Working with Fondant

Working with fondant can be an easy alternative to cake decorating. It can also be combined with traditional cake decorating techniques to make great looking cakes. All you need to do is learn a few basics of fondant and practice, as everything regarding cake decorating.  It can be a lot of fun once you get the hang of it!

What is Fondant?

Fondant is made from powdered sugar, corn syrup and water. Flavoring can be added as well. By covering a cake with fondant you can give it a flat smooth surface. Fondant is like working with clay. It will form shapes, can be rolled out, cut with cookie cutters, twirled around wooden dowels to make ribbons and pretty much formed into whatever decorations your imagination comes up with.

What kind of fondant to buy?

I love Wilton for most things cake decorating except for their fondant. It may be easy to work with but it tastes so bad you'll end up peeling it off and eating the cake itself. Their is nothing wrong with that but I love the mixture of a great tasting frosting and delicious cake mixed together. There are a few options for better tasting fondant if you do go with ready made.

How do you make Fondant?

There are several fondant icing recipes that will make a great fondant cake.

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe
Rolled Fondant Recipe
Poured Fondant including a poured chocolate fondant

Storing Fondant

• If you have extra fondant when you are done decorating your cake store it at room temperature in a tightly covered container.

• Once you've decorated your fondant cake it is best not to store it in the fridge as the fondant will start to "sweat"

Fondant Cake Decorating Techniques

Now that you've learned what fondant is and you have your store bought or homemade fondant icing recipe done and ready, it is time to learn some basic fondant cake decorating techniques and start working with fondant.

Fondant supplies- what you need to get started with fondant cake decorating

How to color fondant

How to cover a cake with fondant

Painting on fondant-use your creativity with painting right on your fondant cake.

Fondant figures-learn how to mold animals and people with fondant.

Making fondant flowers and fondant roses-shaping your fondant into flowers

Fondant cupcakes-how to cover your cupcakes with fondant.

Fondant cake ideas-Need some inspiration on what to do with your fondant cake?

Fondant bows-how to make bows out of fondant to finish off your decorated cake.

Working with Fondant Tips

• If your fondant is too hard to work with you can microwave it for 5-10 seconds and it will soften up. Be careful of hot spots however.
• You can also place shortening on your hands and knead to he fondant.
  
• If fondant is too soft knead small amounts of powdered sugar into it on a cornstarch sprinkled counter.
• Always cover your fondant when not using it so it won't dry out.