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Fondant is a thick icing used to cover and decorate cakes. Our fondant recipe uses only four ingredients and is easy to work with and color. It also tastes much better than store-bought!
My mom made the most beautiful wedding cake for me when I got married. It was around the time when large, fancy, buttercream-frosted wedding cakes were going out of style, and the smaller, more simple fondant covered wedding cakes were becoming more popular. My wedding cake was covered with a smooth white fondant and then decorated with fresh flowers. Since then, I have loved decorating with fondant, especially for my kids’ birthdays, and this recipe is my favorite. It is quick and easy to make with just 4 ingredients!
What is Fondant?
Fondant is a soft, thick icing that is used to coat and decorate cakes. It is pliable, similar to the texture and consistency of play dough, which makes it easy to work with and shape. This recipe is made by combining marshmallows and powdered sugar. It has way better flavor than store bought fondant and it’s easy to color with food coloring.
Ingredients
Surprisingly, there are only 4 ingredients to make this fondant!
- Mini marshmallows
- Powdered sugar
- Shortening
- Water
How to Make Fondant
Fondant is simple to make, and when made correctly, it is also easy to work with when decorating. Here are the steps we recommend to beginners for this easy recipe to be a success:
Start With the Marshmallow Mixture
- Start with white mini marshmallows. The mini marshmallows work best for melting and mixing. Do not use the colored and flavored mini marshmallows. Coloring and flavoring can be added later.
- Make sure the marshmallows are fresh! Marshmallows that have been in an opened bag or are past the freshness date will be stale and/or sticky, and the fondant won’t turn out as well. When you purchase the marshmallows, check the expiration date and shake the bag a little to make sure they aren’t all clumped together.
- Use a glass bowl to melt the marshmallows in the microwave and stir, stir, stir! If the melted marshmallows are still a little lumpy, they will smooth out completely in the mixture.
Use a Mixer with a Dough Hook
As you reach the needed consistency for the fondant, it becomes thick and more stiff. It is still pliable, but a hand mixer just won’t cut it. Think freshly opened play dough. The dough hook is a life saver! Most standard mixers like Bosch (pictured) and KitchenAid have a dough hook accessory.
Watch for Consistency
Recognizing when to stop adding sugar and stop mixing is key when making fondant. It is ready to remove from the mixer when the color is no longer glossy and has a matte appearance, and the consistency is thick (again, think play dough).
Kneading the Fondant
Once the fondant is ready to knead and color, be sure to keep your hands and all surfaces lightly covered with shortening. Flour or powdered sugar will make it too stiff. Make sure it is pure white shortening. Butter-flavored shortening or cooking spray has a yellow tint, consequently turning fondant an off-white or yellowish color.
Rolling the Fondant
Use an adjustable long rolling pin or dough roller to roll fondant. Most long rolling pins have thickness rings to get a smooth, even finish. A regular rolling pin works for most projects, however the long rolling pin is an essential tool for projects like wedding cakes, making it possible to roll the fondant into a large enough circle to cover a large cake. It may be worth the investment if you plan to make fondant often. Adjustable long rolling pins can be found at bakery supply stores or on Amazon. This gives you an idea of what they look like.
Covering and Decorating Cakes
Once you have the fondant rolled out and the cake frosted with a layer of buttercream frosting (to help the fondant stick to the cake), covering the cake is easy! First, gently lift the fondant using the rolling pin and lay it evenly over the frosted cake. Next, press the fondant gently around the cake so it sticks evenly to the frosting. Cut off the excess using a fondant cutter or knife. Smooth out the fondant with a flat spatula or a fondant smoothing tool. Shape and smooth as needed. Finally, decorate the cake with fondant designs, ribbons, or flowers. This recipe makes enough to cover three 8″ round (2″ deep) cakes.
Decorating with Fondant
Fondant is a lot of fun to work and play with when it comes to decorating. It works beautifully on wedding cakes with fresh flowers, and it is easy to color for bright and fun birthday cakes, like the Barbie Cake pictured below. This easy recipe has been used over and over in our family to decorate cakes for special events. Don’t be intimidated – it’s very simple to make! Once you get it down, you will see that the possibilities are endless. Be ready for birthday cake requests, you are about to become a cake boss!
This Hamburger Cake is a fun cake to make for the hamburger lovers out there. The cheese, lettuce, and onions are all made out of fondant. It’s perfect for BBQ’s, potlucks, or birthday parties. I recently made this with my sons for a Cub Scout cake decorating contest. The scouts loved it!
Storage
Fondant can be made ahead and stored for later use. However, it will dry out, so it is important to keep it in an airtight container. It can also be wrapped completely in plastic wrap. It is not necessary to refrigerate fondant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fondant is edible. It is also very sweet. Some people love it and some prefer to remove it before eating their cake.
It is always a good idea to practice laying fondant on a cake. As I was learning, I found an extra set of hands was helpful. Practice on single layer cakes and work on getting all the bubbles and bumps out. Once you are comfortable with it, move onto layers.
Fondant tastes like a dense marshmallow, or kind of like the cream filling in an Oreo.
Fondant Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mini marshmallows
- 32 ounces powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- Put marshmallows, water, and shortening in a glass microwavable bowl.
- Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. Repeat 4 times.
- Pour into a mixer and mix well using the dough attachment. Add in powdered sugar a cup at a time. Mix until the shine is completely gone. You may not need to use all the sugar, just keep adding until it has the consistency of play dough. The final result should not be sticky to the touch.
- When the fondant becomes too stiff to mix in the mixer, pull the fondant out and knead it on the counter, adding more sugar if needed. Knead in food coloring, if desired.
