This fondant recipe is a favorite amongst hobby bakers and professional bakers alike. Soft, smooth, easy to. work with and so delicious! This fondant recipe is so good you won't ever have to buy expensive fondant again.
My fondant recipe (LMF fondant) was one of the first ever published back in 2010 back when I was still Artisan Cake Company and is still my most shared recipe.
Fondant is basically the edible playdough your eight-year-old self always wanted. If regular fondant is edible playdough then marshmallow fondant is edible clay. It's much more versatile, easier to use and much tastier (I don't recommend you eat clay though).
Marshmallow Fondant vs Regular Fondant
When I first started cake decorating as a hobby in 2008, the only fondant I knew about was Wilton. I didn't even know other brands of fondant existed. I didn't know it was hard to use because it was all I was used to. I just assumed it took 2-3 tries to cover a cake. This was also before social media and facebook groups so most of my caking came from pure struggle.
The first time ever attempted to make fondant was out of pure necessity. I had took on a last minute order and suddenly found myself without enough fondant to get me through my project! Cue panic mode! I looked up a recipe on how to make fondant and it required a ton of cooking and ingredients I didn't have. Ok strike one. I checked another "easy homemade fondant" recipe that only required two ingredients. Marshmallows and powdered sugar. EPIC FAIL. It cracked, tore and was really oily? Not sure how that is even possible. In desperation, I combined the failed fondant with about ½ pound of leftover wilton fondant. I mixed it up, rolled it out and was AMAZED at how easily it covered the cake! No tearing, no pock marks, no bubbles! And that's how my famous fondant recipe was born.
For even better results, try putting this fondant over the top of our white cake recipe and see how delicious the two work together.
Why Are You Adding Fondant To Fondant?
I get that question a lot. I get it. It seems a little backward to add fondant to a fondant recipe but hear me out.
It is possible to make marshmallow fondant without adding the pre-made fondant BUT it won't be as stretchy. It just won't. I know lot's of people who make marshmallow fondant without pre-made but it just doesn't perform as well and you're here to learn about the BEST homemade fondant out there right?
The reason for adding in the pre-made fondant is to improve the workability of the homemade fondant and you're basically making a cheap batch of fondant that may not perform or taste very good into a larger batch of high-quality, super yummy fondant.
What Is Fondant Made Of?
Store bought fondant can be made of many things but in general, it's made from sugar, flavorings and some sort of gum (to make it stretchy). Depending on the exact combination, your fondant texture can range from soft and sticky to chewy or even tough! I often tell anyone who says they don't like the taste of fondant that just likes cheap grocery store chocolate compared to couverture, quality matters. Not all fondant is made the same!
Anyone can tell you that good fondant DOES exist.
Marshmallow fondant doesn't have that many ingredients. Marshmallows provide the main structure. Marshmallows contain mostly sugar and gelatin. A little bit of vegetable shortening helps the fondant from drying out. The best part is that LMF works best when you use really cheap marshmallows which brings the price per batch down even further.
Does Fondant Really Taste Bad?
Fondant is one of those things that my clients used to tell me they HATED right before a wedding cake tasting. I would smile and nod and say "ok" but I knew that once they tasted my homemade marshmallow fondant recipe (dubbed LMF by fans) I would have them hooked. Nothing was more satisfying than handing them that little cutout of fondant and seeing the look on their face go from "I'm definitely not going to like this" to pure shock, then a little more chewing, a big smile, then finally "OMG this is really good!"
BOOM.
My marshmallow fondant has been my secret weapon for years and now it can be yours too.
Easy Fondant Recipe For Beginners
So you want to work with fondant but you're scared! I get it! A lot of beginners are nervous to work with fondant because they have heard how difficult it can be to work with! But you know what? The secret to success really is in making it yourself. If you are getting cracking, tearing, elephant skin, pockmarks, bubbles or even dryness, you're probably using store-bought fondant that is just plain bad.
If you really want to learn all about the basics of decorating cakes you can watch our series on Sugar Geek Show and if that doesn't hook you, our wedding cake basics series will!
This recipe is easy to make, doesn't take any fancy ingredients and works best right after you make it (still warm).
Can You Make Fondant Without Marshmallows?
