Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi all

Im quite new to cake decorating and am making my first wedding cake for my best friend in September.

I am making a 3 tier round stacked cake. I want to put a swag going from top to bottom slightly curving round towards the centre of the bottom tier with roses on each tier (again going slightly from top left to middle of bottom).

Can anyone point me in the right direction to see a tutorial or video of how to make a swag that goes down the side of the cake. When i try to google it they all seem to go round the cake. Also would you use just fondant or a mixture of fondant and modelling paste.

Thanks for any help

There is a wonderful paste for swags and drapes called sugar silk paste by Marcela Sanchez but it has disappeared from the celcrafts site.  I have written to them to ask what has happened to it.

Sedona wedding cakes. com have a gallery of wedding cakes with swags. These are just pictures but they may give you an idea of how to make your swags/drapes. The picture E 24 sounds like your description. When I made swags I practiced first on a dummy cake until I was happy with the look I had in my head. I also used half fondant and half gumpaste and rolled out with a textured (fabric) rolling pin. Using pure gumpaste  would make the swags too brittle so it is better to use half and half. I hope this helps, I’m sorry I can’t offer a tutorial site. Oh, just a thought, have you tried Cake Central?

Hi  go to www.monkeysee videos or Ann Pickard has a video you can buy  good luck

Thanks all. Will definately have to practice. Just seen some cakes where it drapes all down the side of the cake and love the look. Thinking of cutting a rectangle and attaching at the top with royal icing then just try to make folds so it looks like a drape. Hoping it won’t be too heavy and stretch. Will have a go with fondant and fondant with modelling paste to see if it works

Thanks madeitwithlove what a fab site. E24 is close to what I’m thinking thanks. Have just bought some cake dummies but not sure how to use. Do you cover them with fondant? If yes how do you “stick” it to the dummy. Sorry for all the questions but just started cake decoratingAnne have got hooked. Really enjoying trying different things

My advice is do not use just fondant.  It will tear with the weight and you cannot get it thin enough to look nice.  I think texturing the paste and maybe putting lustre powder on is essential to making it look good.  Good luck (it’s quite easy).

Forgot to say if you are just practising with how your swag is going to look on dummy I personally wouldn’t cover them with fondant because of the expense.  If you do decide to cover them stick on fondant with royal icing.

Thanks Jayess.

Im going to practice on the dummies without covering them. How do i attach them to the polystyrene dummies? Also if i make a small spray to go on the tier do I put it into the flower pick and insert it into the dummy (does this not ruin the dummy?)

Attach swag with royal icing on to dummy. You could also mash some sugarpaste with a little water to get the consistency of royal icing and use that.  I wouldn’t make royal icing for just.  I would just lay the spray on the dummy.  You would have to bend the wires at an angle.  I agree it would be a shame to ruin the dummy.  You only want to see the effect.  Just be careful not to break flowers or I’ll feel very guilty!  Any icing on dummy when finished with can be washed/soaked off.  Just a thought (but a bit late) you could have practised on the upturned tins!  Saves buying dummies!  You do get a better idea of colour with dummies though so you haven’t wasted you money 🙂

J x

Just tried making the drapes and putting them  on dummies with a few roses (I’d already made as practice) . although not perfect I was really pleased with the result. Will have a few more practices making the drapes. Just one question do you usually just fold them like  making a fan or do you use dowells  to make the creases. I just folded themshut wondered if it was easier to use dowells.

Forgot to say thanks to everyone for your help. Really has helped me x

I think you need to try both methods and see what you like the look of.  Personally I use dowels when making a swag and fold by hand when draping down a cake.  It’s a shame we can’t yet view your final result.  Maybe they will have the facility here soon.

Jx