Rolled fondant, which can either be made from a recipe or purchased ready-made, is the icing of choice choice for wedding cakes and cakes for those "special occasions". Drying to a smooth matt porcelain finish, it is suitable for cakes of every shape and provides the ideal base for the simplest or most intricate of decoration.
A soft sugar-based icing, fondant icing is usually rolled out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch, draped over the cake and pressed and smoothed into place before being trimmed to fit perfectly.
Though fondant cake decorations are perfect for a wedding cake, fondant icing can be difficult to work with so here are just some tips to ensure that you get that perfect result.
Tip 1. Fondant icing should be stored in a plastic bag (or covered in a non-permeable plastic wrap such as Sara wrap) and placed in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from drying out. Fondant icing should also be kept at room temperature and should not be refrigerated. If the icing does dry out and harden it can normally be revived by popping it into a microwave oven for a few seconds and then kneading it back to life.
Tip 2. For a really professional finish, and to conceal any rough edges, design a decorative border to go around the cake and, specifically, to hide the join between the different tiers.
Tip 3. In the case of cakes by a number of tiers, each tier should be iced separately before the cake is assembled. It is also best, when the final design allows, to store the tiers separately and to assemble them when the cake is needed.
Tip 4. Fondant icing should always be used at room temperature.
Tip 5. To be sure of a perfect finish, take care to ensure that you have a clean working surface and rolling pin and wash you hand well before you start work. long fingernails, long hair, jewelry on your fingers or wrists and fluffy clothing can all cause problems.
Tip 6. Fondant icing tends to dry out very fast and should be applied to the cake quickly (within at most 5 minutes) once it has been rolled out. Once fondant icing is applied, the cake can be stored without difficulty for several days at room temperature.
Tip 7. Before covering the cake with fondant a thin layer of icing should be applied to the cake as a "crumb coat". This creates a tacky surface for the fondant icing to adhere to.
When contemplating the quantity of fondant icing required try to allow for having too much icing rather than too little, as excess icing can be stored and used at a later date.
In general, for 3 1/2 inch high cake layers a 12 inch diameter round cake will need about 3 pounds of icing, while a 12 inch diameter square cake will need about 4 pounds of icing.
Some people find that fondant cake decorations, notwithstanding their terrific appearance, are somewhat bland in taste and this can be addressed by adding flavoring, often accompanied with coloring. There are a host of flavorings available and typically to flavor one pound of icing you can add 1/2 cup of toasted chopped walnuts or almonds, 1/3 cup of hazelnut or peanut butter or 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, kirsch, or your favorite liqueur.
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