My neighbors Cynthia and Trent asked me to make a cake for their mom’s birthday party. Of course I wanted to do it, but as they described the style of cake she wanted I got downright giddy about it. “Something bright, colorful and wildly whimsical” were the words they used to describe her taste. Immediately I thought fondant! It isn’t my favorite thing in the world to eat, but it allows so much creativity with color, shapes and dimensions that you can’t always get with buttercream or other icings. Not to mention they were driving this cake about an hour away and in the heat of summer fondant is a great traveler.
There are a few things to know about fondant, but it really isn’t difficult to work with. I’m going to show you step by step how I put this cake together. You may want to start with something slightly less over-the-top, but maybe not!
What you will need:
Wilton Pure White Rolled Fondant, 24oz (Wilton is easy to work with, but you DO NOT want to eat it. I only use this if the person I’m making the cake for intends to peel off the fondant. Yes, you just peel the entire layer of fondant off and reveal some delicious icing underneath. I’m suggesting you start with Wilton’s product just because it is so easy to use.)
Food Color Soft Gel Paste (Use the gels, not the water based kind you get at the grocery store.)
Food Service Grade Disposable Latex Glove (This will protect your hands from the food coloring.)
Heavy Gauge Clear Vinyl (This is the clear sheet that I roll out the fondant on. Nothing sticks to it and you can lift it up easily and move it around. you can also use a Roll’Pat Pastry Mat, but it is much more expensive.)
Rolling Pin
Pastry Wheel (For trimming the fondant around the base of the cake.)
Wooden Dowel Rods 12 Pk (Support the cake if it is more than one layer high.)
Spatula
Corn Starch
This is the drawing I did as a guide for the cake. It is helpful to have a plan, even if you don’t end up sticking to it through to the end.
Claudia wanted a chocolate extravaganza, so I made my Devil’s Food with layers of chocolate ganache. I also trimmed the cake so that it was tapered at the bottom, just for a bit more whimsy.
I coated the outside in a thick layer of the ganache. This is what the guests will eat after the fondant is pulled away so you want to make sure there is a nice layer of it.
Smooth the icing out as much as possible before covering with the fondant. Then I cut the cardboard rounds to exactly match the size fo the bottom of the cake. You don’t want cardboard showing.
Mix the fondant with the food coloring to achieve the right color. knead the fondant to distribute the color evenly.
Stretching and turning the dough also helps to mix in the color. I first saw this done on the Jersey shore where they were making taffy, it seems to work equally well for fondant.
Once it is the color you want then dust your vinyl sheet with corn starch. Keep the fondant well covered if not using right away.
Roll the fondant out to about 1/8-inch thick and round.
Pick up the fondant carefully and drape it over the cake.
Carefully stretch the fondant, by gently rubbing and pulling it until it is flat up against the cake. You will now have a large skirt of excess fondant around the base.
Using the pastry cutter, trim off the excess fondant until it is flush with the bottom of the cake.
Smooth the cake with the palms of your hands or a paddle.
If you are stacking the cake you will need to cut wooden dowels that will stand up in the bottom layer and support the top layer. Cut the dowels so they are flush with the fondant, as I did in this picture.
Stack the two layers together and now you are ready to decorate. Next I will show you how to make the flowers.
Hi Andrea,
I’ll be right over to check it out. Thank you so much for letting me know. I can’t wait!
Zoë
Dear Zoe,
I finally posted my cake- inspired by yours. Thank you for the step by steps. I can see things to improve for next time and love the learning process! I also gave you an award (you can see) on my blog. Your writing style is so warm thank you for your efforts.
Thanks Shari!
It was so much fun to make.
Zoë
That is the most adorable cake! Lucky Claudia!
Hi Jessica,
Have a blast with your brother’s cake. It is really fun, just be sure to give yourself plenty of time.
I teach cake decorating at Cooks of Crocus Hill. I’d love to see you in class sometime!
http://www.cooksofcrocushill.com/
Zoë
I am so excited to try this. I volunteered to make my brother’s wedding cake so have been practicing and taking some simple decorating classes at Whole Foods and other places. When will you be teaching again?
Hi Catherine,
I haven’t tried that brand in particular, but I’ve heard it has a nice, albeit sweet, flavor and can be rolled quite thin. This is the good news. It also has the reputation of being sensitive to heat so you want to make sure your kitchen is cool when you work with it. I have to say that using vinyl to roll it out will save you lots of headaches and requires much less, if any cornstarch.
You can order vinyl on amazon or find it at Joann’s fabric and I think even walmart. It is cheap and really worth the effort to find it.
If you found it sticky I would say that it may have gotten too warm. The other culprit is adding color. You want to use a paste color so that you aren’t adding too much liquid.
