New traditions

Most weddings are filled with tradition.  White dress, vows, toasts, etc.  My favorite? Cakes!  (did you really expect any other answer?)  But no one says we can't make the cake tradition modern and fun.  This time, modern meant a cake ball wedding cake. 

About 350 carrot cake balls, all set and ready for a beautiful reception.  No need to cut the cake, just pull off each ball! You don't even need plates. 

Unfortunately, the lighting in the room made all close-up shots turn out very yellow-orange, but here is a slightly closer look anyway:

Want your very own cake ball cake?  Check out the "contact" tab!

Whoopie!

Ok it's time for me to confess...I am not a huge cupcake fan. I know, i know, you're shocked. Making them is fun, but I'd prefer other desserts. So what other individual cake serving can you have that is not a cupcake?  Whoopie pies!!

Despite their rather unfortunate name, these little guys are delicious.  The "pies" are typically chocolate or red velvet, but the recipe in this post is for vanilla.  Don't know what they are?  Click here for Wikipedia's definition.  They're basically a mix between a creme-filled cookie and a plain layer cake.

Oh and by the way, the pies that you see in pictures are vegan as well.  Wondering how to make them vegan?  See my note after the recipe below :)

Double Vanilla Whoopie Pies

•  2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbs milk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean's seeds (I didn't put this in my batch, but it is in the original recipe and makes it "double" vanilla)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for one minute.  Then, add sugars and beat until creamy.
4. Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture, incorporating after each addition.
5. With mixer on slow, add buttermilk. 
6. In a measuring cup, add baking soda then vinegar to the milk.
7. Mix in 1/2 of the flour recipe, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour.  Mix in the vanilla and vanilla bean seeds.
8. Drop batter onto baking sheets in one tablespoon portions, spacing them out about 2 inches (they spread quite a bit!)

     9.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until the small cakes are slightly brown.
 

      10.   After allowing to cool completely on a cooling rack, pipe ~2 tablespoons of your favorite buttercream frosting onto one "cake" and sandwich with another cake of the same size.
   Whoopie!! You're done and have yummy treats that are soft and delicious.

What's that? You're wondering how these could possibly be vegan as well? No worries, it's really simple!  Just replace the milk with soymilk (I use 8th Continent original...it tastes the best to me), the eggs with Ener-G Egg Replacer, and butter with vegan buttery sticks (Earth Balance makes them). *Note*: To make the "buttermilk," I mixed 1/2 Tbs white vinegar with enough soymilk to make 1/2 cup.  Yes, it WILL look curdled and gross.  Fear not, mine did and it turned out fine.

Once you get the recipe down, play with the flavors! How about a chocolate with coconut frosting?  Carrot cake with cream cheese filling?  Strawberry with fudge filling? Oh the possibilities!!

Somewhere over the....

Have you ever wondered what's really at the end of a rainbow? Or if it's even possible to FIND the end? My inner child still hopes that one day I'll find it with a pot of gold...and maybe a leprechaun. Or perhaps all of that in a field full of four-leaf clovers. Hey, a girl can dream.

In the meantime, lets capture the magic of a rainbow and put it in a cupcake. These cupcakes also happen to be gluten-free and vegan with vegan buttercream icing. So really, magical. Here's the end result:

The cupcakes you see here were for a taste testing. They are various icing designs so the recipient could choose their favorite.  Yellow sunshine on rainbow cupcakes if you would :)

Rather than just posting pics of this design, I'll share how you can make your own.  It's a little time-consuming, but the end result is pretty nifty. So let's go!

1. Prepare your cake batter per recipe directions.  You'll want to use a vanilla or lightly colored cake batter so the rainbow colors aren't altered in any way.
2. Evenly divide your batter between 5 bowls. You can do more if you truly want ALL of the colors of a rainbow, but I didn't think it was necessary.
3. Place a few drops of gel coloring into each bowl and mix until desired color is attained. It should look like this:

 

Now it's time to start layering each color.  

        4.   Line each baking cup with paper liners and lightly spray with cooking spray 

              so they release easily after they're baked.  Then, start the layers by placing about 

              one tablespoon of red batter into each baking cup.  Carefully spread the batter 

              around the bottom of the baking cup to ensure an even layer.  

