We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
If you are looking for a Fondant Recipe that is easy to make, tastes better than store-bought, and actually works for covering cakes, this is the one I use over and over again. This is a homemade marshmallow fondant recipe that turns out soft, smooth, and easy to roll, even if you are new to working with fondant. I love it because it gives cakes that polished bakery-style finish without the dry, rubbery texture that many packaged fondants have.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First try at fondant and was amazing! My 10 year granddaughter wanted to make her own birthday cake with fondant flowers. Was so beautiful! – Ruth
I can’t believe how easy it was to make fondant!! This recipe was perfect, easy to follow and turned out better than store bought. I did have to use additional powdered sugar due to the high humidity today, but the guidance about making it play dough consistency. was spot on! Thank you for sharing this recipe!! -Rena
It worked perfectly! My cake is beautiful! – Pepper
Why I Love This Fondant Recipe
I have loved fondant ever since my wedding, when my mom made the most beautiful cake for me covered in smooth white fondant and fresh flowers. Since then, I have had so much fun using fondant on my kids’ birthday cakes and other family celebrations.
What I love most about this recipe is that it only takes a few simple ingredients, it is easy to make, and it gives me that clean bakery-style finish at home. It also tastes so much better than store-bought fondant, which is a huge bonus.
🩷 Emily
Table of Contents
- 5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Why I Love This Fondant Recipe
- What is Fondant?
- What Kind of Fondant Is This?
- Why This Homemade Fondant Works
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Fondant
- Best Frosting to Use Under Fondant
- How to Cover a Cake
- Decorating Ideas
- Recipe Tips
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Make Ahead and Storage
- More Frosting and Icing Recipes to Try
- The Best Fondant Recipe
What is Fondant?
Fondant is a soft, pliable icing that is used to cover and decorate cakes. It has a texture similar to play dough, which makes it easy to roll out, drape over cakes, and shape into decorations. Homemade fondant is one of my favorite options because it is easy to customize with color and has a much better flavor than the kind you buy pre-made.
What Kind of Fondant Is This?
This is a marshmallow fondant recipe, which means the base is made with melted marshmallows instead of the more traditional gelatin-based fondant used in some bakery formulas. That matters because marshmallow fondant is usually:
- Softer
- Sweeter
- Easier for beginners to make
- Easier to find ingredients for
- More pleasant to eat than many store-bought options
If your main goal is to cover a cake smoothly and make simple decorations at home, marshmallow fondant is one of the easiest places to start.
Why This Homemade Fondant Works
There are a lot of fondant recipes out there, but I keep coming back to this one because it is simple, reliable, and beginner-friendly.
- It only uses a few ingredients
- It tastes much better than store-bought fondant
- It is soft and pliable, so it is easier to roll and shape
- It works well for covering cakes and making decorations
- It is easy to color for birthdays, weddings, showers, and themed cakes
- It can be made ahead, which makes party prep easier
What I like most is that this fondant is not just pretty, it is practical. I have used it for celebration cakes when I needed a smooth finish, and I have also used it for simple cutouts and decorations when I wanted something fun without making the whole process more complicated.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mini marshmallows: These melt down into the base of the fondant and give it that soft, smooth texture.
- Powdered sugar: This adds sweetness and helps build the structure of the fondant.
- Shortening: This keeps the fondant pliable, soft, and easier to knead and roll out.
- Water: Just a little helps the marshmallows melt smoothly.
- Gel food coloring: This is optional, but it is perfect for coloring fondant without making it too wet.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Regular marshmallows: You can use regular marshmallows instead of mini marshmallows, but I recommend cutting them into smaller pieces first so they melt more evenly.
- Gel food coloring: I strongly prefer gel food coloring because it gives vibrant color without changing the texture.
- Extra powdered sugar: On humid days, you may need a little more powdered sugar to get the fondant to the right consistency.
- Extra shortening: If the fondant starts to crack or feel too stiff, kneading in a little shortening can help soften it back up.
How to Make Fondant
- In a microwaveable, glass bowl combine marshmallows, water, and shortening. Microwave for four 20-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval.
- Pour the mixture into a stand mixer. Using a dough attachment add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. You may not need all of the sugar, keep adding and mixing until the fondant is a play-dough consistency, not sticky at all.
- When the fondant becomes too stiff for the mixer, knead it by hand adding more sugar if needed. The fondant should have a matte appearance, not glossy.
- If adding color, start with a drop or two of food coloring and knead the coloring in with your hands until even. Be sure to wear gloves!
