Game Changer: Covering Cake Boards

I am on a roll this month. First there was the "piece of cake" experiment, just for fun. Then I made a heart-themed cake, because I was feeling inspired. And just when I thought I was done scratching the itch, I was called on to make the cake for a "polka dot" themed birthday party.

A bit of poor planning led me to my latest trick, and one that I'm very excited about at that - a snappy new way to cover a cake board, without using fondant!

It all came about because I had failed to procure a foil covered board. Without a firm plan in place, I wound up constructing and decorating my entire cake on a flimsy, and by now, grease-stained cardboard cake circle, which I didn't even trim.

This is what I had to work with

As you can see, the cake had sugar paste polka dots lining the bottom edge, which meant covering the board with fondant after completing the cake would be somewhat troublesome.

The idea came to me at the 11th hour. I had stopped at Michael's to pick up a scalloped cake plate to at least fortify the base of the cake. But just feet away, in the scrapbooking section, lay the solution to my shabby cake board conundrum.

I picked up four sheets of scrapbook paper in the colours to match my polka dots, and took them home to see what I could whip up.

I didn't take any pictures of this process - it was late and speed was of the essence. Basically, I positioned the cake, on its board, over the scrapbook paper, making sure one edge of the paper lined up with the cake, and would reach under the cake a little. Then I traced out the shape of the cake board and cut the paper to size. Repeat 3 more times, and you end up with 4 (sort of) semi-circles which I then gently slipped under my cake. The picture below will give you an idea of what I mean.

Close-up 

A little piping gel will hold the paper in place (tape would work just fine as well, but considering that I'm already using scrapbook paper here, I went with the more food safe option.)

For a round cake on a round board, I'd trace the entire circle, and then cut out another circle from inside, slightly smaller than the cake, to create a ring - and then wrap that around the cake and gently tuck under it.

There you have it! Never fuss with covering a cake board with fondant again.

Now here are a few more pictures of this cake in progress:

Pink and aqua cake to go with the the pink, aqua and red color scheme

"Polka dots" in the cake to go with the polka dot theme

Polka dot production in progress (I didn't end up needing the green)

Process of polka dot placement

Bunting made from the leftover scrapbook paper, a little twine, and two coffee stirrers

My favorite part of making cakes.