Fondant Tips

For those new to cake making, fondant is essentially "sugar clay" used in lieu of icing on cakes. It is rolled out into a sheet and applied to the cake, creating a very smooth look.

Fondant can be tricky to work with, but use these tips to make the process much easier.

• I roll out large sheets of fondant on an even work surface that has been coated with a nonstick cooking spray.

• I use a 30-inch long, plastic pipe coated with spray as my "rolling pin."

• To apply the fondant to the cake, I roll up the sheet on to the pipe, and center it over my lightly frosted cake.

• Frosting helps the fondant adhere. I unroll the fondant on to the cake, smooth it out with lightly greased hands, and trim off the excess. It's a process that takes some practice.

Fondant Refrigeration:

My main issue with fondant is how it reacts after being refrigerated. The moment you take a fondant-covered cake out of the refrigerator, it begins to sweat.

It will "air out", after 6 to 8 hours, but environmental conditions such as humidity or heat factor in greatly. Many don't refrigerate cakes, but I feel like it keeps the cake fresh and postpones the filling from melting in hot weather.

All things considered, I decided to refrigerate my brother's wedding cake.