The questions I get the most often in regards to cake decorating all revolve around fondant! Usually problems people are having with fondant. The key to working with fondant successfully is buying quality fondant to begin with. Your already spending a bit of money making this cake, spending a bit more to buy higher quality is going to make all the difference in the world.
The most affordable is Wilton, and while they make cake decorating affordable for the at home cook, and I LOVE most of their products I’m NOT a fan of their fondant. Next step up is Duff’s Fondant, which is definitely a huge improvement, but it works best if you slightly warm it in the microwave first. My favorite while still affordable (although more than the other two options) is Satin Ice. It’s my go to for accessibly and quality. And the top tier is Carma Massa Ticino, which if I could find it locally I would for SURE spend the money on. From what I’ve heard it’s no only AMAZING to work with, but tastes incredible too! Fondant that tastes good???? Worth every penny!
I get asked a lot of about marshmallow frosting and I am not a fan. It’s too soft and pliable, not a pure white. It’s just okay for covering a cake, but not at all useful for any fine detailed work. It doesn’t dry and hold any shape and it always looks wrong to me. Too… soft? Cakes covered it in always look a bit droopy, or even melting to me. Anyway, if your going to take the time to add fondant, and want that clean smooth look, use good fondant. If your going for taste use buttercream.
Anyway, this is a long video, and we don’t even get to covering the cake, which is why it’s a 2 part video. Covering a cake is coming, I promise, it’s the next video! I hope some of the tips and tricks I mention are helpful, even though some of the kneading keeps drifting off frame (I was 8 months pregnant and home alone doing my own camera work!)
Basic Cake Decorating Series:
How to prepare a cake board
How to cut a cake layer to prepare for frosting
How to fill a cake
How to frost a cake
How to cover a cake with Fondant part 1
How to cover a cake with Fondant part 2
How to cover a cake board with fondant
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Hi Ashlee….Just wondering if you ever made the video of covering the cake in fondant? Thanks so much!
GAH this series never had much interest and then I had the baby, changed my blogging style and started a full blown youtube channel – so no I never completed this series! I have been thinking about doing a basic “cover a cake with fondant” for youtube though, but you can see me cover lots of cakes over there already…