Fruit filling in fondant covered cake

[zaco]

Hi! I'm an aspiring cake artist and decided to offer some free cakes to people so I could build my portfolio without having to eat so much cake...or stuff my friends.
Well I have a cool request from a guy who wants a proposal cake for his girlfriend. He wants a vanilla cake with lemon raspberry filling. The thing is, I generally like to make cakes covered in fondant, which I know shouldn't be stored in the fridge...but I feel like a fruit filling might go bad if its not refrigerated. I'm only planning on making this cake a day before its going to be eaten...but will I have a problem?
This is a free cake so it's not like he could really complain, but I really want to give him the best product I can.

 

[Selkie]

Fruit or very sweet fillings, whether used in a cake or a pie will not go moldy in just 24 hours, or even 48 hours. Good luck in your enterprise!

 

[LPBeier]

I have made cakes with lemon and raspberry, as well as many other types of filling. I imagine that you refrigerate or freeze your cakes once the buttercream layer is on before your use your fondant. This seals the filling into the cake and once the fondant is on the cake and filling are virtually airtight. I agree with Selkie, though I wouldn't go much beyond those times.

Another trick, which you probably know, is to pipe a dam of butter cream around the edge of the cake layer before adding the filling, and filling up to this "dam". It keeps any filling from oozing out (when you refrigerate before fondanting). Also, you can pipe the dam as high as you want the filling giving a wonderful guide!

I would love to see your work.

 

[zaco]

Thanks for the replies! I'm really excited to try this fruit filling now. It won't be eaten till next Saturday so I won't start making till Thursday, but I'll let you know how it turns out.

One more question. I know plenty of people have white cakes with fruit fillings, but I just can't stop picturing the fruit from absorbing into the cake and making it mushy and pink. Am I just being paranoid?

Oh and LPB, you can check out my new blog here ZacO Cakes
Working on another cake now and posting more older cakes when I have the time.

 

[LPBeier]

Thanks, Zaco, I will take a look at your pictures as soon as I have a chance. If you want to see more of my work I have some pictures on my profile in an album.

Anyway, here are three pictures that may help allay your fears about the filling. This was an extravagant cake I did for a young couple last year. The small cakes were 3 inch circles, the top ones were lemon and the bottom ones were banana. We decided to go with a different look so there was no fondant or buttercream on the sides of the cakes so the layers would show, and a large swirl was added to the top with a gum paste rose. The lemon layers were a very moist cake and light in colour. They were filled with a raspberry filling on top and lemon on the bottom. Because of the open look we had to be very careful about leakage and drips. They aren't perfect, but there was absolutely no staining of the cake by the filling. The small fondant cake was for cutting. By the way, there was 60 of each!

Hope that helps answer your question.

 

[zaco]

Great! I'm feeling much better now.

That sunflower wedding cake looks really impressive!

 

[LPBeier]

Thanks, I am not sure if I will be repeating it any time soon, but it was fun!

Your cakes are good and for the record, I like your Easter Basket. I am a big fan of Pink Cake Box and know theirs well. I love their helicopter and dogs!

One tip from your Glee cake - for fondant colours like red and black, I just order the pre-coloured fondant (I like Satin Ice brand best for colour and texture). I have also died chocolate fondant black and pink fondant red with a certain amount of luck.

It is great to see yet another cake fanatic. I trained in culinary and still cater but soon found my fondness for fondant.

 

[babetoo]

Thanks for the replies! I'm really excited to try this fruit filling now. It won't be eaten till next Saturday so I won't start making till Thursday, but I'll let you know how it turns out.

One more question. I know plenty of people have white cakes with fruit fillings, but I just can't stop picturing the fruit from absorbing into the cake and making it mushy and pink. Am I just being paranoid?

Oh and LPB, you can check out my new blog here ZacO Cakes
Working on another cake now and posting more older cakes when I have the time.

it was amazing to see the improvement in your fondant. beautiful cakes. i think you are on to something.

 

[zaco]

it was amazing to see the improvement in your fondant. beautiful cakes. i think you are on to something.

thanks for the compliments!
I actually just had the best news ever today. Heard back from a very "Ace of Cakes" type place here in Montreal that is interested in giving me an internship leading to a job. Basically a dream come true. It doesn't start until July but that's cool cause it gives me the chance to finish up my degree and then live with my Mom for a couple months where I can sell some cakes.

Oh and thanks for the suggestion about the satin ice. I actually was going to try making some chocolate MMF this weekend and use brown dye to get a real dark brown. Where can you buy satin ice? I LOVE lime green/black/white combo and bring blue/black/white combo, but since I can't make a good black I can't enjoy those beautiful colors...so sad.

 

[LPBeier]

Congrats on the job. If you were a little closer I would hire you as I have orders but am a little under the weather these days. Have some artists in training though doing a great job.

I forgot you are a fellow Canuck! I order most of my supplies from Golda's Kitchen. Their prices are not bad and you will pay a lot less shipping than me! Montreal probably has supply outlets as we do here, but I get better selection and service from Golda's.

Oh, I will have to show you my black fondant with green accent wedding cake when I can get a decent picture from the bride. Quite fun actually. I have used the black fondant often to alter other shades with both good and bad results. You can't go wrong with Satin Ice and it is moderately priced (and in different sizes).

 

[zaco]

Ah decorating supplies are so expensive! I actually have not found any stores in Montreal, I get all my tools when I'm in Maine visiting family. There's a store that always has a 40% coupon per visit, so if I need a big ticket item I always go there. Definitely need to make a little investment, I just spent 40 minutes browsing Golda's site. Who knew there was a cutout for a gum paste shoe? That suddenly seems much easier now lol.

Really glad I found this site, it's nice to talk with other people who share the same interest. I'm looking forward to seeing your wedding cake...sounds like fun!

 

[LPBeier]

Who knew there was a cutout for a gum paste shoe?

Oh, the cutters are just a piece of the pie when it comes to their stock! Wait until you want to get an 8 inch square pan and find that you have 10 to choose from. For cutters, I buy ones that I really need, mainly floral but I also do much of that freehand if I can, I look for interesting cookie cutters in dollar stores, etc. Or after season sales - I got 75 Christmas cutters of various sizes for $5.00 a few years ago and have used many of them!

 

[zaco]

Damn that is a good deal! I seriously need to expand my collection.

Quick recipe question: I just made a white cake last night and it turned out awesome! Just wondering if I can simply make it a lemon cake but substituting the vanilla with lemon extract in a 1:1 ratio.