Creating a fondant fancy wedding cake can be a fun and rewarding project, but it requires careful planning and execution. Fondant is a thin, clay-like icing typically made from confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, and water, with the option to add gelatin or marshmallows. It's easy to roll out and creates a smooth finish, making it ideal for covering cakes and creating intricate decorations.
To make a fondant wedding cake, start by choosing the desired number of tiers and baking the corresponding number of cake layers. Prepare your pans with cooking spray and wax paper to ensure the cakes don't stick. After baking, allow the cakes to cool, then use a serrated knife to create flat surfaces for stacking.
Next, prepare your fondant by combining gelatin and cold water, heating until dissolved, and adding glucose, glycerin, and vanilla extract. Knead in confectioners' sugar until the fondant is smooth and pliable. Roll out the fondant with a rolling pin on a surface coated with powdered sugar to create sheets large enough to cover your cakes.
Before applying the fondant, assemble each tier by stacking the layers and adding a crumb coat of frosting. Chill the cake briefly, then apply the final coat of frosting. Place each tier on a turntable and transfer a mound of fondant on top, smoothing it out with a palette knife and adding decorations as desired.
For extra stability, especially with multiple tiers, use cake supports such as wooden dowels or plastic drinking straws. Insert them into the cake, cut to the height of each tier, and lay a wax paper round before positioning the next layer. With careful preparation and attention to detail, you can create a beautiful and elegant fondant fancy wedding cake.
How to Make Fondant Fancy Wedding Cake
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Ingredients | Confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, water, gelatin, vanilla extract, glycerin, shortening |
Equipment | Double boiler, large bowl, rolling pin, cake pans, cake turntable, cake rounds, cake drum, serrated cake knife, pastry bag, cake smoother/scraper, plywood |
Recipe | Combine gelatin and cold water in a double boiler. Add corn syrup and glycerin, stir in shortening and vanilla extract. Mix in confectioner's sugar. Roll out with a rolling pin on a surface coated with powdered sugar. |
Storage | For short periods, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a resealable plastic bag. For longer storage, roll into a ball, coat with vegetable oil, wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. |
Tips | Fondant can be used to create a smooth surface on a cake and can be coloured and flavoured. It is ideal for creating decorations such as sugar flowers, basket weave patterns, bows and cutouts. |
What You'll Learn
Making your own fondant
Ingredients:
- 1 (.25 ounce, 2 full teaspoons) package unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup glucose syrup or corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon glycerin
- 2 tablespoons (1oz/30g) shortening or butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
Steps:
- Combine gelatin and cold water in a double boiler. Let stand until thick and then heat until dissolved.
- Add glucose and glycerin and mix well. Stir in shortening and right before it’s melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow cooling until lukewarm.
- Put confectioners sugar in a large bowl.
- Make well in the centre. Stir in lukewarm gelatin mixture using a wooden spoon.
- Mix in a little sugar at a time until stickiness disappears. Knead in remaining sugar.
- Knead until smooth and is not sticky. If too soft, add sugar. If too stiff, add water a drop at a time.
Tips:
- To smooth the fondant, roll it out with a rolling pin on a surface coated with additional powdered sugar. For large sheets to cover cakes and cupcakes and for cutting out decorations, roll out a sheet about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick.
- It can dry out quickly. If you need to store it for short periods of time, wrap it in plastic wrap or cling wrap and store it in a resealable plastic bag.
- For longer storage, roll it into a ball, then coat with a little vegetable oil. Wrap in plastic wrap, then place the wrapped fondant in an airtight container. It can be stored for up to 2 months this way. Do not refrigerate or freeze it.
- If it is too soft or sticky to roll, knead in a little additional powdered sugar.
- Make sure your hands are clean when handling, and avoid wearing clothing with fibres that might shed.
- If you are covering a cake or cupcakes with rolled fondant, lightly cover with a glaze or buttercream frosting first to create a smooth surface.
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Preparing the cake pans
First, ensure you have the right cake pans for your desired cake size. For a 3-tier wedding cake, you'll need round cake pans in three different sizes: 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch. It is recommended to use pans that are 3 inches deep to prevent batter overflow.
Once you have the correct pans, prepare them for baking. Start by spraying the pans with cooking spray. This will help prevent the cakes from sticking to the pans. Next, cut a wax paper round to fit the bottom of each pan. Place the wax paper rounds inside the pans and spray them again with cooking spray. This extra step will ensure that your cakes will release easily after baking.
Now your cake pans are ready for the batter! Remember to only fill the pans about halfway to allow for rising and prevent overflow. If you're making a large cake, you may need to bake in batches.
After pouring the batter, smooth it out with a spatula and gently tap the pans on the counter to remove any large air bubbles. This will help create an even texture in your cake layers.
Finally, before placing the pans in the oven, it's a good idea to double-check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. The recommended baking temperature for these cakes is 350°F (180°C), but ovens can vary, so it's important to ensure accuracy. Adjust the temperature if needed and then place the pans in the oven to bake.
By following these steps for preparing your cake pans, you'll be well on your way to creating a beautiful and delicious fondant fancy wedding cake!
