Fondant wishes and buttercream dreams!

O. M. G you guys!  I did it!  Although the top was a wee lumpy and not perfectly round, I think it isn't bad for a first time.  Heaven knows I have enough fondant left to do 2 more of these babies!  Though this project was completely out of my comfort zone, and stressful, it was SO fun and my sister loved it, that is what mattered most!  This took me 1 and a half days to do.  I am a complete mess when I bake to, so that might have been another time issue.  I had to clean up huge messes between steps!

Though this is NOT the cake I had designed in my head it is what the final product was, and I think it wasn't to bad for my first time in the ring!!

I will be giving you the story of my adventure and give you the recipe for the marshmallow fondant and some tips and tricks and things I would do differently next time.  It was so easy and a fun project for someone who wants to try something new and not spend a fortune.

So, my sister turned 50.  We were throwing a surprise party and since she loves and collects Coke stuff, we decided a coke theme it would be.  I knew I would just make a red and white cake so this would be easy!  Right?

Let me start at the beginning.  I made a double batch of fondant, good idea or bad, I am not sure.  I would never want to run out, easier to make extra.  This double batch nearly filled to capacity my huge kitchen aid.  So be warned.  I will post the recipe for a double batch so halve it for a single.  We good?

3 10.5ounce bags of mini marshmallows
2 2lb bags of confectioners sugar (icing, powdered)+2 cups
6 Tbsp water
1 tbsp vanilla extract
GEL coloring (optional)

In a large microwave safe bowl, and I mean LARGE guys...pour in marshmallows and water. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, then stir, and repeat until mixture is COMPLETELY smooth.  Stir it alot each time, it will smooth more the more you stir it.  Here is the empty bowl after I had emptied it into my mixer.  Sorry it was 1am and I forgot to take the photo!

Now, I emptied it into my mixer, pouring in about half of each bag of confectioners sugar at a time.  I also added a splash of vanilla as well.  Make sure you have your dough hook attachment fitted!  Start slow, I have a cover but if you don't add just a bit at a time or you will be inhaling something, that you know..you won't want to admit to later on.

Let the mixer do the work for you!  Add your food coloring (GEL ONLY) at this time as well.  Knead a good 5 minutes in the mixer.  When  it is done it should be a little tiny bit tacky still.  Dust your counter with more powdered sugar and scrap out the fondant.  Knead by hand for maybe 2 minutes, it should be warm and completely pliable and easy.  Wrap in saran wrap so it is air tight and let sit at room temp at least 3 hours or overnight.  FYI I have no pic of my finished fondant either!

I made my cakes.  I made 4 the same size since I didn't have smaller pans and I cut 2 the same size.  I just laid a plate the diameter I thought I wanted on top and cut around them.  I should have made them smaller and I should have gone and sprung for smaller pans! I cut them SO uneven and not round, as you can tell!  I made some butter cream which I never follow a recipe for.  It always turns out amazing.  I filled the layers and crumb coated each layer, letting it dry overnight in the fridge.  Time for bed!  THANK GOD!

See what I mean by mess???

Next morning............
Took a paper towel and put it over the top of the cake and rubbed it gently until smooth.  Did this for the sides as well.  I learned from my ONE fondant try before, it will show every imperfection! Did this with both layers.




Used the fondant I reserved to stay white and made these balls.  I have seen this as a border on a few cakes.  Balls should have been smaller too.  And I would take more time in making sure they were all the same size next time.  All easy fixes just things I guess you have to learn.  It just makes the finished product much nicer to look at.  Let those dry for hours.

OH WAIT!!!!  I need something to support my top layer my friend Julie tells me.  Oh crap.  I am not going out and spending 40.00 on supports and plates, etc.  I am CHRIS, and I CAN find something that will work at home.  A cardboard box lid becomes a circle the size of my top layer, for them to sit on.  I still need at least 4 supports for it to sit on that I can push down through the bottom layer.  DRINKING STRAWS!  *laughing*.  Yes I did!

So, I rolled out the fondant, and when I was done, rolled it unto my rolling pin and unrolled it over the top of the cake....so it looked like this.

I smoothed and used a pizza roller from Pampered Chef to smooth over the top and pat down the sides.  It took a few times for the fondant to stick unto the buttercream.  Once I had it down and smooth I trimmed the excess fondant to get this.

I did this with both layers.  The top one being rather funky in the end of course!  I cut my straws the correct size by sticking them in, then pulling them out a tiny bit, snipping them and using my finger to push them back down.  So it ended up looking like this.

I would not recommend this desperation method on a regular basis, but my top cakes were fairly light and it worked perfectly fine for me.
I used buttercream to pipe on dots.  I had planned on using fondant dots and failed to hold aside enough white fondant for that purpose.  I should have put dots on top as well, not sure why I didn't.  Next time......

I used white chocolate melted in a baggie and made this 50.  Again, I would have worked faster and then jiggled the board so they smoothed out, but I decided, to just let them harden, sprinkled some water on and red sugared them.  *shrugs* I really should have remade them.

I then made chocolate cupcakes (color of Coca Cola) and added some vanilla malted milk powder to my butter cream.  I used a tip and piped on the icing to resemble "fizz" and cut straws in small pieces and stuck them in to look like a little, short cup of Coke!

So that is my cake adventure.  Boy did it stress me out and boy was it fun all at once!!  I learned so much and my next one should rock the house for sure!!  The birthday girl was surprised and happy and that is all that mattered!  The flavor was awesome and a great time was had by all!!

Happy 50th Birthday to my sister Annie!

This is such a fun project.  I know sometimes we don't venture out to do new things because of cost and we don't want to waste.  This is less than 5.00 and worth the fun and work!  Make a fondant covered cake and send me photos!!!

Your "hubby hates fondant but loves THIS fondant"chefwannabe

Chris

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