Two weeks ago I was asked to make a shoe cake with vertical fondant stripes. I can’t say how much I enjoyed making this cake and all the tiny details that go along with the cake.   From the tiny sugar roses to the miniature Gucci handbag it was such a joy.  The cake was going to be a surprise and I love surprises as long as it is not for me, but that’s a story for another time.  Also, the cake was going to travel in an Uber (ugh see my cake delivery secrets here). My lovely sister and her husband were given careful instructions which they followed to a tee. Whew… The cake made it safely and in one piece and the birthday girl loved it.

As much as this was an “easy” cake there is the matter of those vertical fondant stripes. How does one get straight vertical stripes? Well… I am glad you asked.  This is a time-saving tip, that gives you more time to work on other details. If you are like me, when I was a beginner, I would have measured the stripes, then add them piece by piece (so far nothing wrong with that).  Then, I would make space them out using a ruler.  And because I can’t handle anything that’s not straight, I would pull it all off and start over.  Ok so maybe you are not as obsessive-compulsive like I am.

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So how do you make vertical fondant stripes?

To make the vertical stripes I used the same method as the very bright polka dot cake.  However, the secret to making them straight is tylose powder and a makeshift ruler or spacer. It doesn’t matter if you are making large stripes with small stripes or stripes with large spaces the concept is still the same.  You will see what I mean below.  Before we get into the steps we need to know what materials to use.

Materials Needed:

• Cake covered in fondant (learn how to cover a cake with fondant here)
• Tylose powder
• Cake boss ribbon cutter or ruler
• Light pink fondant (I made my own marshmallow fondant using this recipe that I updated)
• Foam core board cut to size
• Wax paper
• Fondant roller
• Fondant smoother
• Xacto knife
• Shortening

Steps:

Prepare the cake and spacer

Before you make stripes, add the cake to the final cake board.  Then, cover the cake with fondant using the color that you need underneath i.e. if you want white underneath, cover the cake with white fondant. Place the cake in the refrigerator so that the fondant can firm up.  To prevent condensation on the cake add a piece of plastic wrap and place it in a cake box. Your fondant work does not have to be perfect.

Measure the size of the spacer you are going to need then cut it out from foam core.  Make sure you cut it is straight because this will be your space in between.  If it’s crooked then your vertical stripes will be, well… crooked. So measure well and cut straight.

Making the vertical stripes

Knead and color some fondant the color of your stripes.  Then add tylose powder, be very generous with it.  Roll out the fondant to about a 1/8 of an inch.  You can go thicker if you like, but the thinner you go the faster the tylose works.  To make the stripes either use the cake boss ribbon cutter or a ruler.  The ribbon cutter is perfect for cutting any size stripes and no worries about them being straight.  I used the ruler because it was the right size.

After the stripes are cut, let the fondant sit for about an hour or until it doesn’t lose its shape.

Adding the stripes to the cake

Measure the height of the cake and cut them to the desired height, go about 1/2 inch higher.  You can always trim it down.  Then measure the circumference of your cake (you can find it here) and cut a piece of wax paper to size.  Take some shortening and add to the wax paper.  Once again, be very liberal with the amount.

Now that you have done that, add your first vertical stripe add to the edge of the wax paper and line it up with the bottom.  Add some shortening or corn starch to the sides of the spacer (I prefer shortening).  Then place the spacer next to the first stripe.  Use the ruler to help keep the stripe straight. Now place your second stripe.  Make sure it’s flush against the spacer.  Repeat until you get almost to the end of the wax paper.  Only add as much as you can handle.

Add some shortening to the side of the cake.  Then, pick up the wax paper (the shortening should hold the stripes in place), and line up the bottom of the stripe with the bottom of the cake.  Use your hand or a fondant smoother so that each stripe can adhere to the cake.

Remove the wax paper from the cake and voila you have vertical stripes on your cake.  Trim the top of the vertical stripe a little above the cake using a Xacto knife.  I used the ruler to mark the spot. Also, remember to clean the Xacto knife so that it doesn’t pull the fondant.

Here’s an upclose look at the Gucci clutch.

That’s it easy peasy right? If you love this tutorial don’t forget to share the love and to pin for later.