One of the coolest things that ever came from my LMF recipe has probably been DKF (Danettes Kosher Fondant). My friend Danette can't eat gelatin so she devised a fondant recipe that is just as easy to make as LMF but uses marshmallow fluff instead of cheap marshmallows. It works just as well and is kosher!
Tips
Here are some other tips for working with homemade fondant. You can learn more about the basics of cake decorating in our basic cake decorating series.
- Roll your fondant thin. ⅛" is a good place to be so that your fondant doesn't tear, you can get those sharp edges and you get the most out of one batch.
- Chill your cakes before you cover them. Make sure your buttercream or ganache is nice and cold (but not frozen) before you cover the cake for best results.
- Roll your fondant out bigger than you need. A common beginner mistake is rolling out the fondant too small and then you get tons of ruffles and tears around the base of the cake. If you roll out a bigger piece, it practically covers itself.
- Condition your fondant before you use it. Unless you just made it, then always warm your fondant and knead it well until it's nice and stretchy. Cold fondant likes to tear.
- If you have multiple tiers to cover, cover the largest one first and make your way down to the smallest to get the most out of your fondant. One batch of LMF will cover a 10"-8"-6" round with a little bit leftover if you roll it out to ⅛" thick.
How Do You Color Fondant?
Once you master making your delicious homemade fondant recipe, you might want to color your fondant recipe. The key here is making sure you don't use too much food coloring. If you use too much it could cause ruin the consistency of your fondant and it will look like it it has little holes in it.
If you want a light color of fondant you can simply add a little color to your white fondant but if you want a super bright color or dark colors like black fondant or red fondant then you need to add the color during the process of making it for best results.
Tools
Kitchenaid mixer When I first started decorating, I had a simple second-hand KitchenAid. That's all you really need! This recipe works best when made in the classic size.
How To Make Fondant
- Microwave 1 lb of marshmallows in 30-second bursts until fully melted
- Add your water and pour melted marshmallows into the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached
- Add in your vegetable shortening
- Start adding in all your powdered sugar one cup at a time, leave one cup out
- Let your fondant mix on low until smooth, this can take 5 minutes or so
- Scrape the fondant out of the bowl with a spatula into your bowl of remaining powdered sugar
- Knead the mixture until all the powdered sugar is incorporated
- Heat up your store bought fondant for 30 seconds and add it to the marshmallow fondant
- Knead until fondant can be stretched like taffy without breaking
To make this recipe, you'll need a little store bought fondant. It doesn't have to be Wilton but that's what I have available here and is super cheap BUT you can get it for even cheaper if you use a coupon. I get my fondant from either Jo-Anns or Michaels and there is always a coupon either online or in the app. You're going to want to buy the big box (5 lbs) and then use a coupon to get 40% off. You can sign up to get coupons right in the app or on the website. Each 5 lb box will make FOUR batches of fondant and is much cheaper to buy the big box than to buy one small box.
You can also buy fondant on Amazon and sometimes it's cheaper than buying it in person even with a coupon and you get free shipping with Amazon Prime.
Next thing is the marshmallows. I buy mine from Winco but if you don't have a Winco, just look for the cheap store brand marshmallows. Jet-puff tends to be too tough for me and dry. You'll need a 1 lb bag. At my Winco one bag costs .87!
Those are the main ingredients of making marshmallow fondant that tastes amazing and doesn't tear or get dried out. If you have a question go ahead and leave it in the comments for me and don't forget to watch the video in the recipe to see how I make my marshmallow fondant recipe.
Other recipes you'll love
The best vanilla cake recipe
How to cover a cake in fondant
Easy buttercream frosting recipe
Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 32 oz powdered sugar sifted (also called icing sugar, confectionary sugar)
- 16 oz marshmallows WinCo, Hy-Top, Aldi, and Campfire brands work best
- 20 oz Wilton fondant Satin Ice fondant will also work
- 2 tablespoon warm water For dark colors, use 1 tablespoon warm water and 1 tablespoon food color gel
- 4 oz vegetable shortening Also called white vegetable fat, trex, copha
Instructions
How to make fondant
- Sift the 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 (or on stove top). Stir with spoon.
- Place marshmallows back into microwave and heat for another 30 seconds (or on stove top). Stir with spoon.
