Homemade Fondant
I promised to post the fondant recipe I used for my cake-decorating projects quite a while ago. Well, I guess it’s better late than never.
If you’ve ever sampled a store-bought, ready-to-roll fondant (I’m speaking about the most readily available “wonderful” Wilton product, in particular) you will understand why I decided to master a home-made version. Among other “cons” were the awful smell (intense shortening-like), and the long list of the preservatives and artificial ingredients on the package. It still would be probably acceptable if the molded decorations were considered as décor only. But, on contrary, kids prefer to start from the fondant-made stuff; they always eat the fondant first.
If you’ve never worked with the fondant before, then disregard my criticism above and buy a small package. Do not use it on your cake, but get a feeling of the right density and texture. The fondant should be “soft but firm”, if it makes any sense. I learned from my own mistakes, and don’t want you to repeat mine. First recipe I used called for the exact amount of icing sugar to be incorporated. So, I trustfully kneaded it all into my fondant. That fondant ended up in the garbage bin. It was too dry and stiff to work with. The icing sugar quantity should vary; it depends on the weather conditions. Sometimes, I have a couple of ounces of icing sugar left over; other days I use it all.
The recipe below is adapted from Toba Garrett.
Makes a little bit over 2 pounds, enough to decorate a 9 to 10-inch cake
Ingredients:
- Up to 2 lbs confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tbsp (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup cold water
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp glycerin
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (if you need a snow-white color, use a clear vanilla extract (unfortunately, it’s artificial))
- ½ tsp white vegetable shortening
Preparation:
Sift 1 ½ pounds of the confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and set aside. Transfer the rest of the confectioners’ sugar into the sieve and set aside as well.
Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a liquid measuring cup or in a medium bowl. Let it stand for two minutes to soften. Place the bowl into a saucepan with barely simmering water until the gelatin dissolves, or microwave for 15 seconds on High (the time depends on the power of the microwave; the gelatin should be melted but not boiled ). Do not overheat.
Stir in the corn syrup, glycerin, and the vanilla extract. Return to the microwave and reheat for another 15 seconds on High. Stir again. The mixture should be smooth and clear.
Pour the glycerin mixture into the well in the icing sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. The mixture will be very sticky.
Sift some of the remaining icing sugar over a non-stick silicone mat and transfer the sticky fondant from the bowl onto the mat. Sift a little bit more icing sugar over the fondant and start to knead. Wear disposable gloves if you have them. Or, better yet, plan ahead and buy the gloves before you start. Gradually add more icing sugar as you knead; use a plastic/silicone pastry scraper to lift the fondant that sticks to the mat. You aim to get a smooth, pliable mass; firm but soft. Rub the vegetable shortening into your palms and knead it into the fondant. This relieves the stickiness of the fondant.
Wrap the fondant tightly in plastic wrap twice, then place in a plastic bag. Allow the fondant to rest for 24 hours before using. I can’t confirm a long storage life since I always use it within 2 or 3 days; I store it at room temperature.
thanks for this fondant recipe. As you said the storebought ones taste awful apart from having lots of preservatives. Usually I make my own too. But I don’t use glycerin and I use glucose instead of corn syrup. I ll try this one next time :) Thanks for sharing. That cake looks so so nice :)
So here is a question for you. I am a vegetarian and don’t eat gelatin because, well, it’s not vegetarian. I know fondant is not necessarily meant to be eaten but I have two young boys who will eat anything sweet that comes within their sights. Is there a way to make this without the gelatin? Thanks for considering.
Natalie, thank you! If you make it, please, let me know how you liked it comparing to yours.
Dana, I would go with marzipan instead. It can be rolled, colored, hand-molded. It tastes better than even a home-made fondant. The cost is higher though… But the marzipan can also be made at home which would reduce the cost a bit.
OMG, that cake looks beautiful! What gorgeous and refined decorations!
