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Fondant Recipe - Stephanie Experience

2nd February 2010

Fondant Recipe - Stephanie Experience

I got another reply for my Fondant Recipe, this time from 24 years old Stephanie from Tennessee.

Stephanie had a bad experience with the store-bought prepackaged fondant and she decided to give my fondant recipe a try.

Here’s what she wrote:

I just wanted to share with you how impressed I was with your fondant recipe!

I tried my hand at cake-making for the first time on my own this past weekend when I threw a bridal shower for a good friend. I had watched/helped my mom do several cakes, but I wanted to try it myself as well as save a little money and attempt to bring something creative to the table, and your recipe was the key!

When I’d helped my mom make cakes, we only attempted using fondant once and we used the store-bought prepackaged kind, which caused us to vow never to use fondant again… it was so hard that my husband couldn’t even get it rolled out flat- not to mention that it tasted TERRIBLE! Well, since then we have seen on TV and other places how great it can make cakes look and so I began investigating online for different recipes and came across yours. It was not only EASY, but it tasted so GOOD! I used it to create a smooth background for the zebra cake, and then tried my hand at making a monogram “B” - which will still need some perfecting or perhaps a cut-out :) I went on to your tips on how to color fondant and got the green and pink results that I was very pleased with. I got so many compliments on how great it looked and tasted.

As far as any complications, there were none, but I did notice while coloring it that it became rather sticky while kneading it after adding the gel coloring– all I had to do for that was just dab it into a little more of the confectioner’s sugar and continue kneading. This did require a little more than the 2 lbs. of sugar that was listed on the ingredient list, but I had plenty of that on-hand anyways, so no worries there.

Another helpful use I found for the fondant: When I stacked my cakes for both the round and square cakes, they sloped downward a little at the edges, so in order to even them out, I just rolled a little ball of the fondant, and placed it between the layers- at the corners for the square cake, and evenly spaced all around for the round. This was a life-saver as I opted not to buy some of the more expensive materials that keep it from doing that on my first try.

I have included pictures of the cakes with this email, and I will be checking in with your site periodically for other recipes!

THANK YOU, and HAPPY BAKING!

Stephanie B

And here are the pictures of the cakes she made:

Fondant Recipe

Fondant Recipe

Fondant Recipe

Fondant Recipe

I think it’s a great success, I bet no one believed it’s her first attempt with fondant recipe!

If you want to try my fondant recipe you can find it in the post called… fondant recipe :)

You’re all welcome to send me pictures of cakes you made using my fondant recipe to theduke@thecookduke.com I’ll be happy to post it in my blog.

To see more pictures of people using my fondant recipe please visit “Fondant Recipe - Amy Johnson’s experience” , “How to make fondant - Gerbera Daisy Cake” and “Fondant recipe - Jacalyn’s Experience

Happy cooking :)

posted in Baby Shower Cakes, Birthday Cake Ideas, How to make fondant, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

2nd February 2010

Fondant recipe - Jacalyn’s Experience

My fondant recipe post is by far my most popular post, and the one thing I like best about it is that many people are kind enough to send me pictures of the cakes they made using my fondant recipe.

Jacalyn W. had a great success with my fondant recipe, here’s what she wrote:

Dear Duke,

I recieved alot of cake supplies for Christmas because I wanted to start making cakes as a hobby. I worked with the tips, and frosting and I was starting to get the hang of it. But I really wanted to try fondant. So a friend asked me to make her boyfriend a cake for his birthday, and she picked the Brown family crest for the cake. I told her I would do my best.

So I came across your fondant blog, read it, reread it, and started mixing. btw micheals and hobby lobby carry glycerin. I was very proud of my cake, so I decided to send you some pictures. I painted some additional color on for more depth, and it wasn’t dry during the pictures. that why some spots are shiny.

Thanks for sharing!
Jacalyn

And here are the great pictures she sent:

fondant recipe

fondant recipe

Fondant recipe

Fondant recipe

Fondant recipe

Fondant recipe

Fondant recipe

Fondant recipe

Fondant Recipe

Fondant Recipe

As Jacalyn wrote, the fondant is shinning in some places, but it’ll be ok when the color dries.

I think it’s a great success, I bet no one believed it’s her first attempt with fondant recipe!

If you want to try my fondant recipe you can find it in the post called… fondant recipe :)

You’re all welcome to send me pictures of cakes you made using my fondant recipe to theduke@thecookduke.com I’ll be happy to post it in my blog.

To see more pictures of people using my fondant recipe please visit “Fondant Recipe - Amy Johnson’s experience” and “How to make fondant - Gerbera Daisy Cake

Happy cooking :)

posted in Baby Shower Cakes, Birthday Cake Ideas, How to make fondant, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

29th August 2009

How to make a diaper cake – Gerry G’s Version

How to make a diaper cake – Readers experience 2

My “How to make a diaper cake” post is one of two special posts (the second is my “how to make fondant” post) that keep surprising me.
The special thing about those posts is that people get such good results, that many of them make it into a business.

