How to Use Fondant

Fondant is a special kind of covering used for cakes and cupcakes instead of traditional frosting. It gives a smooth, satiny look to the finished cakes. People often assume that using fondant is difficult. The three kinds of fondant are rolled fondant, poured fondant and sculpted fondant. Each has a specific use that is easier to apply then one would think. Much of the time, fondant is used on birthday cakes and almost always is used on wedding cakes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baked cake
• Cake board
• Butter cream icing
• Spatula
• Rolled fondant
• Gel Food Coloring (optional)
• Icing sugar
• Rolling Pin
• Cake smoother tool
• Prepared poured fondant
• Prepared sculpting fondant

Rolled Fondant

1. Secure the baked cake to a cake board by dabbing some icing on the board. Then, place the cake on top of it. Frost the cake with a thin layer of butter cream icing .The icing acts as a base for the rolled fondant.

2. 
   Kneading fondant

   Knead the fondant to a pliable consistency so that it can be rolled out further with the rolling pin. Sprinkle it with a little confectioners' sugar if the fondant feels sticky. You don't want the fondant to be sticky when using the rolling pin. If coloring is desired, apply a small amount of gel food coloring to the ball of fondant before kneading. Make a small hole in the top of the ball and add the gel. Then, knead until the desired shade is reached

3. 
   Rolling fondant

   Roll out the fondant. This is the only type of fondant that is rolled, hence the name rolled fondant. Dust a surface with icing sugar and set the fondant on it. Roll it out to one fourth of an inch. When the fondant is rolled, then roll it up onto the rolling pin.

4. 
   Draping fondant on a cake

   Unroll the fondant onto the cake with the rolling pin until the cake is draped with the rolled fondant. Carefully smooth the fondant with your palm or a cake smoother as you go. Smoothing works out any small bubbles or ripples in the fondant. Cut off excess with fondant cutters or a sharp knife. If desired, add a second layer of fondant, repeating prior steps. Allow to dry for a few hours.

Poured Fondant

5. 
   Poured fondant

   Repeat all steps to use poured fondant. Instead of the rolled fondant, pour a prepared liquid fondant on the center of the cake.

6. Use a spatula to smooth the fondant over the cake and down the sides. Smooth with spatula.

7. Allow the fondant to dry. Liquid fondant is called poured fondant. It is different than regular icing because it dries to a smooth and shiny appearance.

Sculpting Fondant

8. Break off a piece of prepared sculpting fondant. Form into a figure of an object, flower, person or animal as desired.

9. 
   Sculpted fondant figure

   Use food coloring or fondant sculpting tools and techniques as desired. Sculpting fondant is not used for covering the cake. Sculpting fondant is used to make cake decorations such as cake toppers.

10. 
    Cake with figures

    Add completed sculpted cake decorations to the rolled or poured fondant cake.

Tips & Warnings

• When coloring fondants, add just a bit of color at a time and make more fondant than you need. For marbled fondant, add color to rolled fondant, but knead only until color is partially mixed in instead of completely.
• Do not get rolled fondant wet, or it will become gluey and will not be usable.

Resources

• Sculpting Fondant Recipe
• Making and Using Poured Fondant
• Decorating 101: Fondant

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.