Fondant Recipe and Daisies Tutorial

Fondant is an icing-like substance used to decorate or sculpt pastries. This recipe is actually really simple and anyone can make it at home. There’s no reason to buy fondant when you’re just a few ingredients and steps away from cheaper home made version of high quality fondant.  I started learning with fondant, because I could buy the ingredients in the store.  Fondant is stretchy and it's easy to cover the cakes with. New thing that I learned is that when you mix fondant with Gum Paste  you can make beautiful flowers and drapes on the cakes. I realized that I did not post fondant recipe  yet, so here it is...

*Updated on 10/16/13 (Added Vegetable glycerin)
    Ingredients for fondant:  
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 pounds icing sugar (C&H Cane Powdered Sugar is the best results)
2 tbsp water

1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it, so place in a  bowl)
*Vegetable glycerin
Cornstarch for dusting the table  

It's best to let it mature overnight in the fridge. 

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until it's all melted. 

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using, sprinkle with powdered sugar and dump the bowl of marshmallow in the middle. Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. Let it mature overnight in the fridge. 

Pie mat works really well for rolling fondant ant transferring it to the cake. Take fondant out of the fridge. Place in the microwave for 15-30 sec. Divide into 4 parts, so it's easier to knead. Grease you palms with shortening and  add a dollop of vegetable glycerin then fondant will get so much easier to work with.    

Now fondant is ready to color. I usually color it before I cover the cake.

Add any color and knead to mix it. 

Wear gloves when mixing colors. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking.








To cover cakes with fondant: butter cream works best. It makes it smooth and hard so fondant looks great on it.

First spread shortening on the table then sprinkle with corn starch or confectioners sugar. Roll it on the greased table.  To keep fondant from sticking, lift and move as you roll. Add more confectioners sugar or corn starch if needed. For  12 inch cake 1 recipe of fondant works well.  Gently lift fondant over rolling pin and position it on cake.

Shape fondant to sides of cake with Easy-Glide Smoother. I recommend using the Smoother because the pressure of your hands may leave impressions on the fondant. Beginning in the middle of the cake top, move the Smoother outward and down the sides to smooth and shape fondant to the cake and remove air bubbles. If an air bubble appears, insert a pin on an angle, release air and smooth the area again. Use the straight edge of the Smoother to mark fondant at the base of cake. Trim off excess fondant using a spatula or sharp knife.

These flowers I made with Gum Paste  and fondant mix.

To make large wired daisies: you will need daisies cutter, a 50/50 mix of gum paste with fondant, shaping pad, toothpick and 22 gauge wires. Roll fondant mix thinly. Cut 2 daisies shapes out.

 Roll a tooth pick in the middle of each petal on the shaping mat. 

Make a circle shape with foil for shaping the daisies. I dusted the to flower in the middle with light green color. Use water to glue em together. Make a yellow colored middle for daisies. If you don't have mold for it. Just make a small circle and poke it with toothpick to make it look like a real one. Then make a small hook with the wire, dip it in the water and insert it in the center. Pull wire in to the flower bend it to fit it under the foil shaper.

Let em dry for a few days.

Here detailed directions from this book. I used a different way of making em. 

Here are cakes that I covered with fondant.