Black fondant recipe
Making black fondant can seem super tricky but it's actually quite simple. I use my own marshmallow fondant recipe with a couple of small adjustments to make the perfect black fondant that does not rip or tear or get elephant skin.
Tips for making black fondant
- Sift your powdered sugar so that you don't have any lumps in your finished fondant. Lumps can cause your fondant to get lots of holes and rip.
- Make sure your marshmallows are fresh. Dried out and old marshmallows will make dry fondant
- You can increase your water by ½ tablespoon if you live in a dry area or decrease the water if you live in a humid area
- Don't use more than 1 tablespoon of black food coloring. Your fondant will look dark grey at first but will darken over time. Using too much black food coloring (to make it extra black) can break your fondant and cause it to have pockmarks in the finished product.
How to make black fondant
- Sift your powdered sugar
- Place your vegetable shortening in the bowl of your stand mixer with the hook attachment
- Melt your marshmallows in a large heatproof bowl. I start with one minute, stir, then 30 second increments until the marshmallows are completely melted and puffed up.
- Pour the water over the top of your melted marshmallows to release them from the bowl.
- Pour the marshmallows into the bowl of your stand mixer and start mixing on low.
- Add in your food coloring
- Add in ¾ of your bag of powdered sugar and continue letting everything mix until the marshmallows are smooth and sticking to the sidees of the bowl.
- Add in ½ cup of powdered sugar and let mix a few seconds to get the fondant to start releasing from the bowl
- Use a flexible bowl scraper or spatula to remove the fondant from the bowl and place into your bowl of leftover powdered sugar
- Fold over to work in the last bit of sugar. Once it's mostly worked in, you can remove it from the bowl and finish it on the table.
- Keep pulling the fondant until it stretches like taffy and does not break. Now your fondant is ready to be used on a cake. Yes, you can use it right away!
How to store leftover black fondant
Store your leftover fondant by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then placing into a ziplock bag. Store at room temperature. Always re-warm your fondant in the microwave for 30-40 seconds and condition with vegetable shortening before rolling out and covering a cake.
Trouble-shooting problems with black fondant
Fondant is too dry - Get your hands wet and work the moisture into the fondant to make it a little moister. You can also add 1tsp of glycerine if you have it.
Fondant is too sticky - Knead in more powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until it's not sticky. A little stickiness is normal. I like to dust my table with cornstarch to prevent sticking and grease my hands with vegetable shortening.
Fondant is tearing - Re-heat in the microwave until warm, pull like taffy until stretchy and smooth. You can also add a little vegetable shortening to your hands or add more pre-made fondant if it's not coming together.
Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sifted powdered sugar you may not use all of the powdered sugar depending on your area, that's totally okay
- 1 lb mini marshmallows Hy-Top, Walmart brand or Haribo Brand if you can find it
- 1 tablespoon water use only ½ tablespoon if it is very humid in your area
- 1 tablespoon black food color gel Americolor is what I use but Wilton or any other brand is okay too
- ½ cup vegetable shortening also called white vegetable fat or trex
- 1.25 lbs Wilton Fondant
Instructions
Instructions
- Sift powdered sugar and set aside in a large bowl.
- Place vegetable shortening in a stand mixer bowl.
- Heat marshmallows for 40 seconds in the microwave on high. Stir the marshmallows with a spoon to break them up a little bit.
- Heat marshmallows again for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir again with a spoon.
- Heat marshmallows for 30 seconds again. Stir with a spoon and marshmallows should be completely broken down and like liquid. Pour water into bowl to separate marshmallows from bowl and pour the marshmallows into the stand mixer bowl with the vegetable shortening.
- Turn stand mixer on lowest setting (setting 1 on Kitchenaid mixers). Add in food color gel.
- Add in half of your sifted powdered sugar, a measuring cup at a time, and let mix for 2 minutes.
- Put some vegetable shortening on your finger tips and pull the fondant off the dough hook.
- Put the fondant into your bowl you have the remaining powdered sugar in.
