Stop Wasting Money on Ready-Made Fondant and Learn How to Make Cake Fondant at Home! Super Easy Recipes and Everything You Need to Know About Working with Fondant (2020)

Stop Wasting Money on Ready-Made Fondant and Learn How to Make Cake Fondant at Home! Super Easy Recipes and Everything You Need to Know About Working with Fondant (2020)

If you are a professional home baker or you regularly make fondant cakes on special occasions, then you must realise how expensive using ready-made fondant could be. You can now make your own fondant at home, which not only reduces your cost by a significant amount, but also opens new dimensions for experimentation with fondant colours and ingredients. Also learn all you need to know about fondant use.

Related articles

Some Cake Fondant Basics That You Must Know

What Is Cake Fondant Made Of?

If you are wondering what fondants are then let us tell you that fondants are usually flexible, soft and edible coating that are used to decorate cakes and desserts. It is a soft paste that is made out of sugar, corn syrup and water.

There are two kinds of fondants: one is the rolled fondant while the other one is a poured fondant. Poured fondant is basically a sweet paste that is used for cakes and desserts. Rolled fondant is more like a sweet dough. It is made with the same ingredients as the poured fondant. The rolled fondant can be made in to sheets and can be moulded in any way you want. They make the decorations on the cake look really good.

If you want to bake a cake for any special occasion, then learning to make a fondant is very important for you. Adding fondant gives a professional look to your cake. In fact, fondant is one of the secrets of making good looking cakes.

How Much In Advance Can You Make A Cake Fondant?

Fondant can be made a day to 5 weeks before making the cake. However, you need to store it properly so that the elasticity and flexibility of the fondant is maintained properly. Wrap the fondant in an airtight plastic container, in order to ensure proper storage.

Apart from that, you can wrap the fondant in a plastic wrap so it can stay fresh. Although, it is important to store the fondant in room temperature, still please keep it away from sunlight or else it will lose its moisture. If it loses its moisture you will not be able to mould it properly.

If you are making decorations that needed to be moulded wet, then make fondant the same day. But if you need dry decorations, then make fondant in advance. Store them in a clean container or else it becomes easy for the fondant to become mouldy.

How To Dry The Fondant Quickly?

Fondant needs some time to dry. If you want it to dry quickly, then you will have to try some hacks and tricks. Pick a proper surface for the fondant. Clean and flat surfaces are really important. Do not use silicone papers or textured towels as they will leave marks on the cake fondant.

Understand your fondant. There are some ingredients that can be added to aid you If you add chocolate to the mix of the fondant, then it will harden quickly. But then it will be needed to be kept cool. Do not use heat to dry it as it will do more harm. But if your mix does not include chocolate, then you can use heat to dry it.

Make sure to roll a thin fondant sheet. The thinner you roll a fondant, the faster it will dry. Thicker pieces are soft and they do not give that firm texture. Hence, you will have to handle the fondant textures with care until you are confident that they are dry.

Things To Add In The Fondant To Make It Hard

If you want the fondant texture to be firm and hard, then there are certain things that can be added in it while making it. One of the thing that really works is the tylose powder or TMC. Tylose powder has a lot of other uses, as well. It is also used to make gum glue. It is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to harden the fondant. Once you add the tylose powder, it will make texture resemble that of a gum paste.

However, just add one teaspoon at a time. Do not add too much of TMC or else it will harden the fondant completely. It will not work for you at all. You will have to play with the amount of TMC based on how dry you want your fondant to be.

Apart from adding TMC, you can also harden your fondant in an oven. All you need to do is just turn your oven to the lowest temperature. Let your fondant sit in the oven for 10 minutes. Do not touch the fondant after you take it out of the oven. Let it cool and it will eventually turn hard.

Two Fool-Proof recipes to Make Cake Fondant at Home

Basic Fondant

The basic fondant is a classic and traditional recipe. This has been around for a lot of years. However, people have improved and added to it with time. Now the fondant is being used as decorations for cake and desserts. Check out the complete recipe of the basic fondant:


Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup

Method

  • Set a large baking sheet on a sturdy table top. Sprinkle it lightly with water.
  • Take a medium saucepan and add sugar, water and cornstarch in it. Cook it on medium flame.
  • Continue stirring the mixture until the sugar dissolves. After that, cover the pan to further cook the sugar for 2-3 minutes.
  • Then, remove the lid and continue to cook the syrup. Do not stir it.
  • Pour the syrup on the baking sheet.
  • Let it sit on room temperature for some time, until it cools a bit.
  • Then, check the syrup to see if it is it is warm not hot. Use a metal spatula and collect the syrup in a pile in the middle of the sheet.
  • Take a wooden spoon and start working the fondant in a figure eight pattern.
  • Continue scraping the fondant. In the beginning, it will be clear fluid-like, but after a while it will become opaque and creamy. You will have to continue this process for 5-10 minutes. It will then become crumbly, stiff and hard to fold.
  • Once your fondant is crumbly, moisten your hands and start kneading the fondant in the from of a ball. Do it until it is without any lumps.
  • Now, your fondant is ready for melting and pouring. If you want to make a flavoured fondant, then it is best to ripen it for 12 hours first.

