Decorating cakes with fondant is a lot of fun, but where do you start? As you are starting to work with fondant, the supplies and questions can be overwhelming. But, one step at a time, and one YouTube video at a time, and you’ll get there, just like I did.
Just like with my post on cake and cupcake baking supplies, I thought it would be a great idea to have all of my suggestions for fondant supplies in one place. Click here to view my Fondant Supply list on Amazon.com. For page transparency: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Alright, let's get started!
A big plastic cutting board: When I’m working with fondant I like to arrange my characters, flowers, etc on a big white plastic cutting board. I don’t cut ANYTHING on this board. Wooden cutting boards tend to have grooves along the wood grain, and as I just mentioned, I don’t cut anything on this board. I want it to be perfectly smooth so my fondant doesn’t take up any lines or patterning while it is drying.
A powdered sugar duster: There are many options for this. Many companies sell them, and one of the options is shown below. Another option for this is a CLEAN sock. This could be an ankle sock or longer. Buy a NEW pair, wash it, and it will be perfect to use. I fill mine half and half with powdered sugar and cornstarch, and then tie it off with one of my frosting bag ties. Socks have the perfect density to let just a little of your powder mix through at a time when blotting it on your board or hands while working with fondant.
Powdered sugar sifter: Every time you make a batch of fondant you need to sift your powdered sugar. We want our fondant to be as smooth as possible. If there are clumps of powdered sugar, they won’t blend well, leading to bumps and tears in your fondant. Sift it every time!
Gel color: Do NOT use liquid food color in your fondant. It will change the consistency due to the high volume needed to achieve the color you want. Gel colors are the way to go, and Americolor is my favorite brand. Often you only need a few drops of this highly concentrated color. This will give you bright colors without the consistency change to your fondant. This is my go-to video for coloring fondant. She is fantastic at not only describing how to get the color you are desiring, but the theory behind it, that you can use to achieve other colors. It's an hour long, and does start out upside down, but at about 8 minutes the camera is facing the right way and the information is great!
Fondant Rollers: Get a small one for accent work and a huge one with rings for rolling out the fondant for covering the cakes. The rings help you get a uniform thickness throughout. Again, these should be perfectly smooth so that your fondant doesn’t end up with lines or ridges.
Spray bottle: Why? Because fondant sticks really well to things when they are wet. I always put my crumb coated cakes in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to “crust” prior to putting the fondant on. When they come out of the fridge they are nice and firm, but not sticky for the fondant. So, I fill a spray bottle with water and lightly mist the top and sides of the cake prior to putting on the fondant on. Be CAREFUL to not get any water on the top surface of the fondant or it will get sticky or leave water spots.
Fondant smoothers: I start smoothing every cake I cover with fondant with my hands first, but then immediately switch over to using my fondant smoothers. You want TWO of these. One to be used on the top, the other on the sides to help you get nice sharp edges. It took me years to figure out that I needed two of these.
Fondant cutter: This could be a special fondant cutter, or a pizza cutter. You need a nice sharp rolling edge for trimming the fondant at the bottom of the cake once it’s covered. It also works well for cutting strips for decorating afterward.
Exacto Knife: Sometimes I prefer to cut the fondant off the bottom of the cake with an exacto knife instead of a fondant cutter. Exacto knives are also nice to use for precise cuts in tiny areas when creating fondant characters.
Fondant letter cutouts: Some of these are way better than others. It can be difficult to remove certain letters from the molds, so I have tried a couple brands over the years. This is my current favorite. I like the size and shape of the letters and numbers as well as them being easier to remove without damaging them.
Shapes: The options here are limitless. It all depends on what kind of cake you are creating. Snowflakes and trees for a winter cake, animals for a jungle cake, circles for a polka dot cake….. Most of my decorating is done with 3D figures, but these cutouts can add extra interest as well.
Fondant tools: I use these every time. Every single time. It was a great purchase. This will help you create small details in the characters you are making. They can also add texture, be used for cutting thin fondant, and one can act like a flower nail for making trees.
Fondant Shaping Foam: Nice for creating figures where you don’t want the bottom to be flattened by laying on your board. This will provide some soft support under your character and allow it to stay in a more natural shape.
Drying cups: These plastic cups or trays are nice for draping things over to provide shape….leaves, half circles, etc. You can be creative with how you drape your designs over these to get some natural movement in your work.
Measuring tape: Don’t use your metal measuring tape for this project. Buy a flexible silicone measuring tape. It will conform around your cake without cutting it to help you measure where certain pieces of your decorating should go.
Double sided tape: Those cake bases that our cakes go on are about ½” thick. While the silver or white doesn’t look bad, it’s more fun to put ribbon around the circumference of the board. You will need double sided tape to get the ribbon to stick.
Ribbon: Have A LOT of fun with this one. I have about 30 different kinds of ribbon for my cake bases. Who knows which one will look the best with each cake I make? It adds one last bit of personality to the cake. I either purchase ⅜” or ½” ribbon.
