I took cake decorating classes earlier this year & learned how to put fondant on a cake. It is SO much easier than it looks. If you know how to roll out playdough, than you can do this...believe me! It's fun because you can color it however you want & cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Well, the fondant in the stores is so expensive that I decided to try some of the home-made kinds. The store-bought kind is not very tasty, either. Here is a recipe I found on the Bake Decorate Celebrate website.
1 pkg (16 oz.) mini marshmallows
2-5 Tbsp water
2 lbs powdered sugar (about 8 cups)
1/2 c. shortening
1. Place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave. Microwave 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).
2. Place 3/4 of the confectioners´ sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mix. (Stir with a spoon as much as possible before kneading.) Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Start kneading like you would bread dough. NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners' sugar and re-greasing hands and counter when the fondant sticks. If the mix is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water & or shortening (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time then knead it in). Continue kneading until mixture forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes. You will want to let it sit, double wrapped in plastic wrap overnight before using. It will store for a few weeks if you keep it wrapped up well. Makes about 2 pounds fondant.
To use, knead it well until soft. Roll it out on surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Roll it to about 1/16 inch thick. If you are covering an entire cake, roll it out big enough to cover. You will frost your cake first then place the fondant over the top. Then you just smooth it out & trim off the bottom edges. If your edges are a little rough, just do a border with icing. If you want to attach other pieces of fondant to it, you can moisten it with clear vanilla extract.
Don't be scared!
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