- Heat marshmallows (last time!) for 30 seconds in the microwave (or on stove top).Marshmallows should be ooey-gooey at this point and ready to be added to the mixer bowl. Pour your water on top of the marshmallows to get them to release from the sides of the bowl. Pour into bowl with vegetable shortening
- Turn stand mixer on lowest setting (setting 1 on Kitchenaid stand mixers) with dough hook attachmentAdd in half of your sifted powdered sugar, a measuring cup at a time, and let mix for 2 minutes. It will be really rough looking at first
- Don't stop mixing until it's sticking to the sides of the bowl and looks smooth. Add in another cup of powdered sugar.
- Pull fondant off the dough hook attachment by putting vegetable shortening on your fingers and pulling it off the hook.
- Take the soft mixture out of the bowl and put it into the large bowl with the rest of the powdered sugar.
- Warm the Wilton fondant in the microwave for 40 seconds and add to the large bowl with the powdered sugar and marshmallow mix.
- Knead until powdered sugar, marshmallows and Wilton fondant is mostly incorporated. You may not use all of the powdered sugar depending on your climate and that is completely fine.
- Pull fondant like taffy until it is stretchy and smooth. If there are still rough spots or it's tearing, put everything back in the microwave for 30-40 seconds to make it really hot and pull like taffy with shortening on your hands until it pulls without breaking
- 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.
Michelle says
Are there really over 1400 calories in a single serving of this fondant?!?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No, thats for the whole batch. It really depends on how much fondant you ate to know what the calories would be
Mike says
Does it matter if the marshmallows are mini or regular size?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No it doesn't matter 🙂
Makaylee R. says
I love your video and gives great help! Love the deatails. I've been making cakes for years, but never with MMF, always regular fondant. So Im wondering if I would need to put the buttercream icing underneath the fondant or can I put the fondant directly on the cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Buttercream always goes on the cake before fondant
Kaylee Jo says
Thank you! Love the video by the way, very helpful ?
Kaylee Jo says
Do i need to put cream/icing underneath the fondant before putting it on the cake? Or can i put this fondant directly on the cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes always! Otherwise that would be a very dry cake haha
Asha Bareja says
I’ve been a closet fan of yours for a long time now. And now going to try this recipe. I just wanted to know if there was any way to add any kind of flavoring to it. Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sure if you like but typically fondant is just vanilla flavored 🙂
Jay says
Can I use a regular hand mixer or would it be better just to do it by hand even tho it's more work?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You'd probably break your hand-mixer so mixing by hand is safer 🙂 Then you can get your workout done for the day at the same time *winning
Jenna Cain says
Hi Liz,
My name is Jenna. I'm a self-taught home Baker/decorator and was asked recently by a friend of mine to make her wedding cake. I have no idea how it is going to go as I have never used fondant before, but I am super excited to try your recipe. I'll be sure to comment pictures of the final results.
Anyway thank you for sharing your recipe.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Let me know if you need anything 🙂 Good luck!
Nabiha says
I made fondant today but it was sticky..what do you think have I done wrong?
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just add a little sugar if it needs more
Elizabeth says
I'm a little confused. In the video it looks as if you usd all the powdered sugar but the recipe states to add half the sugar 1 cup at a time. Do you only us 1 lb of the powdered sugar in your marshmallow mix when blending in mixing bowl? Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
The description is updated because depending on where you are, you might have a drier climate and not need as much of the sugar. I add in all of mine except maybe a cup or so to blend in the end. If this makes a fondant that is too dry then try adding in less sugar.
Bill Sizemore says
Wilton premade fondant comes in soft medium or stiff. Which one do you use?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hmm good question, we only have one kind here in the USA. I would go with medium.
Brenda says
How much pre-made fondant do I use in this recipe?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It says in the recipe card to use 1.25 lbs
Melissa says
can you use a hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Not for this recipe, it would break the mixer. You can do it by hand and get your arm workout in for the day 🙂
Terra says
Hi. Thanks for your recipe! I’m excited to try it. Do you roll it out using powdered sugar or what surface is best? My fondant always seems to stick to the counter before I can get it rolled up and on the cake. Any tips?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I use cornstarch or powdered sugar. Making sure your surface is very clean and dry helps the fondant not stick and using lots to dust and keep the fondant moving.
