Marshmallow Fondant
Homemade fondant from melted marshmallows and powdered sugar that rolls thin and tastes better than most store brands. Amounts, kneading, coloring and covering a cake.
Total time includes at least 4 hours of resting the wrapped fondant at room temperature. Overnight is better if you have time.
Before you start
Marshmallow fondant is a quick home version of rolled fondant: melted mini marshmallows bring gelatin, sugar and air, and enough powdered sugar is kneaded in to make a smooth, stretchy dough you can roll and drape over a cake. It is softer and sweeter than commercial fondant and costs far less, which makes it a good choice for birthday cakes and decorations.
The main judgment is how much sugar to knead in. Humidity and marshmallow brands vary, so add the last of the sugar gradually and stop when the dough feels like soft play dough and no longer sticks to a greased hand. Resting it overnight, tightly wrapped, makes it smoother and easier to roll without tearing.
Ingredients
- 450 g (about 8 cups) mini marshmallows — white, fresh and soft
- 2–3 tbsp water
- 900 g (about 7½ cups) powdered sugar — plus extra for rolling
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable shortening — for greasing hands, bowl and counter
- ½ tsp clear vanilla or almond extract (optional)
- as needed gel food coloring
Method
- Grease the microwave-safe bowl and spatula with shortening. Add the marshmallows and 2 tbsp water and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then continue in 20-second bursts until completely melted and smooth, about 1½ to 2 minutes total.
- Stir in the extract and any coloring for a single-colored batch. Add about 600 g of the powdered sugar and stir until the mixture becomes thick, stringy and hard to move.
- Grease the counter and your hands generously with shortening. Scrape the mixture out, add another 200 g sugar on top and knead like bread dough, folding the edges in and pressing with the heel of your hand.
- Knead in the remaining sugar a little at a time for 5 to 8 minutes, until the fondant is smooth and elastic and does not stick to your greased hand. If it starts to crack or tear, knead in ½ tsp water; if it is sticky, add more sugar.
- Coat the ball thinly with shortening, wrap it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and seal in a zip-top bag. Rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours.
- To cover a cake, crumb coat and chill it until firm. Knead the fondant briefly until pliable, then roll it on a sugar-dusted counter to about 5 mm (¼ in) thick and a circle about 40 cm (16 in) across.
- Lift the fondant over the rolling pin, drape it over the cake and smooth the top first. Work down the sides, lifting and easing out folds rather than stretching downward. Press out air with the smoother and trim the base with a pizza cutter.
Tips for success
- For deep colors such as red or black, color the melted marshmallow before adding sugar; kneading in a lot of gel later makes the fondant sticky.
- Keep pieces you are not using wrapped. Exposed fondant forms a dry skin within minutes that cracks when rolled.
- Buttercream under fondant should be firm and chilled. A soft, thick layer bulges and makes the fondant look lumpy.
Substitutions
- Vegetable shortening
- Butter can grease the counter but tints the fondant and makes it softer in warm rooms. Shortening stays neutral and is easier to work with.
- Mini marshmallows
- Large marshmallows work in the same weight; cut them in half so they melt evenly. Vegetarian marshmallows melt differently and often give a stickier, less stretchy fondant.
- Water
- Use lemon juice for a faint tang that cuts the sweetness. It does not change the texture.
Variations
- Chocolate marshmallow fondant
- Melt 60 g dark chocolate with the marshmallows and replace 60 g of the powdered sugar with cocoa powder.
- Modeling paste
- Knead 1 tsp tylose (CMC) powder into 250 g fondant to make it firmer for figures and bows that hold their shape.
Troubleshooting
- Fondant cracks and tears when rolled
- It is too dry or cold. Knead in a little shortening or a few drops of water, warm it in the microwave for 5 seconds and roll again.
- Fondant is sticky and stretches out of shape
- It needs more sugar, or the room is humid. Knead in powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time and dust the counter more.
- Elephant-skin wrinkles on the cake
- The surface dried before smoothing. Roll and cover quickly, and smooth with a shortening-greased palm to soften the surface.
- Bulges or bubbles under the fondant
- Air was trapped. Prick the bubble with a pin at an angle, press the air out and smooth over the hole.
Storage
Wrap leftover fondant tightly in plastic and keep it in an airtight bag at room temperature for up to 1 month. Do not refrigerate the wrapped fondant. A fondant-covered cake with a perishable filling must be refrigerated; let it come to room temperature in its box so condensation dries without spotting.
Safety notes
Most marshmallows contain gelatin from animal sources. Melted marshmallow is very hot and sticky; let it cool briefly before kneading.
About this page
Written and reviewed by the BakedAI editorial team. Last reviewed . Amounts and timings are a careful starting point, not a lab-tested formula; ingredients, equipment and kitchens vary. This recipe has no ratings or nutrition estimate.