Play with the Choco-pan on a smaller cake to get the feel for it before tackling the 14″ cake. Once you get used to it, I think you will end up enjoying it!
Have fun and let me know how it comes out!
Zoë
Please let me know if you have used Choco-Pan and what you think of the product. I got samples and it tastes good but it is a little sticky. I have to do a 14″ tier with it and need to know what advise you might have in covering this size cake with Choco-Pan.
Thanks in advance,
Cathy
Hi Alissa,
I just used a serrated knife and cut away at the bottom of the cake, after I had filled it, until I had the shape I wanted. If you look at the Third picture you can see what I mean.
Does that help?
Thanks, Zoë
Hi Zoe,
How exactly did you trim the cake layers to a taper?
Thanks
I love the cake
Excellent Andrea,
Keep in touch as you give it a whirl!
Zoë
Thanks for your speedy response. It is tricky to gauge scale from photos.
Time to check the garage for an innocent piece of styrofoam just waiting to be carved and covered!
Hi Andrea,
My husband is from the Caribbean and they too have a tradition of fruit wedding cake with fondant, soaked in so much rum it burns your tongue! I love it.
I practiced on Styrofoam cake molds when I was learning how. It is great because you can peel the fondant off and try all over again, without ruining the fondant. You have to avoid things with sharp edges along the top or it cuts through the fondant as you are trying to smooth it out. I rounded the edges of the Styrofoam slightly by pressing it with the flat side of a knife, just to dull the edge. Does that description make sense?
My cake was rather small, an 8″ bottom layer and 6″ top, but I cut it so it was tapered at the bottom.
Your plan sounds excellent, and having so much time to practice will serve you well. I can’t wait to see it.
Zoë
I don’t have access to Wilton so I will use a local brand. I plan to leave the fondant on and let people decide to leave it on or not.
We have a tradition of (fruit) wedding cakes covered in fondant so Australians are used to peeling it off if they don’t like it!
Another question, is your top layer 8 inch
and bottom 12 inch?
I am planning having some practice on covering cupcakes (or some upside down sturdy silicone molds) and I have a month to plan. I will make the cakes early and freeze them (certainly if I am going to carve the cake in the Darwin heat). Then defrost before covering (to prevent crazy condensation).
Hi Andrea,
Because I knew that Claudia would peel the fondant off the cake I just used Wilton’s fondant rolled out about 1/8″ thick. If you think your sister-in-law will want to eat the fondant then I would buy or make a fondant that is tastier than Wilton’s brand.
I’m not sure if I answered your question, so please let me know if you need more specifics. I can’t wait to see the cake you make her. Let me know when you put it up on your website.
Thanks, Zoë
Zoe,
Another brilliant tutorial. I am going to take inspiration from this for my sister in laws birthday cake next month (pictures will be shared). Lisa has requested purple as the base colour.
Do you recall what weight of fondant you used for the main coverage of the cake?
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for the lovely notes!
Laura,
The fondant is a little too thick to go through a play doh extruder. There are molds and tools that you can use for doing similar things to the fondant.
Check out http://www.fondantsource.com/fogumpato.html
for some ideas, but shop around, not sure if this is the best price?
Thanks, Zoë
What a FUN cake. Thanks for breaking this all down. Fondant continues to poke at me, making me wonder how much fun it would be to play with and create something as gorgeous as this. Wow!
Fondant always allows for so much creativity, I mean look at your beautiful cake! I only wish it tasted better
I made two cookie bouquets last night for my husband to take to
a wedding he was going to. I am having lots of fun with fondant.
the fondant reminds me of playing with play doh. My question is have you used play
doh toys and extruders for your
cakes? if so, how does it come out? if not, what can you use for molds?
This cake looks beautiful, too good to even eat! It’s my favorite color as well. I hope someone bakes this for me for my birthday, including the pretty decorations =)
Hi
WOW, what a cake, love the green color and flower mix.
Catherine
Hi Patricia, Thanks!
Laura,
Your cookies look great and it is the perfect place to start with fondant. You will have fun with the cupcakes.
Your bread looks awesome as well!
Thanks, Zoë
Thanks for the info on decorating with fondant. I started trying to make cookie bouquets yesterday. yummyarts.com has a recipe for homemade marshmallow fondant which I did make. Found the taste to be ok. On my cookies. some of them I glazed first then put on the fondant shapes. Next I’m going to try cupcakes. I figure doing these small things I get to try lots of decorating before I go to a
big cake.
Can’t wait for part 2 to see how the flowers are made. pictures of the cookies are on
my blog. Thanks
Your step by step photos are so useful, Zoe! I hope one day to make a cake 1/5 as beautiful as yours!