The Ultimate Guide to Fondant Decorating for Beginners

What is Fondant (Sugarpaste)?

Fondant, also known as sugarpaste, is a popular type of icing used in cake decorating. It’s pliable, mouldable and holds its shape nicely. This makes it perfect for both covering cakes and creating cupcake or cookie toppers, and for sculpting small decorations.

Fondant icing is easy to smooth out into a really flawless finish! This makes it a favourite for cake artists creating wedding or celebration cakes. It’s a lovely alternative to buttercream, giving a more polished result.

Fondant comes in a range of colours, and the white can easily be coloured using gel or oil-based colourings.

PME White Cake Decorating Turntable

PME Straight Edge Smoother and Polisher

Simply Making White Masonite Board

Wilton Wide Glide 50cm Rolling Pin

Simply Making Baby Pink Heart Shaped Masonite Board

Couture Luxury Professional Turntable

How to Prep Your Cake for Fondant Icing

To prep your cake for fondant decorating, you want to start with a really smooth surface. You can achieve this by adding a crumb coat to a chilled cake.

A crumb coat is a super-thin layer of buttercream or ganache applied all over the sponge. It seals in any loose crumbs to prevent them moving around and causing issues when decorating!

We have a detailed guide to crumb coating a cake, which you can find here: How to Crumb Coat a Cake for Beginners.

Ideally, you then want to chill the cake again for around 20 minutes before adding your fondant icing. Working with a firm sponge achieves better results!

Kneading and Rolling Your Fondant

Get started by kneading your fondant thoroughly until it’s pliable - you want it to have a good stretch to it, but it shouldn’t be soft enough to break easily when stretching. This will prevent cracking.

Roll your fondant out with your non-stick rolling pin, and you can make it whatever thickness you prefer. The optimum depth is around 3-4mm or ⅛ of an inch. Going any thinner than that may start to present issues with cracking, depending on the sugarpaste you are using.

Pro Tip! To cover a round cake, you can either place one large piece of sugarpaste on top and smooth it down around the sides, or you can use the panelling method. This means cutting a panel to wrap around the sides and a separate circle to cover the top. Then you’ll work out any joins with your smoother to make it seamless.

How do I stop fondant from sticking to the counter?

To stop fondant from sticking to your counter, simply dust the work surface with a light layer of cornstarch or powdered sugar. This should prevent any sticking and keep it moving freely while you roll it out.

Just getting started?

We recommend: Renshaw!

Renshaw is an iconic name in the industry – no matter how new to the world of cakes you are, we’re sure you know them! If you’re a beginner when it comes to cake decorating, their sugarpaste is a perfect place to start. Easy to work with, available in a wide range of colours and, crucially, great value for money, it’s a brilliant option for learning with.

A regular hobby?

We recommend FunCakes and Sattina!

Baking on a regular basis? We see you! The FunCakes collection has two brilliant options – their sugarpaste is perfect for smaller items like cookies or cupcakes, while their covering paste is ideal for covering a whole cake. Our friend Molly Robbins is a big fan of this range!

Sattina is another perfect choice at this stage of your journey. Easy to knead, with a stunning colour collection and subtle vanilla flavour, this collection will level up your home baking and have people asking for more!

Hobby to side-hustle?

We recommend THE SUGAR PASTE and SmartFlex!

Starting your side-hustle? THE SUGAR PASTE is your new bestie. They have a full range of incredible colours, which are ideal for covering cakes, and it comes in a wide range of size options, from 250g right up to 6kg (even 7kg in white!). Bulk buying is a great way to save money when you have a number of projects coming up.

And if you’ve been in the industry for any length of time, you’ll know SmartFlex is a favourite with semi-pro and pro cake makers alike. Their sugarpaste is extremely elastic yet structurally sturdy, allowing you to create difficult and unique shapes or designs – great for practising those more complex designs as you go pro!

Full-time pro cake maker?

We recommend Couture!

Couture luxury sugarpaste is a game-changer for professional cake makers. Made with ultra-fine icing sugar, this icing rolls beautifully for a flawless, smooth finish. It won’t crack or tear, creates perfect, sharp edges and is allergen-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Everything you need when you make wedding and celebration cakes for a living! Couture ambassador Suzanne Esper says it will always be her go-to.

Making sugar models?

We recommend: Colour Mill!

If you’re looking to use your sugarpaste to create cute cake models, we love the Decorator’s Dough range from our friends at Colour Mill. Available in twelve of their iconic shades, this easy-to-mould and shape fondant is perfect for making edible decorations!

Fondant Decorating FAQS

Why does fondant crack, and how to fix it?

There are a few reasons why fondant might crack. Here are the most common issues, and how to fix them!

Issue 1: Fondant is too hard - common in the winter months! Solution: Warm the fondant up a little before kneading - you can pop it in the microwave for ten seconds at a time!

Issue 2: Fondant is too soft - common in the summer months! Solution: If your fondant is too soft and sticky, you can add a little CMC/Tylo Powder to it to firm it up. Don’t overdo this though, just add a little at a time!

Issue 3: Fondant hasn’t been properly kneaded. Solution: It is crucial to knead the sugarpaste until it is pliable, stretching nicely without tearing.

Issue 4: Fondant has been rolled too thin. Solution: Invest in a quality sugarpaste like Couture if you need to roll the icing particularly thin. Otherwise, keep it a little thicker to avoid cracking.

Should I store a fondant-covered cake in the fridge?

A fondant-covered cake is best stored at room temperature.

Storing a fondant cake in the fridge can cause problems with condensation. Fondant attracts moisture, which can form droplets, which burst after the cake is removed from the fridge, leaving imperfections.

If you do refrigerate your cake, put it in a sturdy, current-corrugated cake box, to give it some protection.

Can I colour fondant icing?

Absolutely! Fondant icing is easy to colour by kneading in your favourite gel or paste colourings. Start with a tiny amount, as many colourings are highly concentrated. Build up until you reach your desired shade.

Can I freeze a cake with fondant icing?

Ideally, you should avoid freezing a fondant-covered cake. Similarly to storing it in the fridge, issues caused by the condensation when freezing and thawing can affect your beautifully decorated bake.

If you must prepare ahead of time, you can wrap the cake in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of tinfoil before freezing to protect the surface.

Can you do a drip cake on fondant icing?

Yes, you can easily create a drip cake design on fondant icing. Simply ensure your fondant is nice and smooth, with clean edges, and chill before adding the drip to give it a firm surface to adhere to.

How long does fondant icing last once opened?

Once opened, as long as it is kept in an airtight container, fondant icing should last up to the best before date listed on the packaging.