Cheers,
Rosa
I have never bought fondant nor worked with it. I have wanted to, but just haven’t yet. You are right in thinking it may be good to get some to feel the texture. But I cannot imagine what it takes to preserve something like that. Thanks for your recipe!
The cake looks beautiful! Thanks for the tips on homemade fondant.
Thank you so much for this! I made a marshmallow fondant once, as well as a huge mess :) This one sounds a lot easier and what’s more important looks amazing!
I am bookmarking this fondant recipie, i’ve been looking for one for so long.
We don’t get cron syrup, can i use honey instead of them?
Rosa, thank you!
Gretchen, you are very welcome!
Cory, thank you very much! And you are welcome :)
Marija, thank You for the complement :) I found it’s quite easy to work with. I hope your next attempt will be more successful.
Happy Cook, honey is not a substitute for corn syrup, but liquid glucose is. The glucose can be found in a cake decorating store or in a regular pharmacy.
Very pretty cake! If I ever need fondant I’ll try this recipe. I usually use marzipan though.
i battled wilton’s fondant once and never returned. perhaps i should try again with a homemade version–i could only possibly do better than i did that first time. :)
This is one of the prettiest cakes I’ve ever seen! I’m definitely trying the homemade fondant. Hopefully my results will be the same. Bravo!
This is brilliant information Vera! I did recently buy a pkg. from Wilton and felt it was stiff and old.. and cracked when I worked with it! I was only able to salvage a few decorations. Thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it! Ciao..
beautiful cake!
I haven’t done any decorating for a few years, but my best fondant was the traditional one from Joy of Cooking, (Rombauer).
There’s nothing artificial in it, no high-risk, over-used ingredients like corn syrup, etc.
It doesn’t take much of a knack to get it right, just following instructions and a little confidence. Maybe someone else has a similar experience with it?
I’ve never made my own fondant at home before; I thought it was too much work. Maybe that’s why I hate fondant covered cakes so much. Kudos to you for braving the fondant challenge and making it all at home!! I see you did a fantastic job with the fondant!! Smooth, pliable and completely flawless!!
Thank you for this recipe!!!! I always use marsmallow fondant and I’m searching for another recipe, but I always fail with everything I’ve tried for the moment.
This fondant looks so smooth and perfect…
The answer to my dreams…this is just the right thing for me Vera. I often read how everyone buys there own fondant, & sit back & think how lucky they are to get so much readymade, while I’m usually labouring from scratch! But this is SO WORTH IT!! Absolutely flawless. A friend just got me Peggy Porschen’s book - Pretty Party Cakes, as a present & it has some stunning cakes using fondant.SIGH…thank you for such a visual treat!
Absolutely beautifully decorated cake!
Your fondant looks perfect too. I did buy some just before xmas to decorate some cupcakes, but we didn’t eat the decoration as it was a bit nasty, lol!
OH! It’s so perfect looking! I’ve never made my own, but’m bookmarking this recipe! I usually buy a very good one (no stange ingredients) and a good flavour (tastes like marshmallow), so I never had the need to buy it. But it’s allways good to know!
First, I’m so glad you posted the recipe. I couldn’t agree more regarding the store bought fondant and I’ve been wanting to try a little more cake decorating.
Second, I love, love, love the cake! I am obsessed with snowflakes. The cake is gorgeous!
What a beautiful cake, Vera! I’ve never made my own fondant. One day when I feel like truly pulling up my sleeves, I will attempt a cake entirely from scratch :) In the meantime, do tell, how did you shape the snowflakes? I love them. Did you use cutters? They look rather large.
Thanks for the recipe and tips here. I never knew that storebought fondant had an “off” taste. I’ve never used fondant, but admire cakes that have it. Yours is beautiful.
Kate
Thank you for the recipe and all the wonderful information. :)
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Vera,
What a simply gorgeous cake! I’ve done some cake decorating and the fondant taste issue is always a biggie. I’m a great fan of Toba Garrett’s books and her artistry. Thanks for sharing this!
