Processed
Rolled Fondant
S tier
Rolled fondant is a dough of sugar, glucose, and fat (often with gelatine or gum) that rolls like pastry and drapes a cake in a matte, porcelain skin. Wedding and display cakes live on it. It tastes of sweet vanilla more than of chocolate, and a thick coat can smother a good sponge—roll it thin and keep the crumb interesting underneath. It dries at the edges if you dawdle, and humidity makes it sweat. Knead until it is satin, not until it is warm and oily. This is not poured fondant for petits fours, and it is not royal icing. Colour it with gel, not a cup of liquid dye.
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Preparations
Traits
History
Australian and British cake decorators developed rollable fondant as an alternative to royal icing armour.
Ready-to-roll packs put draped fondant cakes into home kitchens.
Television cake shows made rolled fondant the American celebration-cake default.
A backlash against thick, tasteless coats pushed thinner rolls and better-flavoured commercial fondants.