Air Conditioning: Probably the most important thing on this list. Fondant is VERY picky. It does not do well in humidity or temperatures over 65 degrees while you are working with it. My last house had no air conditioning when I lived in the very humid Midwest. Making a cake for my daughter, whose birthday is in July, was always a challenge. There were years where I was covering and decorating her cake down in the basement at 5 AM before the house got too warm. If you have air conditioning, run it if necessary for the few days you are making the cake.
A big plastic cutting board: When I’m working with fondant I like to arrange my characters, flowers, etc on a big white plastic cutting board. I don’t cut ANYTHING on this board. Wooden cutting boards tend to have grooves along the wood grain, and as I just mentioned, I don’t cut anything on this board. I want it to be perfectly smooth so my fondant doesn’t take up any lines or patterning while it is drying.
A powdered sugar duster: There are many options for this. Many companies sell them, and one of the options is shown below. Another option for this is a CLEAN sock. This could be an ankle sock or longer. Buy a NEW pair, wash it, and it will be perfect to use. I fill mine half and half with powdered sugar and cornstarch, and then tie it off with one of my frosting bag ties. Socks have the perfect density to let just a little of your powder mix through at a time when blotting it on your board or hands while working with fondant.
Powdered sugar sifter: Every time you make a batch of fondant you need to sift your powdered sugar. We want our fondant to be as smooth as possible. If there are clumps of powdered sugar, they won’t blend well, leading to bumps and tears in your fondant. Sift it every time!
Gel color: Do NOT use liquid food color in your fondant. It will change the consistency due to the high volume needed to achieve the color you want. Gel colors are the way to go, and Americolor is my favorite brand. Often you only need a few drops of this highly concentrated color. This will give you bright colors without the consistency change to your fondant. This is my go-to video for coloring fondant. She is fantastic at not only describing how to get the color you are desiring, but the theory behind it, that you can use to achieve other colors. It's an hour long, and does start out upside down, but at about 8 minutes the camera is facing the right way and the information is great!
And this one, too:
Pastry Mat: These work really well for rolling out your fondant. Make sure to buy one that at least has a 16” diameter for those larger cakes. Remember, you are rolling out your fondant to cover not only the top of the cake, but also the sides. These are easy to clean, and roll up well for storage.Fondant Rollers: Get a small one for accent work and a huge one with rings for rolling out the fondant for covering the cakes. The rings help you get a uniform thickness throughout. Again, these should be perfectly smooth so that your fondant doesn’t end up with lines or ridges.
Exacto Knife: Sometimes I prefer to cut the fondant off the bottom of the cake with an exacto knife instead of a fondant cutter. Exacto knives are also nice to use for precise cuts in tiny areas when creating fondant characters.
Fondant letter cutouts: Some of these are way better than others. It can be difficult to remove certain letters from the molds, so I have tried a couple brands over the years. This is my current favorite. I like the size and shape of the letters and numbers as well as them being easier to remove without damaging them.
Fondant tools: I use these every time. Every single time. It was a great purchase. This will help you create small details in the characters you are making. They can also add texture, be used for cutting thin fondant, and one can act like a flower nail for making trees.
Brushes: A basic set of brushes will help tremendously. Not only can you use these to apply tiny dots of water to attach fondant pieces to the cake, but they can also be used dry to gently brush off excess powdered sugar from your work.
Food-Safe Markers: These are needed for details on your fondant. I use them for facial features primarily. Everything on your cake needs to be safe and edible.
Fondant Shaping Foam: Nice for creating figures where you don’t want the bottom to be flattened by laying on your board. This will provide some soft support under your character and allow it to stay in a more natural shape.
Drying cups: These plastic cups or trays are nice for draping things over to provide shape….leaves, half circles, etc. You can be creative with how you drape your designs over these to get some natural movement in your work.
And this, too:
Tiny sharp scissor: Just like the Exacto knife, this is great for getting tiny details where needed. I use them primarily for making chunky trees.
Measuring tape: Don’t use your metal measuring tape for this project. Buy a flexible silicone measuring tape. It will conform around your cake without cutting it to help you measure where certain pieces of your decorating should go.
Double sided tape: Those cake bases that our cakes go on are about ½” thick. While the silver or white doesn’t look bad, it’s more fun to put ribbon around the circumference of the board. You will need double sided tape to get the ribbon to stick.
Ribbon: Have A LOT of fun with this one. I have about 30 different kinds of ribbon for my cake bases. Who knows which one will look the best with each cake I make? It adds one last bit of personality to the cake. I either purchase ⅜” or ½” ribbon.
Air Conditioning: Probably the most important thing on this list. Fondant is VERY picky. It does not do well in humidity or temperatures over 65 degrees while you are working with it. My last house had no air conditioning when I lived in the very humid Midwest. Making a cake for my daughter, whose birthday is in July, was always a challenge. There were years where I was covering and decorating her cake down in the basement at 5 AM before the house got too warm. If you have air conditioning, run it if necessary for the few days you are making the cake.
Okay, that is a good start. There are many many other products to explore. Find which ones you like best and have a good time with fondant!
Reading this makes me appreciate your beautiful fondant-covered cakes even more! So much work and so many tools go into the amazing, time-consuming artistic masterpieces you have created. How painful to make that first cut into them for eating after all this effort ...
ReplyDelete