- You can divide the fondant into sections and mix in colors to each section. Once you have the colors you want, roll the fondant into a ball (or separate balls if you have more than one color).
- Roll the fondant out into a thin layer using a rolling pin. An adjustable long rolling pin works best. Keep all surfaces and hands clean and lightly covered in shortening to prevent sticking. Flour or powdered sugar will make it too stiff.
Best Frosting to Use Under Fondant
Fondant works best when it is placed over a cake that already has a smooth layer of frosting underneath. That frosting helps the fondant stick to the cake and gives you a cleaner finished surface. The best options are:
- Buttercream for an easy, classic option
- Ganache for an extra smooth and firmer base
- A thin crumb coat plus a final smooth layer if you want the cleanest finish
I usually use buttercream because it is easy and dependable, but the biggest thing is making sure the frosting underneath is smooth before the fondant goes on.
How to Cover a Cake
- First, gently lift the fondant using the rolling pin and lay it evenly over the frosted cake.
- Next, press the fondant gently around the cake so it sticks evenly to the frosting.
- Cut off the excess using a fondant cutter or knife.
- Finally, smooth out the fondant with a flat spatula or a fondant smoothing tool. Shape and smooth as needed.
Decorating Ideas
One of my favorite things about this Fondant Recipe is how fun it is to decorate with. Once you have the basics down, you can create so many beautiful cakes for different occasions.
- Fresh flowers for elegant wedding or shower cakes
- Fondant ribbons and bows for a polished bakery-style look
- Polka dots and cutout shapes for birthday cakes
- Fondant flowers for spring or baby shower cakes
- Themed decorations for kids’ birthday parties
- Colored fondant accents to match holidays or party themes
I especially love using fondant for birthday cakes because it is so easy to shape, color, and customize. It works perfectly to make a dress on a Barbie Cake (pictured below).
This Hamburger Cake is a fun cake to make with fondant for the hamburger lovers out there. The cheese, lettuce, and onions are all made out of fondant. It’s perfect for BBQ’s, potlucks, or birthday parties.
Recipe Tips
These are the little things that help me get the best results with this Fondant Recipe every time.
- Use a stand mixer if you have one: It helps combine the melted marshmallow mixture and powdered sugar more evenly before hand kneading.
- Keep extra shortening nearby: I like to lightly grease my hands, rolling pin, and countertop with shortening so the fondant stays easy to work with.
- Add color after mixing: If I want colored fondant, I knead in gel food coloring after taking the fondant out of the mixer.
- Wear plastic gloves when coloring: This keeps your hands from getting stained and makes kneading in the color much easier.
- Roll from the center out: This helps keep the fondant an even thickness, which makes covering a cake much easier.
- Turn the fondant as you roll: Rotating it helps keep it from sticking and gives you a more even shape.
- Start with a smooth cake: A neatly frosted cake underneath will give you the cleanest finished fondant look.
- Wrap unused fondant right away: Fondant dries out quickly, so I always wrap any extra as soon as I am done using it.
Troubleshooting
If your fondant is not behaving the way you want, these are the fixes I use most often.
- Fondant is too sticky: Knead in a little more powdered sugar, a small amount at a time, until it is easier to handle.
- Fondant is too stiff: Knead in a small amount of shortening until it softens and becomes more pliable.
- Fondant tears while covering the cake: It may have been rolled too thin. Try rolling it a little thicker next time.
- Fondant cracks around the edges: Smooth it gently with your hands and knead in a little shortening if it feels dry.
- Fondant has air bubbles: Gently smooth them with your hands or prick tiny bubbles with a clean pin and press flat.
- Fondant looks lumpy: Keep kneading until it smooths out, and make sure the marshmallow mixture is fully melted before adding powdered sugar.
- Fondant will not hold its shape: It may be too warm. Let it rest for a few minutes, then knead briefly and try again.
- The cake finish looks uneven: Smooth the top first, then work down the sides slowly to avoid folds and stretched spots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This recipe is very beginner-friendly, and I think it is a great first fondant recipe if you want to learn how to cover cakes at home.
I like to add fondant after the cake has been filled, stacked, and covered with a smooth layer of frosting. That gives the fondant a clean base to stick to.
Yes. I use it for covering cakes, but it also works well for simple decorations like cutout shapes, ribbons, bows, and flowers.
Yes. This is one of the reasons I love it so much. It works well for special occasion cakes because it gives that smooth, polished finish.