Rolled Fondant

Rolled fondant is made with the same recipe as the basic fondant. Although, there is a specific technique for rolling the fondant. You will have to roll it with a rolling pin on a surface coated with additional powdered sugar. If you are planning to use it for decorations of large cakes, then you must roll out a sheet which is 1/4 to 1/8 inches thick.

You need to remember certain tips for working with a rolled fondant as it can be a tricky process. You need to remember that a rolled fondant can dry out quickly. If you want to store it for a short period of time, then wrap it in a plastic bag or a plastic wrap. If you want to store it for a longer period of time, then pack the fondant in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate it. In this way, you can keep it for 2 months.

If you find your rolled fondant has become sticky, then add some powdered sugar to it. Make sure your hands are clean while handling the fondant. Do not wear clothing with fibres that will shed. If you are covering a cake in rolled fondant, then remember to glaze or buttercream the frosting first. This will help in creating a smooth surface.

Things To Understand About Cake Fondant

How To Keep Fondant From Sweating?

Cakes with fondants just look amazing. The literally look like a piece of art. However, time, temperature and humidity can work against you. This is because your fondant can turn sticky and start sweating as well. You have to prevent this from happening. At the same time, you will have to make sure that your fondant does not turn too dry, as well.

You will have to control the air temperature and humidity levels before and after covering the cake with fondant. You cannot do this in a warm and humid room. this will dry moisture and cause the fondant to sweat. Hence, you need to turn on your air conditioner or room dehumidifier to control the temperature in the room.

If your fondant has started to sweat, then it will turn sticky. To avoid the stickiness, you will have to sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar or a mixture of powdered sugar and cornstarch. Always store a fondant covered cake in a pastry box at a room temperature.

How To Store Fondant Figures?

Fondant needs to be handled and stored with care. You will have to wrap the fondant in a plastic if you are not using it. This is because it dries quickly. Rolled fondant can be stored up till 2 months. You will have to keep it in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze it or else it will spoil.

If you have done the icing on the cake with a rolled fondant, then you can store it at room temperature for 3-4 days. Although, if you have used the fondant on cake fillings, then it is important to understand that they will require refrigeration.

If you are working with quick pour fondant, then you will have to use it immediately. This fondant cannot be stored. Although, if you have excess fondant, then that can be refrigerated for a few weeks. Although, if you want to use it then you will have to reheat and use it.

How To Stick The Fondant To Your Cake?

Source www.leaf.tv

A lot of people struggle with sticking fondant decorations to their cake. Although, there are quite a few methods that can help you stick the fondant decorations to your cake. One of them is water. It is a very convenient yet an obvious way to stick the fondant decoration. However, you have to be very careful while working with it because if the water drip from any side, it will not look pretty.

The other method that you can use is with tylose. You have to make the tylose glue ahead of time. You will have to mix tiny bits of tylose with water in a container. Let it sit overnight and then you can use the mixture the day after. This works really well, but you will have to work ahead of time to prepare it.

The other method that you can use is that of diluted corn syrup. Corn syrup alone is very sticky. Hence, you can dilute it a little bit with water. It will give it a more glue like consistency. You will just have to paint the surface of the cake and you will be done.

How To Cover A Cake With Fondant?

Fondant covered cakes have a great texture. To cover a standard 9 or 10 inches cake, you will need 2 pounds of fondant. Make sure to use rolled fondant instead of pouring fondant. Apart from that fondant, you will have to cover the cake with buttercream, as well. The layer of buttercream should be 1/4th inch thick.

This frosting or buttercream will help to smooth out any bumps or imperfections on the cake surface. Apply the fondant layer on the buttercream layer. It will surely look smooth. To cover the cake in fondant, you will have to dust your work station with cornstarch. You will have to knead the fondant as well. Then, roll out the fondant.

Once that is done, place the rolling pin on the farthest edge of the fondant and then start rolling it towards yourself. Continue rolling until the whole fondant is rolled completely in the pin. Then gently lift the pin and place it next to the side of the cake. Continue unrolling until the complete cake is covered in fondant. Then, use your hands to make the top of the cake perfectly smooth.

Remove any air bubble if present under the fondant. For that you will have to make sure that you are not wearing any jewellery or else it will leave marks on the fondant. Now, press the fondant from the sides as well.

Related articles
From our editorial team

What Types Of Cakes Are Best For Fondant?

Not every cake is ideal to be decorated with fondant. More specifically, soft cakes are not good for fondant use. The cake should be firm so as it can hold the weight and shape of the fondant. The best cakes would be carrot cake or chocolate fudge cakes. Sponge cake or soft buttercream filled cakes are not recommended to be covered with a fondant.