Fondant Gathered Ruffle Cake Tutorial

A detailed step-by-step fondant gathered ruffle cake tutorial showing how to construct your own stunning ruffled cake with fondant pleats. This method is simple, and you will produce some lovely fondant frills to add to your cake.

This one is a lot of fun. This isn’t your typical fondant ruffled cake. It’s a whole new perspective. These are what I’m calling collected ruffles.

The wonderful part about this cake is that you can create it in whatever color combination you choose.

I really enjoy the ombre effect, and the fondant pearls in the centre tie everything together.

If you want even more ruffle ideas, I offer a free course on how to make fondant ruffle cakes. Yes, they are freeno gimmicks. This course may be found here: Mini Course Fondant Ruffle Cakes for Free

Let’s get started on this enjoyable cake instruction. By the way, there’s a video towards the bottom of this page that will also be useful.

There are affiliate links in this post. I earn money as an Amazon Associate by making qualifying purchases.

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THE FONDANT GATHERED RUFFLE CAKE:

• A fondant-topped cake Here are some posts that may be of assistance: How to Stack a Cake and Cover a Cake with Fondant
• Fondant in three different hues (I used three distinct coral tones.) Each color will need around a handful.
• Shaker of cornstarch (Use this to sprinkle over your fondant and work surface.)
• Small fondant roller
• Pasta roller or stand mixer attachment for pasta roller (This is entirely optional. You can roll everything out by hand, but a pasta roller saves time and allows you to make the fondant incredibly thin.)
• Small paintbrushes used only for caking
• Dowels
• Fondant pearl mold

STEPS TO MAKE THE FONDANT GATHERED RUFFLE CAKE:

MAKING THE FONDANT GATHERED RUFFLE STRIPS:

To begin, cover a cake with fondant. I used a two-tiered cake for this. A buttercream cake will not work as well since the collected fondant ruffles will be too heavy and will ultimately slip down the cake.

After your cake has been coated and layered, color three portions of fondant. You’ll need the same hue dark, medium, and light fondant.

Take a part of the darkest color, sprinkle some cornstarch on your work area and fondant, and roll it out in a long strip with your little fondant roller.

If you’re using a pasta roller attachment, just roll it thin enough to fit through the pasta roller. You should finally be able to get it to a level 6 on the pasta roller machine.

If you need to learn how to roll fondant with a pasta roller, check out the free mini course for fondant ruffle cakes linked earlier in this piece.

You want to roll the fondant in a long strip that is very thin. If you don’t roll out the fondant thinly enough, it will be too bulky to arrange into ruffles.

For the gathered ruffles, this should be the widest strip.

Set that strip aside and begin working on the middle color. Repeat the process with that one. Roll it out incredibly thin with your fondant roller, but make it a bit narrower than the previous strip.

Do the last color next.The lightest color. This should be the skinniest strip.

Now, using your paint brush, apply a line of water along the centre of the darkest strip. Make cautious not to add too much water. All you need to do is draw a moist line along the center.

It’s OK if the edges of your fondant strips are ragged. That is, in fact, a good thing. It’s also OK if they rip. This gives the ruffles some personality.

Place the medium-colored fondant strip on top.

Add a line of water on that strip.

Place the lightest fondant strip on top of it.

Now, insert your dowels beneath the fondant strip you have created.

Push the dowels closer together after you’ve gotten all of them beneath the fondant strip. Simply roll the dowels together. (The video will demonstrate this better.)

Allow it to sit like this for around 10-15 minutes. You want it to firm up a little but not harden, so don’t keep it like this for too long.

Slide out the dowels when it has firmed up for 10-15 minutes.

Now adjust the strip to make it straight.

Place a dowel or a wooden skewer in the center of your ruffle strip and press it down.

Roll the skewer back and forth a few times. Take care not to press down so hard that you cut through the fondant. You don’t want to sever the fondant.

Set the ruffled strip aside while you create more. You don’t want it to harden entirely, so don’t leave it to dry overnight or for many hours.

Prepare to use them right away if you make them.

You’ll need to cut many additional strips of gathered ruffles. I discovered that doing a few at a time helped the process go faster.

Set aside the ruffle strips after you’ve finished them. I discovered that using a hamburger flipper made it simpler to pick up and maneuver the strips.

ADDING THE FONDANT GATHERED RUFFLES TO THE CAKE:

Examine your cake and decide where you want your ruffles. I chose two rows of ruffles along the center of my cake, but you may arrange them as you choose.

Apply a tiny amount of water to your cake where you want your fondant ruffles to go using your small paint brush.

Simply cut a part of one of your fondant strips and apply it to your cake. I wanted mine to have a curve, so I simply twisted them as I was adding them to the cake.

You’ll need to cut your ruffle strips into portions since adding one of the complete strips will be too difficult to deal with.

If any of my ruffles start falling forward, you’ll need to sprinkle a touch of water behind them and glue them to the cake.

More water should be added where you wish to connect the next ruffle portion.

Attach the next ruffle portion. It’s also a good idea to use a wooden skewer or dowel to secure the fondant strips.

To adhere the ruffles to the cake, pour a touch of water behind them.

Continue to add additional ruffle parts. To avoid squishing the ruffles, use a wooden dowel or skewer to help you connect them.

Add the second line of fondant ruffles.

Keep going all the way to the bottom.

FINISHING OFF THE FONDANT GATHERED RUFFLE CAKE:

Make some fondant pearls for the middle of the fondant ruffles using the lightest color fondant you made earlier.

Roll out a thin fondant log, coat the mold with cornstarch, then press the fondant log into the pearl mold.

There are other pearl molds available, but I like to use the Wilton one. It’s linked in the supplier list above.

Dust the fondant once more, then use a palette knife to scrape off the excess on top.

Simply bend the fondant mold and remove the pearls.

Brush off any excess cornstarch.

Fill the center of your fondant ruffle strips with water.

Place fondant pearls in the center of each ruffle strip.

To conclude, create some fondant pearls in the same color as your cake and use them as a border on each stage.

Finally, take a dry brush and wipe off any extra cornstarch from your cake and ruffles.

How exciting! You succeeded! You’ve created a stunning fondant collected ruffle cake that is unlike any other ruffle cake on the market!

VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE DELICIOUS GATHERED RUFFLE CAKE:

I hope you have a good time with this one. The color combinations are practically limitless, as are the designs you may create with the ruffles.

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