Fun with Fondant and a Giveaway
You know those big beautiful cakes that you see on all those reality baking shows? With all the different shapes and colors of fondant? I’ve honestly never had ambitions to make anything like that. But I’ve also never given it a shot. When Megan from Delicious Dishings and I were talking about our latest baking date, the idea was thrown out there to play with fondant. We figured it would be a fun first to tackle together.
And, to sweeten the deal, the lovely people at King Arthur Flour offered to send us each a tub of their white fondant to play with. In preparations for our fun with fondant day, I baked up a couple cake layers for each of us (we also decorated some cupcakes, that post will be coming later).
Megan decided to make a fall themed cake, while I decided to make a pink ribbon cake. I had great great ambitions in my mind of what this cake would look like. I wanted a big fat pink swirled ribbon draped over the entirety of my cake. But let me back up a minute.
First, we frosted our cakes with some buttercream. We let the cakes chill in the fridge for a bit while we each rolled out some fondant. To coat the cake, we rolled the fondant fairly thin, about 1/8″ thick. To get the rolled out fondant onto my cake, I folded my fondant in quarters, laid it on top of the cake and unfolded it. This was my first mistake of the day. When I unfolded the fondant, it had little seams in it from the fold. I had hoped to be able to smooth them out, but wasn’t able to. Next time, I’d roll the fondant onto the rolling pin and unroll onto the cake.
The next step was to press down the fondant on the sides of the cake. Megan ended up cutting part of her fondant out and I went with the approach of just continuing to press it down and try to smooth it out. Both strategies ended up working, although we both had some uneven fondant on our cakes.
Next cake the decorations. We both took a small portion of fondant and put a few drops of gel food coloring into it. With our hands, we kneaded the fondant until the color was dispersed. Then we played around with the marbling. I’m sure Megan has some intermediate pictures, but I didn’t get any that day. I basically took a small ball of dark pink and a small ball of light pink. I divided each ball in half and rolled them into a long snake. Then I basically laid the ropes out and twisted them together. Then I just rolled the colors together and flipped and kept rolling and flipping until I got a swirl in my fondant. I rolled out a very large piece and just cut out the pink ribbon with a knife.
I draped the pink ribbon over the cake and I loved it instantly! That’s when I discovered my second mistake (or maybe it was my first in reality). You see, my cake layers were frozen at the beginning of the day. They were defrosting while the plain white fondant sat on the cake. This resulted in my white fondant sweating as the cake layers cooled. This was great in the fact that the pink ribbon stuck to the white fondant without any additional aid.
I then decided that the cake felt a little naked. So I mixed my swirled pink fondant with some white fondant to make more swirls. Then I made the dots to decorate the rest of the cake. I think it turned out pretty nicely for my first fondant cake. I’m not sure I’ll be making any big masterpieces in the near future, but it sure was fun to try something new with a friend.
And NOW, after all of that, comes the good part. The giveaway. King Arthur Flour has generously offered one lucky reader of mine and Megan’s the chance to try playing with fondant themselves. I will choose one entry at random to win one tub of white fondant.
Rules for Giveaway:
– Be sure to follow King Arthur Flour either on Facebook, Twitter, or by subscribing to their newsletter (check the lower right hand corner of their website)
– Leave a comment by 11:59PM (EST) on Friday October 7th answering this question – What do you think about fondant? Love it? Hate it? Peel it off before digging in? Eat it all up?
– Only one entry per person
– US or Canada shipping addresses only
Don’t worry, I’ll post more about the inside of this cake shortly. This post is long enough already…
Don’t forget about my Power of Pink Challenge – make something PINK by the end of the month to raise Breast Cancer Awareness!
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I would love to win the 4 Tbsp scoop!! I’m always wishing I had one while making cookies…
I’d love to have the solid color cupcake liners!
I’d love the Martha Stewart Cupcake Book – Thanks and have a great week.
I would love the Martha Stewart cookbook!
I would like the 4 Tbsp scoop, I have been wanting one. And I already have the Martha Cupcake cookbook, the Snapware cupcake carrier, Wilton tips and coloring and a large assortment of liners.
I would love to win the cupcake decorating set!
I love the cupcake carrier.
I would like the cupcake decorating set. I’m really trying to get in touch with my creative side!
The cupcake liners!
What an awesome giveaway!! Almost too good to pick one. But I think the cupcake carrier is the winner for me!!!
This is so difficult!!! I think I would like the Martha Stewart cookbook. Thanks! Have a great day!!
I have been wishing for a cupcake carrier, it looks perfect.
I have always wanted a carrier!
cdenney92@yahoo.com
Oh, I would so love to have more cupcake liners. You can never have too many!
the cupcake caddy, of course!
