Fondant Question

October 19, 2009 11:30 AM

I recently started working with fondant and have made 2 practice cakes now in preparation for making my son's groom's cake for his wedding at the end of this month. I pretty much have the whole rolling it out and draping it over the cake part down, but I can't get it to look smooth & glossy like it does in the pictures and videos I have studied.

I am using powdered sugar underneath and on top when I'm rolling it out, because otherwise, it sticks to the rolling mat on the bottom and my rolling pin (one made by Wilton especially for rolling out fondant) on the top. By the time it's on the cake, it's all dusty with powdered sugar, and try as I may, using a soft pastry brush and/or a soft paper towel, I just can't get the dusty look to go away. Water and shortening are enemies of fondant, and while I can sort of get rid of the extra powdered sugar with them, they end up eating into the fondant itself. What the hell am I doing wrong?

I have checked old posts having to do with fondant, but none of them seem to address this specific issue.

Thanks, MeFi bakers!

posted by PrettyGeekAtx to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Some great tips here - I've used the alcohol method (I used a pastry brush lightly dipped in vodka) and the hand polishing method and both work great.
posted by iconomy at 11:49 AM on October 19, 2009

Response by poster: Wow! Thanks!! Those are great tips, especially the alcohol one. That might actually come in handy for more than one purpose. ;)
posted by PrettyGeekAtx at 11:54 AM on October 19, 2009

Haha, yeah.....drinking some always seems to make my cakes look extra beautiful ;)
posted by iconomy at 12:01 PM on October 19, 2009

Also, I think the pros use cornstarch, rather than powdered sugar, to roll out fondant. Since it's not hydroscopic, cornstarch won't pick up moisture in the air like powdered sugar can, and would be easier to remove with a soft brush.
posted by killy willy at 1:13 PM on October 19, 2009

also, this lady makes amazing stuff with fondant. there are probably some tips if you dig around her site for a while.
posted by killy willy at 1:15 PM on October 19, 2009

also, I can't seem to not use the word "also." ;-)

good luck with your cake! please post some photos when you're done.
posted by killy willy at 1:18 PM on October 19, 2009

I usually roll out my fondant between two sheets of waxed paper, and then polish it by gently rubbing with my hands, which gives a nice satiny effect. Is that what you're after?
posted by Lycaste at 5:03 PM on October 19, 2009

seconding corn starch and vodka. Alcohol is also useful when you get to doing coloring with petal dust, etc.
(I used to do fondant stuff for catalog props.)
posted by whatzit at 5:15 PM on October 19, 2009