, temperature has to be just right.
Once runouts are done store in between sheets of greaseproof and store carefully in a airtight container in a cool dry place.
I made 2 wedding cakes for my wedding, one traditional fruitcake and one chocolate cake with all the trimmings.
Good luck