I would love the Wilton 12-piece cupcake Decorating Set! I have always been interested in learning to decorate with icing
I would love the Martha Stuart’s Cupcake book.
A cupcake carrier that works? Pick me!! (The last two I bought were cracked when I got them home to wash them!!)
I would love to win the Martha Stewart Cupcakes cookbook! I have borrowed our library’s copy several times and would love to actually own it! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The cupcake pan!
Would love to have the Wilton icing colors!
Oh, I would love to have the cupcake carrier. I used to teach Wilton classes, so I have lots of the decorating supplies to use.
I would love Martha Stewart’s Cupcake book – she is my baking hero! 🙂
I am in desperate need of that Wilton 12-piece cupcake decorating set!
The cupcake caddy! For cupcake fun on the road 🙂
The Wilton decorating set. I keep meaning to buy one!
Hard choice, but I think I’d choose the cupcake carrier! I have been wanting one of those for several years now. 🙂
I would love the cupcake liners! I just discovered your blog and love it!
I would LOVE Martha’s cupcake book! (I’m having a little giveaway too that ends Monday night…if you wanna check it out)
I would love the Wilton 12-piece cupcake Decorating Set! I love the way piped frosting looks instead of spread on by a knife! 🙂
Congrats on your blogiversary! You have provided so much inspiration for so many of us & cupcakes are an appropriate celebration. 🙂
For me, it’d have to be the snapware carrier. I’ve heard so much about it and the carrier I have only holds a dozen (and awkwardly so).
I would love the 4 Tbsp scoop!
I would love the icing set. I have never used icing colors and would love to!
I would love the cupcake carrier. I have a 2-in-1 Wilton carrier for cupcakes and a 13×9, but I’m finding I am taking a cake AND cupcakes to a lot of places, and it only holds 12 cupcakes anyway. Thanks!
The cupcake liners!
I could use the cupcake carrier.
I would love to win the Martha Stewart cookbook!
Thanks for the giveaway.
we love cupcake liners, and those are gorgeous!!
Wow, those are all amazing giveaways. If I won I’d have to say the cupcake liners. I’ve been meaning to buy lots of fun and bright liners but just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Cupcake Linerrsssss!! I freaking love those solid ones! All the colours….Mmmmmm
I would love to have the cupcake carrier!
I’d love the cupcake liners. You can never have too many of those!
Definitely the Martha Stewart Cupcake book because I would love to break out of my traditional cupcake rut!
I love the cupcake carrier!
I would like the cookie scoop. Thanks!
I would love the cupcake cookbooks.. and the liners:)
Great giveaways…would love the muffin pan or the cupcake carrier.
I would love that cupcake carrier! That would be sooo much easier to carry all of my cupcakes that putting them in several different small containers like I do now.
I would love to win the 12 piece cupcake decorating set!!!
I would love to win the 12 piece cupcake decorating set!!!
I would love the cupcake pan.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom
I am always looking for cupcake liners!
I’d love them all, but I’d really love the cupcake carrier!
Snapware cupcake carrier! I always have to find some clever way to transport my cupcakes since I don’t have a carrier.
Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes!!!
The 4 Tbsp. scoop!
The liners would definitely be my choice. Maybe then I could stop making all my cupcakes in those leftover Thanksgiving liners… lol
Oh, totally “Snapware Cupcake Carrier”! I was going down the list, all “Oooh” and “Aaah”, but when I saw that one, I just couldn’t pick anything else. I don’t have a driver’s license/car, so I have to transport all my baked goods for work or friends in my not-so-high storage containers. I never like what they do to the consistency of the cupcakes. So that carrier would be such a god’s send!
Definitely the 4 Tbsp scoop, I have been want one of these for a while!
Tough decision, but I’d go with the cupcake liners!
All of the products look cool, but I would love to have the Wilton 12 piece decorating set.
Cupcake carrier!
Stefibeth @ aol.com
happy blogiversary! 4 tbs scoop.
The solid colored cupcake liners would be an amazing prize!
I would love to win the scoop!
I would love the cupcake liners! You can never have too many! 🙂
alwaysarac at gmail dot com
Martha Stewart Cupcakes is totally on my wish-list!
Happy Blogiversary!
I would love any of them but since I have to pick I’ll pick the 24 muffin pan
My choice would have to be the cupcake liners.
The cupcake carrier! I am always at a loss of how to transport the cute little things!
I would love the Cupcake Carrier. I’m sick of scrounging for cardboard lids to carry my cupcakes in!
I would choose the solid color cupcake liners. And even if you already have some, I think you should get some more! 🙂
I would love the cupcake liners!
