Fondant makes cakes look extra pretty and sophisticated that sometimes you just wonder, can a home baker hobbyist like me actually make something so elegant? The answer is, yes of course! Sure, the idea of making fondants can seem an intimidating task at first, but just muster up some courage and a little bit of patience, and you’re well on your way to acing your first fondant cake. Here are some handy dandy tips to get you started.
Sprinkle some powdered sugar, cornstarch, or vegetable shortening on your workstation before starting
Here’s one thing you need to know about fondant: it can get really sticky. How sticky? Well, let’s just say that it tends to pick up dirt on surfaces. So make sure to keep your work surface extra clean before lightly dusting it with the options above, alongside your fondant roller. While you’re at it, don’t forget to clean your hands and coat your hands with a little bit of vegetable shortening too.
Use gel-based food color to tint your fondant
If you decide to give your fondant an added oomph with some color, gel-based food coloring is the way to go. While the powdered variants work well with fondants as well, it tends to take more time to achieve the right shade you’re going for. However, by all means, avoid liquid food coloring if you can since these can make your fondant creation too wet and sticky, which can make it spoil faster.
Frost your cake with a thin layer of buttercream frosting to give it a clean finish
So you’re done making your fondant from scratch and coloring it with the perfect hue, how do you cover a cake with fondant then? Start with placing a thin layer of buttercream frosting onto your sponge cake to cover its imperfections. After rolling your fondant, transfer it onto the cake by folding it over the rolling pin. You want to make sure to start at the bottom of the cake and slowly make your way onto the sides. After covering all sides, carefully cut off the excess fondant.
This is one of the steps to fondant making that you gotta be extra patient with, so if you want to be guided more on how to perfect this step, check by our class page for cake decorating with fondant schedules.
Store leftover fondant at room temperature
Since fondant has the tendency to dry quickly, wrap it in cling film when it’s not being used. If you weren’t able to finish decorating your cake, store leftover fondant at room temperature, wrapped tightly in cling wrap and inside an airtight container. Doing this makes the fondant last for about a month since its use. Oh, and another pro-tip? Never attempt to store it in a refrigerator or freezer.
If you’re looking for fondant cake inspo, check this out.