        5.   Repeat this process with all other colors, working with one color at a time.  The order of 

              a rainbow's colors:  Red-Orange-Yellow-Green-Blue-Indigo-Violet.  (Roy G. Biv) 

              Well, we're not using all of the colors, so really ours is Roy G B....but that doesn't 

              have the same ring to it.

As you're layering, this is what you will see:

**Note:  Be VERY careful when you're spreading each layer.  You don't want the colors to mix together.

Ok so I fibbed.  I used a total of 6 colors.  The little blob you see on top is purple.  However, I think it would look just as good without the violet/purple on top.

Careful not to over-fill the liners.  They should still be 3/4 full for regular cupcakes (these were gluten-free and don't rise as much, so they're a little more full.

End result:

Ta-daa!!  So there you have it.  Rainbow cupcakes.  Sorry I don't have a picture of the inside of the cupcake.  Trust me, they looked really cool!

Have fun creating your own! And be sure to look for the pot of gold that's supposed to travel with the rainbow.  That thing's gotta be around here somewhere....

Turkey Time

The weather is FINALLY getting a little cooler, so why not post a cake that reflects fall and the holiday season?  Hey, if craft stores and supermarkets can already advertise Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, what's stopping me?

Last year, I had the pleasure of making a cake for a school Thanksgiving celebration.  To accommodate all of my classmates, it was gluten-free and vegan.  Oh, and also happened to be a playful design for the holiday.

Flavor:  Chocolate/Vanilla Marbled
Icing:  "Buttercream" (you know, sans butter or cream. Really, it was magical)

Our rotund little friend has a special message, "Turkeyz R Friendz, NOT food"
Yes, we ate him anyway.  Luckily, this little guy was all cake. No turkeys were actually harmed :)

I'm really looking forward to this holiday season and creating more playful designs for each occasion.

Little Bites

In the cake decorating world, there's always a craze.  About a year or two ago, it was cupcakes.  Now, it's cake balls and cake pops.

Tuxedo coconut cake balls and "Bridal" carrot cake balls

Personally, I don't like the name "cake ball."  I prefer "cake bites" but I'm thinking that's not going to catch on now that the other term has gone viral.  Anywho, ever wondered what a cake ball is and how to make them?  Wonder no more!

These lovely little treats are kind of like a mix between a slice of cake and a truffle.

What is a cake ball?  It is a small serving of cake mixed with frosting and/or other ingredients that is rolled and covered in a candy coating.

Are they hard to make?  Nope! The most difficult part is dipping the balls and getting a smooth finish.

Here's how it's done:
         For the first time you make them, I recommend using a boxed cake mix and a can of frosting. This ensures the correct ratio of cake to frosting.  After you get the feel for the correct consistency of the mixture, you can branch out and use home-made cakes and frostings.

1. Make a cake per the instructions on the cake mix box.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
2. Allow cake(s) to cool on a cooling rack until approximately room temperature.
3. Once cooled, crumble the cake into a large mixing bowl.  That's right, destroy the pretty cake you just baked.  This is the most fun part!!
4. After all of the cake is in small crumbles, add a can of frosting to the bowl and mix until well combined.
5. Place mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour.  Mixture should be chilled enough to hold its shape and not be too sticky to roll.
6. Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, measure out small amounts of cake mixture.  
7. Roll each serving in your hands to make a ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Place balls in the fridge again to set. You can also put them in the freezer to speed up the process.
9. Melt candy melts or dipping chocolate in a small microwavable bowl.  Candy melts can be found at local craft stores.
10. Dip balls into coating and place back on cookie sheet. You can either dip one half of the ball at a time, or use a toothpick inserted into the ball to dip, then pull the toothpick out once they're on the cookie sheet.
11. Decorate as desired.  Or, you know, just eat them.  They taste the same whether they're pretty or not. :)

Tips/Tricks

• If your mixture seems too mushy, add some powdered sugar to make it a little more dry.  
• If your mixture is too dry, add more frosting!
• After they're dipped, do NOT put them back in the freezer.  I learned this the hard way.  The coating will weep once they're at room temp and the cake ball will be sticky.
• You can store them at room temp for a while if you use candy coating.  If longer than a day, pop them in the fridge.  

So there you have it!  It looks like a lot of steps but fear not, it's very easy. These can make a great addition to parties, favors for a wedding (like the ones in the pictures), or even just a bright spot in your Saturday afternoon.  Plus, they're just so darn cute!

