Caking in the Sun: My first attempt using fondant

I thought it was about time that I stop just watching and admiring Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes, but finally try to create a cake of my own using fondant. I was always weary of using fondant because it seems very complex and time consuming, but to my relief it was very simple!

My roommate and I decided to make a cake for my friend's birthday that looked like a gift. When we went to Michael's the only fondant they had was white, all the colors were sold out. Oh well, at least I had food coloring at home. I was hoping to create a colorful package with ribbon, but due to time constraints was only able to color the ribbon.

When using fondant you have to be very careful that it doesn't dry out and become brittle because that can happen relatively quickly. I found it very helpful to put whatever fondant you are not using at the moment in a zip lock bag.

For the cake we used funfetti (we are still in college after all). Make sure the cake cools completely. Then clear a large area where you can roll out the fondant. Lay down wax paper and sprinkle the area and the rolling pin with corn starch because the fondant can become very sticky. Once fondant is rolled flat, you can place it over the first layer of the cake. Tuck the fondant under the cake and to smooth out the edges, slit the fondant that is on the corner of the cake so it is easier to fold under.

To make the ribbon I had to dye the fondant pink. Wear gloves because this part gets pretty messy and it takes a while to fold in the coloring. I used about 4 drops of the red dye to get it the shade I wanted. To make the ribbon, roll out the fondant so it is flat, cut strips (using a knife or special fondant cutter), and then fold the strips and lay them on their side to harden.