Sweetened Condensed Milk And Confectioners Sugar Are The Start Of A French-Style Cake Topping That's Smooth And Rich

Transform your baked goods from basic to bakery-level with the help of this simple cake topping. Fondant, which originated in France during the 1500s, is the most delicious way to decorate everything from cakes and cupcakes to cake pops. You only need a few ingredients to create fondant at home.

Fondant is edible, malleable, and has a sweet, light flavor that won't compete with your baked goods. It can be shaped into any design you can imagine, either by hand or with molds and cutters. Fondant can also be colored with food dye, making it even easier to bring your creative cake vision to life.

There are a few different types of fondant, including marshmallow fondant, poured, and rolled fondant. Rolled fondant is the gold standard for both home and professional bakers because it is quick to prepare and has a dough-like consistency. While traditional rolled fondant recipes call for gelatin and stabilizing ingredients like glycerin, there are more accessible and basic recipes for rolled fondant that require nothing more than confectioner's sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. 

You can of course buy fondant pre-made, but it's less expensive (and more fun) to make yourself. Mix together condensed milk, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla in an electric mixer until the fondant has a clay-like consistency. Now is the time to add a few drops of food dye if you want to create different shades. Some recipes also add butter.

Roll out the fondant on a clean work surface with a rolling pin — a sprinkle of cornstarch can help prevent sticking. Create your desired shapes by pressing the fondant into silicone molds. You can also use cookie cutters or stamps. Or, if you want to completely cover a cake with fondant, roll it out into a thin, smooth layer and then gently drape it on the cooled cake. 

If your fondant is dry or cracking, use a bit of glycerin or vegetable shortening to rehydrate it and make it stretchy again. For fondant pieces that won't adhere, take a tiny bit of fondant and mix it with water. Shape it into a dot with your finger and use this fondant glue to carefully position the fondant shape. Alternatively, you can buy edible glue made for this purpose.