Pin It

Ballin'

Like sculpted cakes? Here's another one! This time, we're kickin' it...new school.

This was a groom's cake for an FC Dallas fan.  Flavor:  White chocolate raspberry with buttercream icing.  It's the most delicious soccer ball you'll ever eat. (Well, hopefully you don't go around eating soccer balls, but you get the idea.)  The only fondant on this cake is what you see in black.  The logo is drawn in buttercream. 

Want to create your own soccer ball?  Check out my tips/tricks for sculpted cakes.  One of the most important details for this cake is the support system within the cake.  Supports are especially important in a structure like this.  Gravity and cake don't get along very well.  Since the weight-bearing portion of the cake is smaller than the middle of the structure, you have to have support so it doesn't crack in half. Best way to do it:  small supports in the bottom half of the cake, a cake board separating the two layers (the diameter of the cake will be equal to the diameter of the cake board), and one big support through the middle of the finished structure.

I have to admit after saying this that I didn't take my own advice here.  The cake in the picture did not have this support system, but still survived.  Perhaps luck also has something to do with it. :)

Happy sculpting!

Freaky Fabulous

For those that don't have kids and are no longer into playing with dolls (but hey if that's your thing, no judging) Monster High is a hot new craze.  The dolls are all based on a story line in which classic monsters' kids all go to one ghoulish high school.  Kind of like Barbie and Friends meets Bride of Frankenstein.  Really, they're pretty cool.

Anyways, my nieces love the dolls so I created a Monster High birthday cake for one of them.  The skull is a replica of the line's logo.

Freaky, but cool yes?  I like that it's a girly skull with a bow.  I totally can't take credit for that part of the design, though.  The shield that you see on the front is also a Monster High logo.


This was a 1/2 chocolate and 1/2 vanilla cake with buttercream.  No fondant here! The cake was sculpted by hand too (I don't like using special pans.  To me, that's cheating)

Ready to sculpt your own cakes? Give it a try! If it turns out to be a disaster, just make cake balls out of the ruined cake. (P.S.~ Post about cake balls to follow soon...stay tuned!)

Tips/Tricks

•  If you're going to sculpt a cake, chill it first!  The cake will be less likely to fall apart while sculpting.
• For best results use a fairly sharp, serrated knife.  This will help you saw off parts of the cake without damaging the main structure.
• Start slow!!! I know Edward Scissorhands was an awesome character, but you're not him.  Don't expect to create a masterpiece in a few minutes.  These things take time, so be patient and take off small bits of cake at a time.
• Exaggerate the design a bit while carving.  When you go to cover it in frosting or fondant, the lines become a bit muddled and the sculpture's features aren't as sharp.
• Before you put on your final layer of buttercream or fondant, crumb coat the cake to seal in all the little crumbs that can ruin the look of your final creation.  To do this, make your frosting a little more runny with either milk or water.  You don't want it too watery, just loose enough to where it will easily glide over the cake crumbs on the outside and create a thin outer coating of frosting so there is a good base for your final steps.
• Don't get discouraged! Hey, if sculpting were an easy task, Michelangelo wouldn't be very famous. And if sculpting cakes were easy, it wouldn't be as impressive to master.  Take it slow.  If you get fed up with the process, find ways to make your design just as fantastic using techniques you already know.

The Wild Side

Lions, and tigers, and ....zebra?  Oh my! Ok so it doesn't exactly have the same ring to it. Animal prints are very popular in the decorating world, and are a great way to add a bit of pizzazz to a cake. Here, a little zebra print goes a long way to make this creation a cool and unique birthday cake for a Sweet 16.

This cake and its colors were inspired by her party invitations.  My favorite quote here: "A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous!"
FYI, the cake itself is covered in buttercream with fondant dots and zebra printing. 

And of course, no sweet 16 would be complete for a true Justin Bieber fan without his name somewhere on her cake.

This was sure to be a wild and memorable celebration!

Shower time!

Time for a baby shower!  And this time, it was double the fun...the mommy to be is having twins! Two little peas in a pod.

What a blessing to have these two little ones on the way. :)  Party goers had 3 flavors of cupcakes to chose from:  lemon yogurt cake, strawberry w/ cream cheese, and chocolate w/ coconut frosting. Little desserts in honor of the little ones to come!