- Warm Wilton fondant in the microwave for 40 seconds and add to the bowl with the powdered sugar and fondant mixture.
- Knead with your hands until mostly incorporated. You might not use all of the fondant at this point and that's totally okay.
- Pull fondant like taffy until it is stretchy and smooth.
- Store in a zip-lock bag at room temperature. Fondant will keep for months in a zip-lock bag. To use again, reheat and knead well until stretchy before each use. You can add color as desired but for dark colors, you should add them during the mixing process or you could get a sticky mess.
Video
Notes
FAQ
You can make this by hand if you do not have a stand mixer. All you need is your muscles! You can melt the marshmallows over a double-boiler if you don’t have a microwave. I prefer black Americolor gel for my food color. You can half this recipe if you only need a little black. Store in a ziplock bag at room temp for months. Head and re-knead well before each use. You might not use all the powdered sugar in the final kneading depending on the humidity in your area and that is okay.Nutrition
Skill level: Newb
Making black fondant can be tricky but this recipe will show you how easy it can be!
Lisa says
Does this color your hands/fingernails if made without using gloves?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes all food coloring will color your hands if you don't use gloves
Cynthia G. says
You’re amazing and a life saver!!! Been using your marshmallow fondant recipe for a long time now! Thanks for this one! Always tried to get a good black homemade fondant and here it is! Love love love your work!!! Thanks so much!
Jillian says
Do you buy the white Wilton fondant or black? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
White, the black is much more expensive and the whole point is to save money 🙂
Patty says
This is my first time making fondant. How do I know when to stop incorporating the powdered sugar? Can I add too much? Should the end product be a little sticky or not at all sticky?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It just depends on how dry your area is. I seem to always have about 1 cup powdered sugar left over but most people use all the powdered sugar.
RICHARD BARTLEY says
Thank you for the awesome recipe! I've used this recipe several times. However, when I make red or black it tends to get elephant skin when I'm kneading it. It gets better when I warm it in the microwave, but it's too elastic after I do that. I usually have to roll it slightly thicker, but it's still pretty soft and tears easily and it's not stiff when trying to do fine detail work. I've let it sit for awhile after I roll it, but still have some issues. live in florida and it's pretty humid here too. What can you possibly suggest that I change or do to make this work? I appreciate any and all feedback.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Maybe try a different brand of marshmallows?
DJ says
I have made LMF for years, but recently needed black fondant to cover a cake. I followed your directions, and it came out perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Sophie says
If I half the recipe to make 2 dark colours, should I half the food colouring also? Or will I still need the tbsp?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you would half it.
renee says
I used to make chocolate fondant，if make chocolate fondant shoult i put food colouring beford the chocolate mixing or after the chocolate mixing ？
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't add chocolate to my fondant because I feel like it dries it out.
M snider says
What black food coloring do I get? Where should I get it?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I use americolor super black. I buy it on amazon
Hannah Haslam says
Would you suggest using Black wilton fondant in your black LMF? Or should i just buy white?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I use white, black makes it more expensive and if you're going to buy black, just use the black 🙂
tafadzwa says
Qn can i use vegetable oil instead of shortening
The Sugar Geek Show says
No, the vegetable shortening is to keep the fondant moist. Oil is a liquid and would make it too soft
Robyn B says
can I use Crisco for the vegetable shortening?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can, that is what I use 🙂
Amy says
Hi! This is my first time making this fondant for a 30th birthday cake. I think it will be wonderful for covering the actual cake but might be too soft for the decor on the cake (making a tuxedo). In the video you had mentioned adding something to help stiffen the fondant? Can you please send a link and give directions on how much and when to add to the fondant? Thank you ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It's called tylose powder. You can purchase it online
Ms Torres says
I’ve done the fondant in white and works amazing.. love now I need to do black and so glad you have this recipe.. gonna give it a try.. you are amazing thx.. love the fact you have a vid of it too.. I’m a visual learner so that helps a lot