- From this point, you can roll the fondant out to place on a cake, cupcakes, or to create something amazing! When working with fondant, keep all surfaces and hands lightly covered in shortening to prevent sticking. Makes enough fondant to cover approximately three round 8" (2" deep) cakes.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough to cover three 8-inch cakes (2″ deep).
- Fondant can be made ahead and stored for later. Wrap it well in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Practice placing your on single-layer cakes before attempting layer cakes. Placing fondant and smoothing it out takes practice!
Hello! I am making chocolate covered cherries. Will this fondant liquify if I soak my cherries in rum?
Thank you!
We don’t use this fondant recipe for chocolate covered cherries. You can see what we use here: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/chocolate-covered-cherries/
Are you able to use a hand-held mixer? We don’t have a stand mixer at home. also please respond quickly as I need to know as I need to make fondant for a class project.
Yes you should be able to make this recipe with a hand mixer!
I was so nervous to make fondant, but I managed to follow the recipe, step by step, and made a cake to decorate with. My daughter helped me with some designs. This was so fun I’ll definitely have to try this again!
Wow, you make it so easy! Thanks so much!
I am no expert in fondant, but you have made it so easy & fool proof! Love all the different ways you can use it on dessert!
I would like to use the fondant to make cut out rocking horses for cupcakes. Is this recipe what I would use? If so, how far ahead can I cut out the rocking horses and how would I store them until the day before event? Thx
Are you cutting them out with a cookie cutter? The fondant won’t be strong enough to stand up on its own unless it is a little thicker. Fondant can keep for 1-2 months at room temperature. Just make sure to cover it in a little bit of shortening and plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container.
Can you use Domino sugar instead of powdered sugar
I haven’t heard of Domino sugar. What is it?
No you can’t use regular table sugar to make this recipe, it calls for icing sugar or powdered sugar for a reason, regular sugar wouldn’t dissolve enough and you would end up with very grainy fondant, and your looking for a very smooth texture..
Common white sugar only comes in two main types, granulated or powdered. The Domino brand sells both, so not sure what you are asking.
If you have a food process or high speed blender..you can powder regular sugar by grinding it.
Am learning
I have never made stuff like this but i want to do it to show my granddaughter how to.she is learing
I do not have a dough mixer can i do it by hand
It would be difficult to get the right consistency by hand.
i got a mixer and it came with a dough hook
How do you store the fondant once made or placed on the cake? I’m new to fondant. And how long could you make this in advance and how to store ? Thanks so much!
You can store fondant wrapped in cling wrap at room temperature in an air-tight container if you are going to use it within a couple of days. If you are making it farther ahead in advance, you can store it in the fridge or even the freezer. Just make sure to let it come to room temperature and then knead it again until it is soft before using.
What can I use to stick fondant together. I’m making a cake topper and I have to stick few pieces together
There are a few things you can use to get fondant to stick together. Wilton recommends using their piping gel. You can lightly moisten the pieces with water to get them to stick together. Or you can make a “sugar glue” by microwaving a small amount of fondant with some water. See instructions here: https://rosebakes.com/make-fondant-sugar-glue/
It works out much better if you wait to add coloring into the fondant until after it has uniform color and texture (no longer glossy). Before then you will want to look at the color and texture to tell if more sugar is needed, and to gauge when it’s mixed well enough.
Hi! I am making a cake for my moms birthday and I was wondering if it would be fine to use bigger marshmallows instead of mini ones? And also if I could add food coloring to it? Thanks for your help!
We haven’t tested this recipe with the bigger marshmallows so I can’t give you an accurate amount or weight. I’m not sure if it will turn out the same. As for food coloring, absolutely! Make sure you use the premium food coloring that you can find at Hobby Lobby or any craft store that carries cake-making supplies. You don’t want to use the watery stuff from the grocery store. Hope this helps!
In the uk we don’t have shortening. What can I use instead
You can try substituting butter!
I want to make flowers with the fondant can I use this recipe to make them and can I use a cookie cutter with it?
Yes!
Hi! When do you add coloring in the recipe if you want to add color?
In step 5! You add the color while kneading the fondant.
It worked perfectly! My cake is beautiful!
if there is no powdered sugar what you will used instead
You can easily make your own powdered sugar using granulated sugar and cornstarch. Click this link for directions: https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/ask-betty/answer/can-substitute-powdered-sugar-granulated-sugar/43d23e54-493e-5597-9b1e-c4c665e05f3f
I was wondering if flavored marshmellows would work.. and if they had color would it mess it up?
I wouldn’t substitute flavored marshmallows. Some of them have an extra powdery coating that will mess up the fondant. The colors will also come through in the fondant and will probably turn it a brownish color. Thank you for asking!
Super awesome recipe! I loved it so so so much!
I am trying to make this for graduation cake for my sisters. It sounds wonderful! I am wondering how much it makes. It says 24 servings, How much is one serving? Could you let me know at my email?
This recipe makes enough fondant1 to cover one 8-inch round cake that’s 4 inches high or one 10-inch round cake that’s 3 inches high. For a 10 x 10-inch square cake or a 9 x 13-inch sheet cake, you will need to double the recipe.
is there an alternative one can use to shortening (don’t get it here in Norway)
Yes, you can use butter or margarine in place of the shortening. Thank you for asking!
I just used this recipe today. The only question I have is I was hoping for it to be a bit stiffer. It was ready to cone out of my mixer as my mixer was struggling to spin it. It seemed like my shortening made the fondant weak… but it tastes good. It did the job. I just need practice maybe?
Usually if the fondant isn’t stiff enough, I add a little more sugar. Hope this helps!
I was actually looking for an easy fondant recipe for my Christmas cake. So glad I found this recipe. This looks easy and only 4 ingredients. Amazing recipe.