Back to Basics

Let's be real, sometimes special baking terms can get confusing.  Have you ever heard a term and wondered exactly what you're eating or read a recipe and thought "what??"  No worries, it happens to the best of us.

So let's get back to the basics. Here, I'll go over some basic terminology and a few techniques you'll need to start your own baking adventures (or know what you're eating when you buy desserts, whichever)


Basic Baking Terms

• Brown Sugar~ This seems like a given, but some people don't know exactly what makes brown sugar, well, brown.  It's cane sugar mixed with molasses.  Dark vs light brown refers to amount of molasses added.  
• Buttercream~ A blend of butter and/or shortening with sugar and flavor extracts, mixed/whipped together to create a creamy frosting.  This is one of the sweetest and richest frostings.  Traditionally, it is also made with eggs...but many leave raw eggs out due to food safety concerns. 
• Confectioner's Sugar~ aka powdered sugar.
• Fondant~ A sugar and water mixture that's heated to boiling, cooled, and agitated so sugar crystals form.  Kind of like a sugar play-dough. It is used as an icing to cover cakes, for decorations, and in candy making.
•  Ganache~ A mix of chocolate and heavy cream.  Ratios vary depending but it's typically 2 parts chocolate to 1 part heated heavy cream.  Ganache can become anything from a filling, to frosting, to truffles.
• Petit four~ A small piece of cake that can be eaten in 1-2 bites.  Typically, these are layers of very moist, dense cake brushed with flavored sugar glaze or liqueur, then dipped or covered with a glaze that hardens upon cooling.
• Royal icing~ Type of icing made with sugar and egg whites or meringue powder (among other ingredients).  This icing gets quite hard and is great for decorations.
• Simple syrup~ 1 part sugar to 1 part water, boiled until sugar is dissolved and then allowed to cool.  

Basic Techniques

• When making cupcakes, use a triggered ice cream scoop to accurately measure the cupcake batter and cleanly pour it into the baking cups.  All of your cupcakes will be the same size and bake evenly
• If placing more than one baking pan on a shelf in your oven, leave a couple of inches between pans so air circulates evenly.
• With cakes, it's important not to over mix the batter.  If you beat the batter for too long, the gluten (protein) in the flour begins to develop and will make your cake tough instead of light and fluffy.
• For perfectly baked cookies, pull them out of the oven while still pretty moist and a little under-done.  Then allow them to sit on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes when you take them out so they finish baking.

So there ya go! You're all ready to be professional bakers. Well, you're at least ready to make some great basic desserts. Happy baking!

Dora Fiesta!

Hola!  Ready for a fiesta? Vamanos! Let's go!

Dora & Boots! This cake is all buttercream on the outside.  That's right, NO fondant at ALL! The drawing is hand-drawn with frosting.  Wanna see a little closer? Ok, since you asked nicely...

Hooray! Now, you can't see it, but there are flowers, grass, and trees around the sides of the cake too.


Want a Dora cake for your little explorer? Contact me!

Now for some tips and tricks to achieve smooth buttercream similar to the finish of this cake:

Tips/Tricks

• For smoothed buttercream that looks like fondant, work with a buttercream that is fairly thick and workable. (If your buttercream is thin, just add a bit more powdered sugar)
• For thick buttercream, use an unquilted paper towel to polish off the look.  Carefully place the paper towel on the top of the cake and rub lightly in circular motions, picking up the paper towel and checking for a smooth finish periodically.  Then, do the same for the sides of the cake, working with a turntable for easy maneuvering. **Note:  make sure your buttercream is not sticking to the paper towel!! If so, the towel will pull the frosting off, which is no good at all**
• For thin buttercream (if you've used a thinner consistency to cover the cake) get a little crazy with vodka.  Yes, I said vodka...as in the alcohol.  Put a little in a spray bottle (you can use the cheap stuff) and LIGHTLY spray the cake.  Then, with an off-set spatula, carefully smooth out the buttercream.  It makes the cake very smooth and the buttercream will look flawless once you get the hang of it. The alcohol will evaporate quickly and leave you with a smooth, dry cake. **You do NOT want the cake super damp and/or wet.  Remember, you're smoothing out the icing, not trying to start a happy hour.**

It's What's Inside that Counts

Ever watch the show "Kids Say the Darndest Things" back in the 90s?  Well this cake was made for a little girl with a definite opinion.  When asked what type of cake she wanted, she said "purple!"  What about the flavor? She replied, "purple!!"  Well, I aim to please.

