So I'm making a cake for my boyfriend's Bon Voyage party next weekend. He's traveling to Australia to study abroad (find his blog http://downunderdingo.blogspot.com). I'm not so comfortable with him leaving for 4 months, but whatever, I'll get over it.
So the cake: I will post a final picture of it once it's done, but for now I'll explain it. It's going to be a suit case, with a bunch of Australian stuff on it, I also think I'm going to make cupcakes as well... These photos we're my inspiration:
So today I made the fondant for it. I didn't want to use real fondant because it tastes disgusting, and I wanted to make it with something that everyone will eat. Here's the recipe: (source: about.com)
Ingredients:
- A bag of miniature marshmallows (4 cups).
- 2lbs pound powdered sugar, extra for dusting (A LOT EXTRA)
- 2 tbsp water
- Food coloring
Preparation:
1. Put the marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl. Then add a few tablespoons of water, make sure all of the marshmallows are moist. Then put them in the microwave for about 25 seconds, or until they are fluffed up and can be stirred completely smooth.
- If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring or extracts at this point and stir until incorporated.
***If you want to create multiple colors or flavors from one batch of fondant, do not add the colors or flavors now!!!
2. Pour powered sugar in to a large mixing bowl and pour the marshmallows on top and begin to stir. Continue stirring until you cannot incorporate anymore sugar.
3. Prepare a large surface for kneading. I used the counter but I put down wax paper which worked very very well. Pour the marshmallow mixture on to the wax paper and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar into the marshmallow with your hands.
4. Continue to knead the fondant until it smooths out and loses its stickiness. Add more sugar if necessary, other recipes say to be careful and not to add too much sugar but I haven't really had a problem with that, the marshmallows only seem to take as much sugar as they need. Once the fondant is a smooth ball, it is ready to be used OR colored.
***To add color just mix in the color you want and knead until the fondant is a uniform color.
5. You can now roll it out, shape it, or wrapped to use later. Make sure it's wrapped well, and put it in the refrigerator. I suggest buttering the inside of some zip-able sandwich bags and sealing it in there.
6. If when you take it out of the refrigerator, the fondant is too sticky just add more sugar, and if it's too tough to work with, just knead in some butter and it should be ready to go!
Savannah's Lesson's Learned:
Making fondant is no joke, it takes a lot of hand and arm work so if you have trouble working with your hands this probably isn't the best recipe. Also, unlike in other recipes on the internet, DO mix in the sugar before you start to knead otherwise it turns into a fiasco! And you have hot marshmallows stuck to your hand (ouch!). And LASTLY, don't do it right on the counter, make sure you put down something, wax paper works so well because the marshmallow won't stick to it, and it also helps you knead better.
I will post more about this cake next week!