My first time here…your cake decorations are absolutely awesome!! And that doll cake is nothing short of stunning! Can you pls share how you sculpted the doll…I have made doll cakes but have always stuck the doll pin..would love to do the doll as well!
Linda, I share your love to marzipan, but my little one has a nut allergy :(
Grace, good luck :)
Dragana, thank you very much!
Laurie, this package of yours must have been expired or maybe the seal has been broken… You are welcome.
Aran, thank you!
Ameia, thanks for sharing. Maybe I’ll give your recipe a try one day.
Christy, I prefer not to eat the fondant myself either :) But the covered cakes are so much easier to transport; that’s what I love the fondant for.
Morgana, I hope this recipe will work for you. Thank you!
Deeba, thank You! I love this book of Peggy Porschen :)
Nicisme, thank you! The store-bough one is certainly nasty :)
Rita, thank you! How lucky you are :)
Camille, thank you very much!
Y, thank you! I used rather large cookie cutters :)
Kate, thank you!
Dragon, you are very welcome!
Lisa, you are welcome!
Lisa, thank you very much! Toba is surely an artist, no doubt about it.
Aquadaze, thank you very much! I’ll post some details on the princess cake, but I can’t guarantee it will happen in January, I’m quite busy now.
Maravilloso!!!!!
Great cake, Vera!!!
ana
Ana, thank you!
WOW…the cake looks awesome..n the fondant recipe..simple…easy or not..i will hve to try…have been wanting to make fondant at home for long now…will try this for sure!
Vera,
This is absolutely amazing and extremely chic !
Anne
hi from turkiye;
i want to try your recipe but i don’t know
2 lbs confectioners’ sugar is how much gr ???
can you say tell pleaseeeeee?????
Navita, Anne, thank you very much!
Seda, 2 lbs = 908gramm.
how gorgeous — i tried this once, but it was dry and impossible top mold without cracking. i will try your recipe next!
Hi,
Magnifique :-) Bravo !!!
do fondant decorations expire?
Jay, I wouldn’t recommend to keep it for a couple of years, that’s for sure. Treat it the same as you do hard candies.
I was searching for a homemade fondant recipe as my daughter has become obsessed with Cake Boss and wants us to try some baking. The recipe you’ve provided seems perfect, and your snowflake cake is incredible!! I’m definitely checking out more of your site. Thanks for sharing. :-)
Hi, I can not find Glycerin. Can I make fondant without glycerin? Thanks a lot. Hope you reply.
Tran, you can omit the glycerin. The addition of glycerin makes the fondant a little softer allowing you a longer working time.
I just tried your recipe and I must confess I was screaming my first go around, haha! I totally failed but dusted my self off and tried again :) The second time was much more successful :) The fondant turned out beautifully and is now resting for me to use tomorrow! I usually buy fondant and just recently began making mm fondant. MM fondant tastes good but does not cover well, it breaks apart much easier. By the looks of your cake I am confident this fondant will work much better! You are so talented I love all your cakes, thanks for sharing!
Lisa, patience always pays off! Good luck with your project. And thank you for your kind words and the feedback.
[...] of the cakes at some local decorating schools here in Toronto, I decided to read about the art of making your own fondant and built this cake as a celebration desert for my our eight year anniversary of dating together. [...]
[...] icing and for the decorations I have used homemade fondant. The recipe for the fondant is from Vera. The only change I made was to use honey instead of corn syrup and it worked [...]
This recipe sounds nice and simple - perfect! One question though - am I able to make this using a stand mixer? or will it over-mix and make the fondant too gummy and hard to spread?
April, I find it’s easier to mix by hand using a wooden spoon, but you sure can use a stand mixer on low speed if you prefer.
[...] icing and for the decorations I have used homemade fondant. The recipe for the fondant is from Vera. The only change I made was to use honey instead of corn syrup and it worked [...]
