BBC

How to cover a cake with fondant icing

How to cover a cake with fondant icing for a perfectly smooth finish.

-Knead a generous amount of fondant icing until it’s smooth and pliable (this helps prevent the icing cracking).

-Dust a work surface with icing sugar, and roll the icing out, smooth-side down until it is 3-5mmcm/1/8-¼in thick and large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. (You can check the icing is big enough with a ruler or piece of string.)

- Brush the surface of the marzipan-covered cake evenly and lightly with water.

-Carefully roll the icing onto your rolling pin, then unroll it on the cake.

-Smooth the icing across the top of the cake and carefully ease it smooth along the sides.

-Trim the excess icing, leaving a small border and press smooth against the side of the cake.

-Using a cake smoother, press it evenly across the top of the cake to push out any air bubbles and then run it carefully down and around the side of the cake to seal it. If you have any air bubbles prick them with a pin to remove the air and use the smoother to press the area flat.

-Leave the icing to set for 2-3 days before decorating.

See recipe in full

Simple two-tiered wedding cake Simple two-tiered wedding cake

By Dan Lepard

Recipes using this technique

Cakes and baking

Skill level

Intermediate

Equipment you will need for this technique

  • Pastry brush
  • Large rolling pin
  • Pin
  • Cake smoother

Quick recipe finder

Type the ingredients you want to use, then click Go. For better results you can use quotation marks around phrases (e.g. "chicken breast"). Alternatively you can search by chef, programme, cuisine, diet, or dish (e.g. Lasagne).

Related techniques

Easy

Intermediate

Other

See all cooking techniques