The butterfly and flowers matched the party invitations, but the color was all Natalie's idea.  And it doesn't stop there.  The vanilla cake was marbled white and purple inside.  You'll just have to trust me on that one.  Best part, the little girl was so surprised!!

Gettin' Sporty

My favorite thing about decorating is making a cake that's special.  You know, one that means something to the recipient.  Go big or go home, yes? I think so too.

Talk about a learning experiment (experience, whatever).  This cake taught me how to make a peanut butter cake and pb frosting!  Aaaaand that a chocolate piped cage should NOT be exposed to sunlight in Texas (even in an air conditioned car). It. will. melt. Still one of my favorites, though. :)

And for all the tennis players out there:

This really was a special cake.  The racket was a replica of the recipient's own.

So there ya have it. Special cakes for special people.  Never be afraid to get creative!! Yes, it could be a disaster, or it could be fabulous.

Everything's Topsy Turvy!

In keeping with the theme (and because this was chronologically my next cake) here's another bridal cake! This time, for a bridal shower. But not your average stacked, pretty, girly cake.  Everything's gone topsy turvy!

A little bit of classic design, a modern edge, and someone got crazy and spilled the champagne.

Ever wondered how a topsy turvy cakes are created?  It's all in the illusion.  There are many ways to actually create the design.  Ok here I also have to admit, I typed out the instructions but it got too long-winded and confusing.  As with all other things, YouTube is a wonderful teacher. :) (Seriously, what did we ever do without that website??)

But I DO have some tips/tricks for topsy turvy and other cakes:

Tips/Tricks 

• Cakes are only supposed to look like they are falling over.  Unless you want a big mess, and wasted decorating time, be sure to put supports in your tiered cakes.
• Within the layers, place small candy or popsicle sticks in the cake that are cut to the appropriate length.  The top of the stick should be flush with the top of the icing on your cake.  
• You will need a main support to secure all layers together.  These can be bought at specialty and craft stores. Again, the top of the support should be flush with, or just below, the top of the cake.  You can disguise the hole with a little fondant or frosting.  

So there ya go, that's the mystery behind the whimsical topsy turvy cake. Ready to create your own? Good luck!! 

Here comes the bride's cake!

Let's face it, one of the best parts of the wedding is the cake.  (General merriment and eternal love aside, of course) And before the wedding comes the bridal shower, which involves gift-giving, more merriment, and an opportunity for another special dessert.

For a wedding shower, you may want to go with something elegant that will please a crowd.  I'd recommend a design that matches your decor and a flavor that will please the majority of the shower guests.

This cake is vanilla on the first tier and chocolate on the second.  A little fondant makes for a nice smooth result that was the centerpiece of the party table.  If you're wondering, yes the chocolate fondant tastes a bit different.  This one is chocolate colored and flavored, and tastes like a Tootsie Roll!

And when it's time for the big day, something a little more extravagant:

Note:  These cakes were NOT for the same bride.  And I did not pick the colors for the second cake.  The orange and yellow were their wedding colors.  It actually turned out to be a very pretty wedding set-up (yes, the colors threw me off at first).  This cake is also fondant with a fondant heart spray on top.

It's so wonderful to feel as though you're helping someone with their special day by making a pretty cake.  As always, if you have an upcoming wedding or shower, I'd be honored to work with you to design a cake!

Hittin' the Books

Time for back to school?  Yuck.  Ok so all of you parents out there are probably saying "Thank goodness!!"  I sympathize with the kiddos out there.  My classes just started for the fall semester and I was NOT ready to begin another round.

In the spirit of school, books, general knowledge, I present to you this oldie but goodie.

Back in the day, I was a proud member of Aggie School Volunteers.  This was our kick-off meeting's dessert. (Howdy to all of you fellow ASV-ers out there!!) It was another vanilla cake to satisfy the masses.  What's that you ask? What makes this one of my favorite cakes?  This little guy!

This mischievous little bookworm is eating our book!  The puffy cheeks are evidence. (See, he thinks fondant is delicious too) To this day, he's one of my favorite characters I've created.

