Working with Fondent

Author: Jennifer Brinkhurst  //  Category: Cake Talk

Since I am making my mother-in-law’s wedding cake - which I have decided will be covered in fondent, I thought I should practice rolling and using it.  I have read many reviews claiming the Wilton Fondent tasted like…what was it…”blegh”  That was enough for me to stay away from it.  While I am interested in making my own, the Wilton book I am using as my guide for the wedding cakes calls for 5 pkgs of fondent - rather than how many cups.  So, for now, I have decided to stick with prepackaged fondent.  I found a brand that was not too bad - Virgin Ice.  The issue with Fondent is that it’s a marshmellow base….making it super sweet. 

As practice for the wedding cake, I decided I would use the same recipe (a white chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream filling) and ice with fondent for the Bridal Shower cake.  I learned that my oven cooks unevenly so I intend on making the cake again shortly so that i can get the timing down before making the actual wedding cake.  I’m also practicing making the gum paste roses (the wedding cake calls for 70 roses…ack!!)  I figured I would look into a back-up plan incase I can’t get the roses done (in time, or to perfection) so I plan on speaking with a little cake shop just up the road called Artistic Cake Design.  They have lots of supplies in their retail shop, plus they make really amazing cakes.  They have previously offered cake decorating classes - which I would love to take, but aren’t offering anything lately.  I guess they don’t have an instructor on staff or perhaps they are just too busy to offer the service…

Anyway, I digress….so back to working with fondent.  Before actually making the cake for the shower, i took out the fondent and played with it.  i rolled it out to get a feel for it.  I needed to understand how thick to keep it, how to roll it out to cover a round cake, etc.  I finally got the hang of it and made my cake.  What do you think?

My First Fondent Cake

Getting Started

Author: Jennifer Brinkhurst  //  Category: Cake Talk

After making my first cake for Belle’s birthday, I decided to continue finding reasons to make cakes.  I kept reading about different techniques, I joined an online community (www.cakecentral.com) where I found lots of inspiration and ideas.  It has been nearly 1 year since decorating my first cake, and in that time I have learned so many techniques - Wilton roses, basket weave, drop flowers, royal icing daisies, and working with Fondent.  I have so much more to learn and I keep reading.  Currently, I am practising making gum paste flowers for a wedding cake that I will be making for my Mother in Law, who is getting married this coming October.