How To Make Marshmallow Fondant

A do-it-yourself version of that expensive box of fondant you see on the cake decorator’s shelves. Will save you money and a trip to the store! Learn the secret to how to make your own fondant for cakes with this tutorial that is cheaper and way tastier to boot.

I’ve been meaning to share this cake and fondant recipe with you before the holidays snuck up on us, but obviously the holidays got the better of me!

My co-worker asked me to make a cake for her Christmas eve part at her house and of course I was only too eager to oblige!

To make this cake, I decided to take on the feat of making my own marshmallow fondant. I usually buy my own fondant, usually Wilton, due to its ease of rolling out. However, the cost of buying fondant is not appealing. So what is a girl to do? Obviously make her own.

If you are unfamiliar with fondant, or rolled fondant, is made from melted marshmallows and powdered sugar mostly. It is soft pliable material that is generally used to cover cakes and give that perfect smooth finish on the outside. The flavor on many popular brands on the shelf are not always the tastiest. HOMEMADE, however, tastes like you are eating a straight up marshmallow. Yeah, it’s pretty good.

The problem with homemade fondant is that is not as easy to roll out as those store bought boxes and can leave a baker pretty darn frustrated and vow never to make a cake again. If you have secrets to pure homemade fondant, please I am all ears 🙂

How To Make Your Own Fondant

The secret to making your own fondant? Adding some of the store-bought fondant to give it that pliable consistency while maintaining that yummy marshmallow flavor. Ok, so maybe it’s not completely homemade but totally still D-I-Y! I found this fantastic little secret over at the Artisan Cake Company. Ok so let’s talk recipe. You will need the following:  a bag of powdered sugar, a bag of marshmallows, a 1/2 cup Crisco, and of course some store-bought fondant.

You want to the melt the marshmallows in a nice big bowl in the microwave. Do this for 40 seconds and stir. Then 30 more seconds and stir again. A-a-a-a-nd one more time (30 seconds, stir).

So they look like this….

Add a couple tablespoons of water to the marshmallows. This will help the marshmallows to easily release from the bowl.

Now in your stand mixer with your dough hook attachment, add the marshmallows, shortening, and half of your powdered sugar to the bowl and begin mixing…

Now you want to transfer your mixture to a bowl and add in the rest of your powdered sugar and the store bought fondant and knead until mostly incorporated. This is where you get your gym workout in for the day. Triceps beware! Pull fondant like taffy until it is stretchy and smooth.

The cost for this 4.5 lbs of fondant, about $8. My suggestion to cut the cost even more? Use a coupon! Store like Michael’s and A.C. Moore usually have a 50% off coupon available either on their website or (better yet) an app on your phone. You can use a coupon to cut the cost of the fondant you need to buy making this batch of fondant about $4-5. Now that’s a major steal. I used to buy 1.5 box of fondant for around $10.  So with a little elbow grease and some inexpensive ingredients you make your own fondant that is easy to roll and tasty and will make all of your cakes b-e-a-utiful!

If you want the skinny, the 4-1-1, the lowdown on other kinds of fondant (homemade or store bought) here is another great post to check it out! Happy cake making people!

Happy baking!