I too would LOVE the cupcake liners. I was blessed enough to be given all of my grandma’s cupcake (and cake) pans & wilton tips so I have plenty of tools at my disposal… I just need cute liners!
I would love the cupcake liners! You can never have to many cupcake liners!
I think I’d either want to win the papers or the 24 cup pan.
Solid color cupcake liners would be my pick.
I would love the snaptop cupcake carrier. SOOO need one
Tough choice! I’d love the cupcake carrier, I think.
I’d love the Martha Stewart cookbook!
oooohhhh, I’d love the cupcake decorating set! 🙂
It’s gotta be the Martha Cupcake book
Atoxim at gmail dot com
I would love the carrier!
ljyoung85@gmail.com
I sooooo need a new pan! See you on FB too!
Oh the liners or the pan! My current pan is a hand-me-down which is wonderful but not very reliable. Please oh please pick me!
I’d love the Martha Stewart Cupcake book. I’ve been holding my library’s copy ransom for weeks now.
I would actually love the 4TB scoop!
I’d love the Wilton icing colors!
I would love the snapware
Snapware Cupcake Carrier!! I need something a little better than a shoe box…
I would love the snapware cupcake carrier!
Thanks for another chance at a fun prize! While I’d looove any one of these items, I really could use a 4Tbsp scoop. Thanks again!
I’d love the cupcake carrier!! I actually have never made cupcakes (gasp, I know!) but I honestly think that that would change if I had this carrier – this way I won’t feel like I’ll have to eat them all – I can just bring them to work 🙂
LOVE how creative your giveaway is (hopefully I win and you get something new 😉 )
I would like one of each please lol
I really would like thisSnapware 2-Level Cupcake Storage Carrier
aunteegem@yahoo.com
The Martha Stewart Cupcakes book!
I can never have enough cupcake liners!
What a cool giveaway! I would love the cupcake carrier!!
would love to win the cupcake liners! super cute.
kimschmidt611 at gmail.com
I would love to win the cupcake carrier! Thanks!
I have them all but the cupcake carrier, and it has been on my list for awhile now – I’d love to win it!
I have been lusting after a cupcake carrier for a long time, so it would be a fantastic addition to my kitchen. Thanks!
I would love the cupcake carrier. I always make cupcakes for other people (so I don’t eat them all myself)and it would be great to have something stable to carry them in to my lucky recipients.
I’d like to win any of them 🙂 but especially the liners or book!
I would love to win the cupcake decorating set. I already have the martha stewart book and love it! Thanks!
I want them all! But I want the decorating set the most 🙂
All of them! But probably the cupcake carrier the most 🙂 It’s what I always eyeball but can never justify purchasing.
I would love those awesome cupcake liners!
Thanks for the chance!
the.k.krew(at)gmail(dot)com
Definitely the icing set! It’d be great to have all of those color options at my fingertips for decorating of all kinds…cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc.
Cupcake Liners…those are always fun!
Those cupcake liners are super cute. I’d love to win those!
Ooh I’ve been listing after Martha Stewart Cupcakes so definitely that!
oooh! I’d love to win the solid cupcake liners!!!! :o)
I would love the 4 T scoop – my current scoop just broke a couple of weeks ago and I haven’t had a chance to replace it yet.
i could use the cupcake carrier. otherwise, the cupcakes would all be stuck at home w/ me and that’d be a (delicious) disaster!
I would love the liners or the 24 cup baking pan! Thanks!
I would love the cupcake liners!
I would love the icing colors!
what a tough call… I guess I would take the cupcake liners!
I’ve been dying to buy the Martha Stewart Cupcake Book!!!
Love the cupcake liners!
Would love to win the cupcake liners for sure!
I would love the cupcake book! 🙂
Gosh, I love the muffin pan!
The cupcake pan looks fantastic!
The solid color cupcake liners!
I’d love to win the cupcake liners!
Happy Blogiversary Jen!!! Awesome giveaway…but I’m a sucker for cookbooks. I’d love the Martha Stewart cupcake book!
I would love the cupcake liners, they add so much!
I would LOVE the cupcake liners…
Mmmmm….the Martha Stewart cookbook!! Yum Yum Yum!
I could really use the 4tbsp scoop.
I would love to have a 24 cup muffin pan!
I could definitely use the 4tbsp scoop! It would be great for not just my baking but also my cooking needs!
I would love the 24 muffin pan! Love cupcakes!
4 Tbsp scoop. I don’t have one that size and I always wish I did!
I would love to have the 24 cup muffin pan. I really need a new muffin pan!
Cupcake liners! And I hate pink, so I’ll even share and let you have the pink ones 🙂
i would love to have the 24 cupcake pan! i only have a 12 and a 6! 🙂
The cupcake carrier would be awesome! no more smushed cupcake tops.