Now, let the new school year begin!

Customized

When it's someone's birthday, it's important to make it special.  After all, it's their day!  For my friends, that usually means customized cakes (flavor or design).  Let's face it, I usually have to just go with it and hope that the flavors turn out. Always an adventure when working with cake.

For the girl who loves cheesecake, but still wanted a traditional cake...this concoction (err..creation) came to be:

Yep, that's vanilla cake layered with cheesecake and strawberry filling. It's all topped with whipped cream.  Yum!!


For something a little more tropical, how about a pina colada cake for a 21st birthday?

 

Love Oreo cookies?? Welcome the cookies 'n cream cake!

Specifically, chocolate cake with cookies 'n cream buttercream.


And last but not least, a Nutella cake (and cupcakes) for the chocolate lover!

For this one, Nutella was swirled into the batter and created the filling between layers.

Hopefully each of these made the recipient feel like the star of their special day!  It's always fun to create/experiment with new flavors.  My failed attempts at special flavors aren't shown but do trust, there are a few :)

Simply Delicious

If it's not broken, don't fix it.  True for a lot of things, even cake!  Sometimes you don't want something special and extravagant.  Maybe you've just had a "slept through the alarm, got a flat tire, someone pissed me off at work & now I have a headache" type of day and just want something sweet!  Hey, I'm not here to judge. I'm here to help.

Can I interest you in this?

                                                     Chocolate cake with chocolate fudge

Or perhaps this?

                                                     Marbled chocolate and vanilla cake
Or maybe one of these?

                                           Carrot cake with Cream cheese- One of my favs!!

See? Sometimes you just need to get back to basics and have something simple, decadent, and delicious to put your troubles behind you. Emotional eating? Maybe. But soooo rewarding!

Practice, Practice, Practice...

As I said earlier, fondant takes practice.  Well, here's my second fondant cake.  This cake's task:  bow making!

This cake was for a new college grad at my mom's work.  (Well, new at the time. This cake was made in '07)  The recipient was also the person who helped me get into fondant-ing. Just a plain vanilla cake again, but delicious!

Tips/Tricks
   When making bows with fondant (well, bows of this style)  allow the loops of the bow to dry before putting the whole piece together.  This way, each loop will stand up and create a convincing bow.  Pancake bows aren't so pretty. ;) 

Simple beginnings...

First post!! And a very special cake to kick off the blog: my first fondant cake!

Drum roll please.....


Ta-da!!! Ok, so it was super simple and mostly involved rolling and cutting out flowers...which was done with cookie cutters. Still, first time EVER using fondant and it was an adventure. This was made with marshmallow fondant, which is a fantastic intro for all you new fondant users out there.

Flavor for the cake: Vanilla w/ vanilla buttercream under the fondant



A little about marshmallow fondant:

• It's made, not bought (that I know of, but they're doing amazing things with retail these days)
• Marshmallow fondant is MUCH easier to work with than other brands/types of fondant.
• No, this fondant is not gross. It's made of and tastes like marshmallows for goodness sake! So if you're one of the many who still say "I don't like fondant, it tastes nasty" just give it a try. (Side note: I am determined to make fondant believers out of everyone. If all you've tried is a certain store brand....*coughWiltoncough*....you have to try the good stuff before you say fondant isn't tasty.

Recipe for marshmallow fondant can be found here:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm


*I do NOT take credit for this recipe, just passing on the information from Peggy W.*

Tips/Tricks

• Use a LOT of Crisco when you're making this fondant. No, really, lots. Yes, you'll look crazy with crisco on your hands (and arms, counter, clothes....) but the marshmallows are super sticky so it's necessary.
• To roll fondant evenly: If you want a circle in the end, begin with a slightly flattened circle of fondant. Roll from middle outward, rotating the fondant as you go so you're rolling evenly.
  
• Use cornstarch on your counter and rolling device to prevent sticking. Cornstarch is easier to clean off of the fondant and give you a smooth finish than if you use powdered sugar for the task. Plus, cornstarch isn't lumpy like powdered sugar.
• Fondant likes to tear so work quickly once you place it on the cake.
• Don't get frustrated!!! It takes time and practice people!
  

If you're curious, give it a try! Comment and let me know if you do.
Happy fondant-ing! Oh, and happy first post! :)