Fondant

A lot of people ask what that strange, beautiful icing on the cake is. Fondant is a sugar dough that is like play dough. It can be rolled out and used to cover a cake or manipulated to make fun decorations. Store bought fondant is pretty expensive and doesn't taste that great. Instead, I usually make my own fondant from marshmallows and powdered sugar. Sometimes, if I'm feeling lazy, I'll use Satin Ice fondant which also tastes pretty good but I much prefer the elasticity of marshmallow fondant. Fondant is easy to make although a little messy. Here are the instructions for making both regular fondant and chocolate fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant

1 bag mini marshmallows (16 oz.)
2 TBS water
2 tsp. corn syrup
5 to 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup shortening

Combine marshmallows and water in a glass bowl. Microwave for about 40 seconds at a time stirring in between until it becomes a soupy mixture. Stir in corn syrup. Mix in about a cup of powdered sugar. Pour mixture on work surface covered with about 3 cups powdered sugar and knead like bread dough. Coat hands with shortening frequently. Gradually add more powdered sugar as needed until the fondant is smooth and doesn't spread much when you let it sit for a few seconds. Careful not to add too much sugar or the fondant will be crumbly and hard. It's better to make it too soft. Wrap well with plastic wrap and let the fondant firm up overnight before using. If the fondant is stiff the next day, microwave it a few seconds to warm it up and make it more pliable.


Chocolate Fondant

1 bag mini marshmallows (16 oz.)
2 TBS water
2 tsp. corn syrup
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup shortening
a little less than 1/4 cup cocoa powder

After melting your marshmallows and water, stir in corn syrup and cocoa powder. To achieve a rich brown color, use Dutch Process cocoa. Hershey's makes some called Special Dark. Using regular cocoa will make a soft brown color. Knead mixture into powdered sugar. You'll need less sugar since the cocoa powder absorbs moisture so careful how much you add. Better to make it too soft since you can add more sugar the next day if needed. Wrap well with plastic wrap and let rest overnight.
*Do not add melted chocolate to the fondant. It will seize up and become a crumbled mess.

Here's a helpful video someone posted. http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=m344aukHKxM

I store my fondant in the refrigerator and throw whatever I don't use out after a month. It may last longer but I'm not comfortable using it on a cake if it's any older.

Cake Recipes

People seem to like my cakes so I'll divulge the recipes I use. Enjoy!

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Vanilla cake (from The Cake Mix Doctor)

1 pkg. Betty Crocker white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick butter (1/2 cup) melted
3 large eggs
2 tsp. real vanilla

Mix on low one minute. Scrape sides. Mix on med. high two min. Bake @ 325 degrees approx. 35 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.
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Chocolate cake

1 pkg, Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix
1 1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding (4 oz.)
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. real vanilla
2 TBS. cocoa powder
1/8 cup granulated sugar

Mix on low one minute. Scrape sides. Mix on med. high two min. Bake @ 325 degrees approx. 35 min. or until toothpick comes out with a few crumbs on it.
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Sour Cream Yellow Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. real vanilla

Mix on low one minute. Scrape sides. Mix on med. high two min. Bake @ 325 degrees approx. 35 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

*I don't recommend using the "butter recipe yellow" cake mix as it has a weird, greasy texture. I use the regular yellow cake mix from Betty Crocker.

*update*- I changed the number of eggs I use since I didn't want the cake as dense. I now use 3 eggs instead of 4. So if you prefer your cake denser, just add an extra egg. Hopefully I've got my recipes settled now. :)
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Buttercream icing

1 cup butter
1 cup crisco (shortening)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. valencia (almond emulsion) *
1/2 tsp. cream bouquet *
1 tsp. real vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar
3 TBS whole milk

Cream first 6 ingred. until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk. Beat on med. high for five minutes until smooth and white.

*flavorings found at cake supply stores but you can use your own flavor combination.
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Chocolate Buttercream icing

1 cup butter
1 cup crisco (shortening)
1 1/2 tsp. real vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar
6 TBS whole milk
6 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate

Cream first 3 ingred. until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk. Beat on med. high for five minutes. Add melted chocolate and beat on med. until mixed in.


You'll need a stand mixer such as a Kitchen Aid to make this but if you only have a hand mixer then you'll need to add more milk to make the icing soft enough not to burn out the mixer.
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Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on med. speed to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

I'm not sure of the exact amount of sugar and milk I use. I just taste it and if it's not sweet enough I'll add more sugar and enough milk to make it a creamy consistency.
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Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)
1 TBS whole milk
4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, cream cheese and milk. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

This is a very soft icing that needs to be refrigerated. It's better to use as a filling since it's not very easy to decorate with.

Cameras

I've gotten in the habit lately of forgetting my camera when delivering a cake, which is pretty much the most important tool for cake decorating. If I spend two days working on a cake and don't get a picture of it then it's enough to drive me mad. This last cake was one I was pretty proud of. I was running late to deliver and set it up and was halfway there when I realized I'd forgotten my camera. It was too late to go back and get it but I had to get a picture so I started thinking of anyone that lived in the area. I happened to pass near my friends house so I stopped and begged them to let me use their camera for half an hour. They thought I was crazy but understood and let me borrow their very expensive camera. The cake got set up great and I got a picture of it after all. Woohoo! Madness averted. I guess I could have begged the customer to get a picture of it but the last time I did that they ate the cake first and forgot the picture. :( Maybe I'll start keeping the camera in my cake tool box because I may not get so lucky next time.