Marshmallow fondant

If, like me and mine, you don't like the regular fondant used to decorate cakes but you like the look of it, there is an alternative: marshmallow fondant. I am not fond of marshmallow, but I must admit I prefer it to regular rolled fondant. To counter the extra sugary taste of marshmallow, I used ganache icing or an icing with a more bitter taste. That way, our teeth don't ache after one bite of cake.

Here's how to make the marshmallow fondant:

16 oz of mini marshmallows (usually comes up to almost a bag, give or take a few mini marshmallows)
2 pounds of icing sugar
Water
Shortening

Grease up a large pyrex bowl with shortening. Put in the marshmallow and add 2 to 5 tablespoons of water. Put in the microwave for about a minute. Stir and put back in the microwave until melted. Make sure you grease everything because it is incredibly sticky. When all the marshmallows are melted, you can either pour it into the icing sugar or you can add the icing sugar in one cup at a time. I prefer the second option. You will have to knead it as some point so it becomes like a dough. Grease your hands and the surface with the shortening. I haven't found a way for it not to stick to the surface or my fingers yet, despite the shortening. When it is kneaded, grease it with the shortening and wrap it well so it won't dry. You can use it after a little period of rest (15 minutes), but I usually leave it for the night. If there is too much icing sugar, it will be friable. If there is not enough, it will be sticky. It needs to be elastic enough so it can be rolled and put onto a cake. Color can be added either when it's made or after.

Here's one of our creation made out of marshmallow fondant, made for our nephew's birthday:

The newest cake

I'm not really good at this blogging thing. I didn't even see the time go by. I log in and so much has been posted on the other blogs I suscribe to.

I have to say I haven't baked that much. I baked about a hundred little pies for my boys at work and my latest creation is my friend's birthday cake.

In the process of making the cake, hubby and I have learned to make gum paste flowers as well. We're not that good yet, but it'll come.

So, here's the cake, made with lots of love and last minute decisions (she loves flip flops! haha).

The first picture is of a gum paste flower we decided not to use after all.

Fail

Here's a fail. I didn't have time to think of the design, the cake crumbled and caved in and I had to find a way to fix it since I didn't have time to make another one. It is not pretty. I wanted to cover it with marshmallow fondant, but since it caved in, I poured ganache on it and filled the hole with glazed fruit. The cake was so uneven that the fruits started to slide down the back, taking the ganache with it.

Actually, it had more success for its taste than most of the cakes I have made so far. Another proof that being pretty isn't everything.

(It looked even worse when we arrived with it at the dinner)

Blank

I dislike being rushed and having to prepare at the last minute. When it comes to baking, advising me at the last minute means that my mind goes completely blank. I usually have loads of idea... but tell me I need to prepare a cake for the next day and I will not know what to do with myself. That is what is happening right now. We have been invited. Everyone expects me to bring the cake, but no one will ask or be disappointed. I'm putting the pressure on myself.

And the result is, I have no cake, no idea for a cake, and no desire to bake since I don't know what I'm baking. That will not be a great cake.

seeing big

My husband loves our decorating projects. In fact, he also has his own.

For Halloween, we were invited to my sister's and we usually bring the cake because of our son's allergies.

He worked harder than I did on this one. I baked the cake. He decorated. It's all his. I followed his directives. He thinks that when I have a bakery, he will be my boss.

Here's the cake:

sharing the knowlegde part 2 - cookies

I can't remember if I've talked about cookies. Eggless cookies, that is.

I was browsing the net for about anything interesting there was out there. Ok, I'm lying, I was looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe because I'm craving it. Then I remembered what I have used before in my cookies to replace eggs: plain yogurt and cream cheese. The cookies don't become golden brown, but they are so good. There, I'm craving a cookie, again.

I work with men and sometimes, when I want to make them happy, I bake them some cupcakes and cookies. I have never told them they are eggless since my husband thinks they will not eat them if they know they're made with tofu and other healthy things.

So I don't tell them and let them enjoy.

slacking off

I'm terrible with time managing. Ask any of my friends, I am always late. In fact, at one point, they decided the time they would give me would give me for the events and gatherings I was to attend would be half an hour before they started. Didn't work. I figured it out.
With cakes, having no time managing skills is quite an issue. I found that out on my son's last birthday. I had big projects. I wanted to make a skyscraper from which Spiderman would hang and jump. I don't like fondant, I didn't have chocolate clay, so I used chocolate buttercream. I started at 11 pm the night before. Needless to say it looked rushed, which it was, and frankly terrible.
Too bad I didn't take a picture.