I like to roll it thin enough to look smooth and elegant but thick enough that it does not tear when I lift it. A medium-thin layer usually works best. About ⅛ inch thick for the best balance of flexibility and coverage.
Yes, especially if you use gel food coloring. Gel coloring gives stronger color without making the fondant too soft.
This recipe makes enough to cover three 8-inch cakes that are 2 inches deep, which is great if you are planning ahead for multiple cakes or decorations.
Make Ahead and Storage
Fondant is great to make ahead, which makes party prep so much easier.
- Make ahead: You can make the fondant in advance and keep it wrapped until you are ready to use it.
- Storage: Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container so it does not dry out.
- Room temperature: Fondant does not need to be refrigerated.
- Before using: Let it come to room temperature and knead it again until it is soft and workable.
More Frosting and Icing Recipes to Try
This homemade Fondant Recipe is one of my favorite ways to decorate cakes because it is easy to make, simple to work with, easy to color, and tastes so much better than store-bought fondant. Whether I am making a birthday cake for my kids, decorating for a holiday, or creating something special for a celebration, this recipe always gives me a beautiful, smooth finish.
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear how it turned out for you. Leave a comment and a star rating below, and let me know what kind of cake you used it on. 🎂🍰
The Best Fondant Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mini marshmallows
- 32 ounces powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon shortening, (see notes)
Instructions
- Put marshmallows, water, and shortening in a glass microwavable bowl.
- Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. Repeat 4 times.
- Pour into a mixer and mix well using the dough attachment. Add in powdered sugar a cup at a time. Mix until the shine is completely gone. You may not need to use all the sugar, just keep adding until it has the consistency of play dough. The final result should not be sticky to the touch.
- When the fondant becomes too stiff to mix in the mixer, pull the fondant out and knead it on the counter, adding more sugar if needed. Knead in food coloring, if desired.
- From this point, you can roll the fondant out to place on a cake, cupcakes, or to create something amazing! When working with fondant, keep all surfaces and hands lightly covered in shortening to prevent sticking. Makes enough fondant to cover approximately three round 8" (2" deep) cakes.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough to cover three 8-inch cakes that are 2 inches deep.
- The fondant should feel like soft play dough when it is ready.
- I like to use extra shortening to lightly grease my hands, rolling pin, and countertop.
- Gel food coloring works best because it gives strong color without adding too much moisture.
- If the fondant is too sticky, knead in a little more powdered sugar.
- If the fondant is too stiff or dry, knead in a very small amount of shortening.
- Roll the fondant to about ⅛ inch thick for the best balance of flexibility and coverage.
- Fondant can be made ahead and stored at room temperature.
- Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container so it stays soft.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
Your recipe sounds great but I have never made fondant. I may not be reading correctly because it is after4AM and I am 83 years old but I cannot find the amounts.Could you please help because I would love every to use on a doll cake for my great grand daughter’s birthday.
You can find the amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the page. The amounts and detailed instructions are both there. You can also get there by licking the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page. Hope this helps!
how long will this keep
It will keep for up to 2 weeks when wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep longer (1-2 months) when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and in an airtight container in the fridge. If kept in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before kneading it and using it to decorate. Thanks for asking!
This was a great recipe. I used marshmallow cream and didn’t have to microwave at all. Quicker and no risk of burning! It is pretty easy to adjust the recipe by adding powedered sugar until it is the right consistency. We made Slithering snakes to put on cupcakes out of the Spooky Food cookbook by Cayla Gallagher. We used a variety of colors and flavored the fondant! I have used bought fondant for years for Gingerbread houses but NO MORE! This was so much fun! Thank you very much for posting!
Thank you for your comment, Elizabeth! I’m so glad you like the recipe and find the fondant easy to work with. I prefer it to store bought fondant as well. Your slithering snakes sounds very fun!
What if you don’t have a mixer with a dough hook?
Good question! You can still make fondant without a mixer and dough hook. When you first mix in the powdered sugar, you can stir it into the marshmallows with a wooden spoon. As you add more sugar, the fondant will become thicker. At this point continue to knead the powdered sugar into the fondant by hand until it is no longer shiny or sticky, and has the consistency of play dough. Your hands will get a good workout!
Love It ❤️!!! Needs to name some substitutes for when somebody has no powdered sugar… Clarification for what to do with the shortening because on the page when you enter says to put it in with the marshmallows and water but then you go to the page with the recipe it says to use it for your hands to help with the stickiness. Otherwise it really great 👍 =) 😁😁😁.