I would love the 24 cup muffin pan, and I would love to win 😀 Have a great day!
Ohh, I’d love the win the Wilton 12-piece cupcake Decorating Set.
🙂
Being that I only have one of these items (the 4 Tbl scoop), it was difficult to pick. But, I would love to have the Wilton 12-piece cupcake Decorating Set! It would be such fun to decorate cupcakes creatively:)
I would LOVE the cupcake carrier. That is the one thing I don’t have!
Great giveaway!! I would love the Wilton 12-piece cupcake Decorating Set!!
I NEED the 24 cup pan!!! LOL!
I’d love to win the 2-level cupcake storage container! Makes transporting those little pieces of sweetness so much easier!
I would love to have Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book. Thanks!
julie (at) thelittlekitchen (dot) net
Happy Blogiversary! What a great accomplishment! I foresee a lot of birthday cupcake baking next month, I’d love to win the cupcake liners, please! Thank you!
I would LOVE the Martha Stewart cupcake book. I love this blog!
I would choose the cupcake carrier! The one I have now only holds a single layer, so that one is much nicer!
Martha Stewart Cupcake Book, please.
Hi Beantown Baker!!
Ah, the cupcake carrier would accompany me wherever I should roam ! In the forest, in the bath, even on my bicycle, that would be such a help. Love to you from my kitchen!
I’d love the solid color cupcake liners – I’d use them in no time! : )
The Wilton icing flavors set looks great- its always so challenging to get EXACTLY the right shade!
I would love that Snapware Cupcake carrier.
Hard to choose! I would really love the cupcake pan because I have silicone and they are not good at all. Thanks!
I would choose the snapware carrier.
hewella1 at gmail dot com
I would love to win the Wilton 12piece cupcake Decorating Set…
The cupcake decorating set, I think, though the 4 Tbs scoop comes in a close second.
I would love all of them lol, but the cupcake carrier would be awesome to have!!
I’d love to win the cupcake book! Cupcakes can be so fun to make!
I would love to win the Snapware Cupcake Carrier! Thanks for the opportunity!!
I would love to win the decorating kit!
Decisions, decisions…I guess I will have to go with the cupcake carrier.
I would love the Martha Stewart Cupcake book! I’ve been wanting it for a while now!
Ooh, you made that a difficult decision. I’m torn between the cupcake liners, color gels and the Martha Stewart cupcake book.
I’m running low on lots of colors, I’l probably go for the color gels.
I would really love to win the solid colored cupcake liners I have a few red and I love all the colors here
Probably the Martha Stewart book, I’ve seen so many great recipes blogged from it!
I would love the snapware cupcake carrier! It looks so easy to use!
Can I say that I would like all the prizes? 😉 Great giveaway. It is a hard choice, but I would probably go with the Wilton 12-piece cupcake decorating set. Happy Blogoverary.
Man, tough call. Scoop or book, scoop or book. BOOK it is. Great idea!
The carrier, definitely! I need one!
Such a tough choice, I need them all except the decorating set. Interesting idea with the 24 cupcake pan- though I don’t know where I’d store it.
I would choose the carrier though. That is the one I need the most.
Having those beautiful colored cupcake liners would be so fun! I’d love to win those.
I would love the Martha Stewart Cupcake cookbook! It has been on my wish list for a while. Thanks!
I know that I would make more cupcakes if I had those carriers so that I could share them! Great idea for a giveaway!!
i love the cupcake liners!! they are so fun!!!
Oh boy, cupcakes:) I would love to win the 4tbsp scoop. I commented my favorite cupcake on your FB and liked you too:) Thank you!
moonbatty[at]hotmail.com
I would love the book! I’m always looking for new cupcake recipes
definitely the cupcake carrier. they are a pain to travel with!
Definitely the wilton icing colors!
I’d love to win the Wilton cupcake decorating set.
I would love to win the decoarting set, it is already on my birthday list 🙂
I would love to win the cupcake carrier! My single level one just doesn’t cut it.
I would love to win the 4 Tbsp scoop!
i would love to win the cupcake liners!
I would love everything! But, i would go with the muffin pan:)
The snapware cupcake carrier would be great!
I think I would choose the cupcake carrier. I love those things!
I’d like to win the Martha Stewart Cupcake book
Such a tough choice! I want all those things! I think I will have to choose the… eenie meenie miny mo… cupcake decorating set!
i would looooove the liners or the carrier… or the scoop. lol. 🙂
I would love the cupcake decorating kit!
Would LOVE the Martha Stewart book!!
I’d love the muffin pan!