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Baking the cakes
The first step to making a fondant fancy wedding cake is, of course, baking the cakes. This guide will show you how to bake a round, 3-tier wedding cake, with a 10-inch bottom tier, an 8-inch middle tier, and a 6-inch top tier. Each tier will consist of two layers, meaning you will need to bake two 6-inch cakes, two 8-inch cakes, and two 10-inch cakes. Try to find cake pans that are 3 inches deep. The cakes themselves will be 2 inches, but the extra room will help prevent overflow.
You will need 24 cups of cake batter in total: 4 cups for the top tier, 7 to 8 cups for the middle tier, and 12 cups for the bottom tier. This fluffy homemade vanilla cake recipe is formulated to make exactly 4 cups of batter, so it's perfect for the top tier. To make the middle tier, simply double the recipe, and for the bottom tier, triple it.
Baking times at 350 F will vary depending on the size of the layers:
- 6-inch cakes: 25 to 30 minutes
- 8-inch cakes: 35 to 40 minutes
- 10-inch cakes: 55 to 60 minutes
Remember, these are just guidelines and the time may vary depending on your oven. To ensure your oven is at the right temperature, use an oven thermometer.
To test if your cakes are done, insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out dry, and the cake is golden brown, its edges have pulled away from the sides of the pan, and it springs back from your touch, then it is ready. It is especially important that the 10-inch layers spring back.
Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, then loosen with a knife and turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
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Assembling the tiers
Once you have your cakes baked, cooled, and levelled, it's time to assemble the tiers.
If you are planning to split the layers, you will need to place the cake on its cardboard round on a turntable and use a serrated knife to slice it lengthwise. Keep the blade level and use a sawing motion while rotating the cake. When you reassemble the cake, the cut sides should be facing each other. For extra precision, cut a small notch in the side of the cake before splitting it, and use this to line up the two halves again.
To fill your cake, start by spooning a small amount of frosting onto the bottom of the cake board. This will act as glue to keep the cake in place. Place the bottom layer on top of the cake board and pipe a buttercream dam around the perimeter. This will prevent the filling from leaking out. Spoon your chosen filling into the centre of the cake, spreading it evenly. Place the top layer on top, ensuring that the bottom of the cake is facing upwards for a flat edge.
Now, apply a crumb coat to the outside of the cake. This initial coat of frosting will latch onto any crumbs, ensuring that the final coat is neat and crumb-free. Chill the cake for 15-30 minutes before applying the final coat of frosting.
Repeat this process for each tier, placing each assembled tier onto the turntable and spreading the frosting with a palette knife. Try to work quickly to keep the cake cool, and return each tier to the fridge while you work on the next one.
To support the weight of the tiers above, you will need to insert vertical dowels into the cake. These can be wooden or plastic, or you could even use plastic drinking straws. Cut the dowels to the height of each tier and push them all the way through so that they are flush with the cake. Three dowels in a triangle formation should provide enough support. Repeat this process for each tier, laying a wax paper round over the top of each before positioning the next layer.
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Decorating the cake
Now that your fondant is ready, it's time to decorate your wedding cake! Here are some tips and instructions to help you create a beautiful and elegant fondant-covered wedding cake:
Before you start, make sure your hands are clean and avoid wearing clothes with fibres that might shed onto the fondant. It's also important to work quickly as fondant can dry out and become difficult to work with.
First, lightly cover your cake with a glaze or a thin layer of buttercream frosting. This will create a smooth surface for the fondant to adhere to. If your cake has multiple tiers, work on one tier at a time.
Next, roll out the fondant: use a rolling pin on a surface coated with powdered sugar to achieve a smooth and even sheet of fondant. The sheet should be about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick.
Once the fondant is rolled out, carefully lift and drape it over your cake. Smooth it gently with your hands or a cake smoother to remove any air bubbles or wrinkles. Trim away any excess fondant from the base of the cake.
If you want to add colour to your fondant, use paste food colouring instead of liquid colouring. The paste will not dilute the fondant and will result in a more concentrated colour. Wear plastic gloves to avoid staining your hands, and use different pairs of gloves for different colours.
Fondant is great for sculpting, so you can create decorations such as sugar flowers, bows, cutouts, and toppers. You can also use fondant to create a patterned or textured effect on your cake. For example, you can use fondant to make a basket weave pattern or to pipe decorative borders.
If you want to add fresh flowers or edible decorations such as berries or edible flowers, go ahead and add them now. You can also pipe some decorative touches using buttercream or royal icing.
Finally, if you have any leftover fondant, you can store it in an airtight container. Fondant can be stored at room temperature for short periods, or you can roll it into a ball, coat it with vegetable oil, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
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Frequently asked questions
Fondant is typically made from confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, and water. Some recipes may also include gelatin, and others are made with marshmallows.
Fondant is great for sculpting and creating decorations such as sugar flowers, basket weave patterns, bows, cutouts, and toppers. You can also colour fondant with food dye to achieve a beautiful pattern or finish.
It is recommended to use a moist cake recipe for a fondant wedding cake, as the fondant seals in moisture.
For short-term storage, wrap fondant in plastic wrap or cling wrap and store it in a resealable plastic bag. For longer storage, roll it into a ball, coat it with vegetable oil, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container. It can be stored this way for up to 2 months.
Buttercream is a popular alternative to fondant for wedding cakes. It is soft, rich, and thick, and can be used for both cake topping and filling. It can also be easily piped to create flowers, designs, and piped edges.