How to Make Fondant Animals: Lion

Fondant is a type of confection used to cover and ice cakes and decorate them. Fondant has a similar texture and pliability to clay, and can be molded to make figures. Fondant is made of a mixture of confectioner's sugar, water, shortening, glucose and glycerin. Additional colorings and flavorings can be added to the fondant to make it taste and look as you desire. Making a lion out of fondant requires some preparation, but can easily be done when following these directions.

Things You'll Need

• Food-safe gloves
• Fondant
• Variety of icing colorings
• Toothpick

Instructions

1. Divide the fondant into three sections, and leave out just about a dime size to use for the black eyes and nose. A large section will be dyed a golden tan for the lion's body, a small section will be dyed brown for the lion's mane and whiskers, and a section will be dyed white for the lions cheeks.

2. Put on the food-safe gloves to dye the fondant. Add color to each section by using a toothpick and adding dots of the coloring sporadically throughout the fondant. Knead the fondant to combine the coloring. Add more coloring if needed to achieve the desired color. Repeat this step with each colored section, except for the white since the fondant is already white.

3. Roll the golden tan-colored fondant into two equal-sized balls for the head and the body. Roll out four cylinder-shaped sections for the legs and two small, flat, round sections for the ears. Place one of the balls on top of the other to connect the head and the body. Flatten out the ends of all four cylinder pieces to create the paws -- this will look a bit like the end of a large spoon. Use a toothpick to make two indentations on all of the ends of the paws. Connect two of the paws on the front sides of the lion's body, and the other two on the back toward the bottom, so that the lion appears to be sitting. Attach the two flat, round pieces to the top of the lion's head.

4. Roll out the brown-colored fondant into a very thin cylinder, the shape of a spaghetti noodle. Cut off tiny pieces and stick them all the way around the head of the lion until you achieve a mane. Save six tiny pieces to make the whiskers.

5. Shape two flat, round pieces out of the white fondant to make the cheeks. Place the cheeks in the center, toward the bottom of the face. Place three whiskers on each of the cheeks.

6. Use the black fondant to make two small, round eyes, an oval nose and a small, round mouth. Place the eyes on the face, then place the nose right above the cheeks, and place the mouth in the middle, right under the cheeks. Allow the lion to dry for 24 to 36 hours before placing it on a cake or other dessert.

References

• Sugar Lane: Fondant/Gumpaste Animals
• Wilton: Fondant Cake Decorating