Baking is such a blast and I was really excited to come across your site when looking for a homemade fondant recipe. I will be baking some cupcakes and attempting a quilted fondant cover with single large initials on the cupcakes. You have amazing treats, thank you so much for sharing with everyone! If you have any other fondant art tips please share. Thank you!
Thanks Vera! I cannot source corn syrup in my country. As advised by you I would have to use liquid glucose. I love using fondant but have always bought Bakel’s brand. Your snowflake cake is so elegantly beautiful. So simple yet so awesomely handsome!
Hi I would love to try this recipe I just have a question is there any certain unflavored gelatin that you use? Also can it be found in any grocery store?
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this recipe…..seems like the best ones I have found!
Sherri, I use the most common Knox powdered gelatin available everywhere in North America. Look for it in the “Baking needs” isle.
Hi Vera,
Your blog is very amazing. Do you imagine that your blog is read in Ivory Coast? (West Africa)
I want to make a 3D car cake for my little boy 2nd birthday.
I twice try to make your homemade fondant recipe, and this was a beautiful mess each time. I only replaced the corn sirup by glucose which is more available in my country.
My problem is that my fondant is not as smooth as yours and it is very difficult to spread (too sticky). Does the fondant be thick? In my country, there are different types of confectioners’ sugar. Do I have to use a particular type?
Excuse me for my bad english. I am a frenck speaker.
Thanks for your answer
Danielle, thank you very much for your words!
Fondant is sticky, but should be workable. If the weather is hot and humid, it makes the matter worse. Maybe, you could add a bit more icing sugar to it. The icing sugar I use is the most common available here, with some cornstarch added to prevent caking.
hi there,
I was just wondering if you could use aagar aagar instead of the gelatin becuase I cant have it… thanks and your cake looks beautiful!!!
Hi Vera!
The search for a good fondant recipe has led me to your amazing blog. Honestly, I’ve looked through most of your beautiful entries in just a few days. Anyway I have worked with store bought fondant many times. I started out buying the forbidden Wilton, with pretty poor results. I moved on to the more expensive, slightly better tasting Satin Ice brand for the last couple of years, but man this stuff sure gets expensive.
I have wanted to try homemade fondant for a while, but like many others, feared it was too complicated. I just finished my first batch of your recipe and all went well. It is wrapped and ready for its 24 hour nap. I used up all of the icing sugar. The fondant was smooth, soft, pliable and firm, but maybe just a little softer than the store bought fondant. Once I rubbed in the shortening, it was easy to handle. But at this point I do think it just a tab bit too soft to roll out easily. Will it firm up slightly during the 24 hours? Is that what the 24 hours is for? Thanks for your time!!
Hi Vera,
I used your advice and my fondant is more soft and pliable. Thank you so much!
Wow I’m 12 and I love to bake and I always watch cake boss I always thoought fondant was something u had to buy I guess not well thanks you for the recipe
Hi,
I just tried your recipe today. After finishing my 1 kg of sifted icing sugar, it felt kind of soft, so I added more sugar(maybe 100 or 150 grams). I think the “dough” came out pretty good. I will let it stay for 24 hrs hoping that some of the sugar will disolve more and that the consistency of the “dough” will harden a bit. I kneaded like u would kneed bread, will let u guys know if i will be able to roll it out.
Just a reminder: i did not use glycerin, i used sunflower oil (same quantities) since i did not find glycerine.
I did tried some stars(couldn’t help it…lol), which turned out fine, and after 1/2 hour thay dried perfectly..
Yesterday, I made fondant using a recipe that is almost identical to this one. It turned out great. The only “problem” is that the fondant got a little bit moist and shiny after I put it on the cake and put the cake in the fridge. This was fine for my cake but I think that sometimes it’s nice to have a matte looking cake. Any suggestions on how to prevent it from looking shiny? Also, how should I store the leftover? I made 2 batches and only used about 1 1/4 of it.
Thanks!