Terra says
Thanks for the recipe...I’m excited to try it! What surface do you recommend working on? I always have trouble with the fondant sticking to the surface by the time I get it rolled thin enough.
The Sugar Geek Show says
It doesn't matter the surface you work on but making sure you keep the fondant moving while you roll it out is key and continuously dusting with powdered sugar or cornstarch to keep it from sticking.
Irene says
Can I use any kind of cake with this recipe? Also, can I use whipped icing?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can use any sturdy cake to go under fondant but you cannot use whipped icing. It will dissolve and make your fondant very wet.
Paulina says
I would like to try this fondant on my cake with cream cheese. I have to put it in the fridge when is done. Is this fondant can be stored in fridge? Or it is going to be to hard next day?
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you put fondant over cream cheese frosting the cream cheese will dissolve the fondant. You can use cream cheese frosting as a filling but the frosting touching the fondant needs to be something like easy buttercream, American buttercream or ganache. Yes fondant can be placed in the fridge.
Felice says
Hi, I be followed you recipe and now have some Marsh mallow icing but I’ve just noticed that I forgot to incorporate the pre made icing. Can I still do this after 12 hours. Also I coloured the marshmallow fondant and I have the white pre made one
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sure can, just re-heat in the microwave until warm and knead together until stretchy.
Ann says
Trying to make this marshmallow fondant and it calls for 1 lb of marshmallows the bags all come in 10oz sizes. So would I use I bag plus 2 ounces out of another bag.im assuming this is the weight before melting.need clarifications
The Sugar Geek Show says
A lb of fondant is 16oz not 12 but yes you would need to use 16oz of marshmallows if you cannot find a lb.
Marsha says
I am wanting to make tie dye fondant so I’m thinking I would need to color the white fondant in small amounts then make long logs and twist together and roll out. But you said it’s best to color the marshmallows, I only need enough to cover 16x4 loaf pan so don’t want to make 5 batches of this. Thanks for any feedback.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes your plan of color individually will work but keep in mind that the fondant will be a lot softer after adding all that food coloring
Gladys Chisholm says
Can you use Wilton food coloring or does it have to be gel food coloring?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Wilton food coloring is a gel food coloring
Ester Sanchez says
I am not s Baker but i do love to try new things and decided to make butb babies birthay cake and the fondant turned out pretty good love the taste i was wondering How can i make differant colors from the same batch or how can i made a smaller batch of a color?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can add small amounts of gel based food coloring to the fondant. If you try to add a lot it can potentially make it too soft and sticky to use.
Valerie Gallen says
Help! I have a 1 kilo bag of icing sugar. How many cups of icing sugar do I use for the 2 pounds required for the marshmellow fondant
The Sugar Geek Show says
Please use a scale for accuracy in these recipes 🙂
Tokunbo says
Hiiiiii!!!! Can I achieve a sharp edge using this fondant?? I never like round edges and just want to make sure that it’ll work using this fondant. Thanks! ♥️♥️♥️♥️
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sure can
Juliet says
What's the best way to store a vanilla cake filled with buttercream and covered with LMF fondant (using all your recipes!)? for example, right now its still winter here and the indoor temperature (with heat on) is around 70F, google says NEVER refrigerate a fondant covered cake, and it can be left on the counter for 3-4 days, is it right? do i need to cover it with anything? will the indoor heat dry it out? what about in summer? can it still be left on the counter indoor (with air-condition) for 3-4 days? thanks!
Rebecca says
Good question. I would like to know answers to these questions too. Thanks.
Chelsi Reynolds says
Yes you can refrigerate
Lilly says
Hi I’m trying to make my own fondant, followed all the instructions on how to make it but I find it’s soo soft and it breaks. Is there something wrong with it ? I have a 2 tier cake to cover and I’m worried it’ll break when I put it on!!!! Please help !!! Lilly
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sounds like you may have added too much brown food coloring or maybe you're not used to soft fondant. Add in some more pre-made fondant
Damaris Gonzalez says
I love your recipes! I am learning to bake as a hobby with my 13 year old. How long is fondant good for? in and out of the fridge.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Fondant does not need to be refrigerated, it is good for months at room temperature. Just wrap in plastic wrap and seal in a plastic bag. Re-heat and stretch like taffy before each use to get it back to the right consistency.