Hi! This recipe cannot be made without powdered sugar. It is one of only 4 ingredients and you won’t get the right consistency without it. The shortening goes in with the water and marshmallows and you also can use it on your hands. Hope this helps!
Would this work with dandies/vegan marshmallows?
We haven’t tried it with vegan marshmallows, but we’ll keep the post updated if we do!
Is the shorting supposed to be a mixed in or is it supposed to be used as the recipe says thatbit is for your hands when working with the fondant.
The shortening is just for your hands to help with the stickiness.
I actually have a question, in other recipes for fondant they call for the water and mini marshmallows to be microwaved for thirty seconds. They use the shortening for hands later.
In your recipe it says to microwave the water, mini marshmallows and shortening is that correct? Then I’m assuming more shortening for hands? I’m confused. Please let me know which way is correct.
Thank you,
Debra Morris
The recipe as written is correct but yes, you can also use shortening on your hands as well!
Will this fondant work in silicone molds or is it too soft?
I think it would be too soft. It would work with cookie cutters or other cutters but I don’t know how well it would work in a mold. I guess it depends on the shape and size of it?
Thanks for taking the effort to place your recipes on social media. May it attract countless audience to support your posts. Thanks again & Best wishes with your recipes. Bless you. PS. Just would appreciate your measurements to be in tsp, cups, ml, grams & not ounces. Thanks. Cheerio 👌🙃
Thank you for your comment, Lydia. We use ounces for the mini marshmallows and powdered sugar because these are the sizes they are packaged in for purchase. A 16 ounce bag of mini marshmallows is approximately 8 cups, and a 32 ounce bag of powdered sugar yields approximately 7 1/2 cups. 🙂
I’m wondering if this is by weight (oz) or by liquid measure (oz)? Thanks
It’s by weight, they should be pretty standard package sizes to make it easier. For example you would use a 2 lb. bag (32 oz) of powdered sugar and it is already weighed for you. Hope this helps!
Metric measurements please!!!
We will have to test this out with metric measurements to get accurate results. We will add them when we can do the testing. In the meantime you might be able to put this recipe into a metric converter calculator online. Hope this helps!
I can’t believe how easy it was to make fondant!! This recipe was
perfect, easy to follow and turned out better than store bought. I did have to use additional powdered sugar due to the high humidity today, but the guidance about making it play dough consistency. was spot on! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
I don’t have a big mixer, just a hand mixer and it doesn’t have that hook beater. Can I still use the hand mixer to a point and switch to hand beating. I read in another article that can be done. Also, I want to make ruffles to go around the cake, will the ruffles hold up. Thank you
Yes, you should be able to hand knead the fondant after it has come together and be just fine. For ruffles, yes they should hold up just fine, however, depending on your kitchen temp and humidity the fondant may not hold its shape as well. Have some “Gum-Tex” (aka Tylose Powder) on hand so you can add it to the fondant if needed. This will make the fondant dry faster but will also help it hold its shape better. When I am making small, delicate ruffles, I usually go for thick royal icing or buttercream frosting because they are less temperamental when it comes to holding their ruffle shape than fondant. I hope this helps!
Hey, loved this
I used it to decorate some cookies and I have heaps left over. Is it ok to freeze?
We haven’t had great results when freezing fondant. The condensation from freezing and thawing changing the consistency of the fondant. It can also become brittle in the freezer.
Hi. I want to attempt to make this. I was wondering if I could use coconut oil? And how much should I make to cover a sheet cake?
We have not tried it with coconut oil, so I can say how that would turn out. How big of a sheet cake are you making?
amazing a bit thick but amazing my granddaughter used this for her moms baby shower it looked great
it was a little bit thick but still great i loved it
Just wondering if you put icing on before you put the fondant on the cake? I’m trying to make a Bluey cake for my daughters first birthday. I just got done with chemo so ordering a cake isn’t in the budget! But I have been making my own homemade cakes and icing lately but having really gotten the taste amazing yet. Although I have tried quite a few different recipes that claim they’re the best.. 😂 I’m going to see what your cakes taste like though. Thank you!
Yes you coat the cake with a thin layer of icing before adding fondant! Good luck with your cake!
as far as taste it is like really sweet marshmallow but my sons like to torch their frosting because it has a roasted marshmallow flavor. It smells great torched. You may have trouble with the flavor because of the chemo tho. That can be a side effect.