Look at this Diaper cake made by Gerry G, I guess she took the video tutorial I recommended

Pati’s Diaper Cake pictures:

How to make a diaper cake

How to make a diaper cake

How to make a diaper cake

How to make a diaper cake

And this is what she wrote:

This is my first attempt to make a diaper cake, and WOW did I have fun!!! There are 100 size 2 diapers, 130 rubber bands, plus “gifts”. The mother-to-be loved it. This cake took me 5 hours to make. If I can do it, anyone can:) Good luck to all, and thank you for letting me share my success story. Gerry G, CA
PS
I am making a 2nd diaper cake, which I have already sold!! I did not roll my diapers, but did the fan look. I will send pics.”

Not only she’s making great diaper cakes, she also turned it into an additional income stream – WOW!

In my original “how to make a diaper cake” post I mentioned this “cheap as chips” video tutorial that showed me the in’s and out’s of how to make a diaper cake.
I never thought that following it is a way to generate more income :)

Gerry, thanks for the diaper cake pictures, I will be happy to get pictures of more cakes you made, diaper cake or not.
I hope you can develop your “how to make a diaper cake” adventure into a real business, my benefit will be getting the pictures to post here.

You are welcome to see another diaper cake made by one of the readers at “How to make a diaper cake by Pati” and you’re most welcome to send me pictures of cakes you made to: theduke@thecookduke.com
 
Happy Cooking :)

posted in Baby Shower Cakes, Cakes, Diaper Cake | 2 Comments

29th August 2009

How to make a diaper cake – Pati B’s Version

How to make a diaper cake – Readers Experience

My “How to make a diaper cake” post is online for 2 years now, and nothing makes me happier than getting picture from people who made diaper cakes following my “recipe”.

This diaper cake was made by Pati B following my How to make a diaper cake post.

Pati’s Diaper Cake picture:

How to make a diaper cake

How to make a diaper cake


And this is what she wrote:

“Dear Cook Duke
 I can understand how hard it is to make the diaper cakes.  I have seen the one you tried to attempt on a site that sells the cakes.  It’s the diapers fanned out around a center, very hard to do I would think.  It was a valiant attemp.  I just made a plain old rolled diaper cake.  I did the diapers first one night.  Then my cousin and I made the cake together.  She’s my “bow” expert LOL 
It’s not too bad for a first one.
 Caption:  Diaper cake for shower 4/6/08 for my daughter Erin.  It was fun to do.”

So first of all, not only it’s not too bad, it’s actually good for a first try!

In my original “how to make a diaper cake” post I mentioned this “cheap as chips” video tutorial that showed me the in’s and out’s of how to make a diaper cake.

The thing I like about this video tutorial is that it saves you the need for first tries and takes you to a complete different level, although Pati shows us that you can make a beautiful diaper cake without any training.

Pati, thanks for the diaper cake picture, will be happy to get pictures of more cakes you made, diaper cake or not

Anyone that followed my “how to make a diaper cake” post is welcome to send me pictures to theduke@thecookduke.com
 
Happy Cooking :)

posted in Baby Shower Cakes, Cakes, Diaper Cake | 1 Comment

10th September 2008

How to Color Fondant

Many of my readers asked me how to color fondant after reading my post Fondant Recipe for the best Fondant Icing

There are two main reasons to color fondant:

  1. To color fondant so the cake looks just like you want it to
  2. To color fondant as the cake itself is too dark that it “shades” the white fondant color

This post is entirely about how to color fondant, if you want to make the fondant from scratch, read my previous post describing how to make Fondant Recipe

I hope this post answers how to color fondant, and I’ll do my best to answer any future questions you have.

So, How to Color Fondant:

  1. Roll the fondant into a ball on your counter and smash it out a bit until it’s soft and pliable
  2. Make a pit in the fondant, and using a toothpick add dots of icing color into the pit (use a clean toothpic each time you dip it in the color).

    The important thing is to add just a little of the concentrated icing color at a time and then knead it over and over until you get an even spread of the color
  3. If the fondant is still too pale, use the same procedure to add in more color, but make sure you use a fresh toothpick every time you dip it into the color
  4. Once you finish to color the fondant, shape it to the shape of disks, wrap each fondant disk in plastic and place in an airtight container so the fondant keeps soft

How to Color Fondant – Tips:

  • Wear All-Purpose Gloves on youe hands before you start to color fondant, so you your hands stain-free
  • To color fondant, use Gel food color and not the liquid drops that you get from the grocery store.
    Liquid food colors will make the fondant too wet and will not give the same intensity.
    (The only exception to this rule is if you’re using an airbrush, as airbrush food colors are water based. When using an airbrush you’re not brushing and the spray is so light, it won’t hurt the fondant)
  • Remember that it is easier to add color to the fondant than take it out, so start with a little amounts of color and add more as you need to
  • When you come to color fondant, color more Fondant than you’ll need as it’s nearly impossible to match the color again if you need a little extra fondant
  • Note that the fondant colors will darken slightly overnight and will fade if Fondant is left in the light for a long time

Happy Cooking J

posted in Baby Shower Cakes, Cakes, How to make fondant, Wedding Cakes | 108 Comments

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