Using fondant shapes to decorate a special occasion cake is a great strategy for decorators who may not have a very steady piping hand, are hard pressed for time on the day of the occasion, or have to transport the cake and its parts to a different site for the party. Fondant shapes are easy to make, can be made far in advance, are versatile in their application, and have big impact.
Simple fondant shapes are made by rolling the fondant out thin and smooth, cutting the pieces to size, and allowing them to air dry for a number of days, until they are hardened and no longer sag. These can be attached to the sides of a cake, stood up together on top of a cake, or attached to picks to stand over the top of the cake.
Fondant can be bought already made and colored from craft stores. Wilton brand cake decorating supplies provide ready made fondant in packs of white, pastels, and primary colors. I like the convenience of these products, and find that the extra cost can be offset somewhat by using the discount coupons provided by most craft stores. Of course, fondant can be made and colored from scratch as well, which can be much less expensive.
Whether fondant is bought ready made or is homemade, it is rolled out in small batches on a powdered sugar coated surface. Damp paper towels over the bowl will keep it from drying out when not in use. I recommend rolling the fondant out to an even thickness between 1/8 of an inch, and ¼ of an inch. One good way to ensure a consistently even thickness is to roll the fondant between two flat sticks, with either end of the rolling pin on a stick.
Cut the fondant to the desired shapes, using a straightedge and a pastry cutter, or a set of cookie cutters, dusting all tools with confectioner’s sugar as you work. A small offset spatula is useful to assist in moving the cut pieces to a waxed paper lined sheet pan. Always cut plenty of extra pieces, in case of breakage.
After the fondant has dried out and hardened until it is stiff, the pieces can be attached to lollipop or candy sticks, to create picks to decorate the tops of cakes and cupcakes. To do this, lay the piece face down on a waxed paper lined sheet pan, and pipe a line of thick royal icing where the stick will go. Place the stick in the royal icing, and then pipe back and forth across the stick and onto the fondant shape for a few passes. This will glue the stick in place with the icing.
After the royal icing is thoroughly dried out and hardened (allow at least a day), these can be decorated with ribbons, etc, and put in place on the cake.
