Icing tips please!

[Queenie]

I'm making the cake for Fred's baptism, and I've hit a bit of a speedbump. I've made a little font from sugarpaste for the top, and I think I can do an adequate job of the lettering, but covering the wretched cake with icing is defeating me. I've made three practice cakes so far and not one has been up to scratch.
I'm using ready to roll icing, with a buttercream coating underneath to make it stick. The cake is 12" square, so fairly large. Can anyone give me any tips please? My attempts so far have had a very dull finish and i haven't been able to get the sides properly smooth, and the icing tears when I lift it and generally it's just a mess! I'd be willing to try royal icing, but wouldn't that be even more difficult?

[lucypede]

If it tears when you lift it, it could be a fraction too thin for a too large a cake. have you any more fondant to add to it? If its a large piece I find it needs to be reasonably thick.

As for making it smooth, you can either roll it between two layers of clingfilm, or when its on the cake, take a ball of fondant and smooth it over and over to buff it smooth, your palms work well too.

Another way is to use silicon/parchment paper and a glass tumbler to rub the edges smooth.

[RealGoneKid]

I agree with lucypede, I think you're rolling your icing too thinly her smoothing tips are great too You can buy a cake smoother if you want to try that. Have you tried refrigerating your buttercreamed cake for a few minutes before icing it?

[Queenie]

Thanks .to both of you. I have two smoother thingies, but I think I might get on better with something else so I'll try the blob of icing. MrQ helpfully suggested that it couldn't be any more difficult than polishing concrete (and apparently the tools look quite similar). I'd make him do it, but I'd be too scared that he actually might make a really good job of it!
I've got about a ton of fondant, so I'll try rolling it thicker, and chilling the cake first. The kids are asking for a different flavour this time, because they got fed up of stealing Madiera cake. I'll probably try a choc and vanilla swirl cake, but I'm tempted to put sprouts in to teach them not to be so cheeky!

[Damsella]

When our family friend iced our wedding cake she used the palm of her hand to smooth it, and it worked really well.

[jobey]

I did a post somewhere else which i've just copied and pasted onto a new thread in the Food and drink forum so you can see (it's a bit long to post into your thread!!!).
Linky here in case it helps!
http://www.damsels.org/forum/showthr...84#post3402584

I think icing a cake really is a skill you learn, i don't find it easy to get perfect either!