Marshmallow Fondant

I’m not a huge fan of fondant. Although fondant is a lot prettier than regular frosting, it doesn’t compare taste-wise to me. I especially refuse to use the store bought…YUCK. When I want to make a beautiful fondant cake for a special occasion I like to make my own. And it’s made from marshmallows…A LOT yummier than regular. This recipe makes enough to cover a regular sized 2 tier cake with decorations. It’s just as easy to make as it is to head to the store and buy it and it tastes SOOO much better. I also opted to frost the cake with cream cheese frosting instead of a stiff buttercream because I think vanilla buttercream is yuck. This combo was AWESOME. It’s result was a SUPER moist cake and delicious frosting. I definitely suggest doing this.

16 oz mini marshmallows
2 lbs powder sugar, sifted
4 T water
1 t Vanilla
Shortening

Grease a large microwaveable bowl very well with shortening. Pour in the mini marshmallows and water. Microwave the marshmallows for 1-2 minutes, just until the top marshmallows are shiny and begin to puff. Remove from microwave and stir with a greased rubber scraper, add vanilla and stir again to combine.

Grease counter top with shortening. Pour powder sugar into melted marshmallows and stir with greased rubber scraper until it is too stiff to continue stirring. Pour marshmallow mixture onto greased surface and knead the fondant with greased hands until all of the powder sugar is mixed in and the fondant is smooth. If this process gets too sticky, add more powdered sugar. Shape fondant into a thick disc and store fondant in greased plastic wrap allowing the fondant to rest at room temperature for at least an hour before using. If the fondant is still too soft, put in the fridge to firm.

To color fondant, I recommend using coloring gels because they have better color. Just use a toothpick to get out the desired amount of coloring gel and place it in the center of the fondant. Then fold and knead until all the color is distributed.

Grease a flat surface with shortening and or sprinkle a large flat surface with powder sugar to roll out fondant. Be sure to move fondant around on surface to prevent sticking and to keep surface sprinkled with powder sugar or lightly greased.

Chocolate Marshmallow Fondant: Substitute 1/3 cup cocoa powder for 1/3 cup powder sugar for a lighter color and lighter chocolate taste. Substitute 1/2 cocoa powder in place of 1/2 cup of powder sugar for a "tootsie roll" taste and darker chocolate color. Also add 2 teaspoons more of water to fondant.

Tips for working with Marshmallow Fondant:
- Make sure that everything is well greased to that the fondant does not stick to your hands, bowls, spoons, surfaces, etc.
-Keep fondant stored airtight to prevent it from drying out.
- If after resting for at least an hour fondant is too soft, add a little more powder sugar to make it more stable.
- Microwave fondant for 5-10 seconds to make it a little more pliable if needed, but remember that microwaveing it can dry it out too.
-Knead the fondant to make it more elastic, but don't over do it or you will have a melted sticky mess.

*From The Open Pantry