Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A
How to make Sugarpaste from scratch?
Dear All,
I’m new here and in the Cake decorating world, so I’ve been going through a lot of the questions and videos, I find them most useful -Also, sorry for the long post!-. However I’m wondering if there is a section for beginners regarding decoration basics? I don’t know if you rather buy your fondant, and sugarpaste, or if any of you make them from scratch?
I once attended a course on Cupcakes and Sugarpaste decorations in my city (I live in Santiago-Chile), and our instructor made Sugarpaste to make little decorations on the cupcakes, using Icing sugar, CMC, Glucose, Shortening, Flavour essence, Gelatin powder (unflavoured) which she hydrated prior to placing it in a water bath. I can’t really remember all the steps & quantities as this was over a year ago but I want to try my hand at it again, and see what you have to say. From what I’ve read on the Internet, some use CMC but no gelatin, and some use gelatin but no CMC. I’m confused as I haven’t found any that uses both at the same time like she did? I don’t know what is “best”.
Do any of you have a sugarpaste recipe you prefer over others?
Cheers,
Cinthia x
hi, and welcome
I don’t make my own sugarpaste/fondant, although I did have a go at making marshmallow fondant once, and it turned out very well. I always buy deep coloured fondant, as I find it much more convenient.
I do make my own flowerpaste/gumpaste, which sounds a similar recipe to the one you made on your course, and sometimes I will add half flowerpaste and half sugarpaste, which makes a good modeling paste, for all the decorations you might want to put on your cake.
I don’t think sugarpaste is difficult to make, but most people do tend to buy it, as it can be a bit more reliable to work with.
Hi MyFairdiva
There are several ways to make roll out fondant. I’ll give you the recipes from the International School of Sugarcraft book:
Commercial Fondant Icing Makes 875g fondant icing.
60g white vegetable fat
30ml lemon juice
30ml water
750g icing sugar sieved
Place fat,lemon juice and water in a medium pan and gently heat until the fat has melted. Stir in 250g of icing sugar and keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Leave pan on low heat until mixture boils. Remove from heat and gradually add enough of the remaining sugar to form a soft paste. Beat well after each addition.
Lightly dust the work surface with icing sugar and knead the icing continually until smooth and silky and no longer sticky. Store well, double wrapped in cling film and plastic food bag. Tint with colour as required.
Gelatine Icing makes 875g gelatine paste.
15g (2 envelopes) powdered gelatine
45ml water
45ml liquid glucose
15ml glycerine, few drops of vanilla or almond extract optional
750g icing sugar
Half fill a saucepan of water and bring to the boil. From the ingredients list place the gelatine and 45ml water in a heat proof bowl over the saucepan of hot water. Stir occasionally until the gelatine has dissolved. Add glucose and glycerine, stir until liquid and warm. Remove bowl from saucepan and stir sugar into gelatine mixture using a wooden spoon. As the mixture begins to bind together, knead into a ball. Dust work surface with icing sugar and knead icing until white, smooth and free from cracks. Store double wrapped in cling film and plastic bag. Icing handles well, very pliable. Ideal for covering cakes, making modelling paste. Sets hard enough to support a tiered cake, but also cuts easily.
Quick Sugarpaste Makes 625g icing
1 large egg white
30ml liquid glucose
500g icing sugar
Place egg white and glucose in a clean bowl, add sugar and mix together with a wooden spoon.
Knead together with fingers until the mixture forms a ball. Dust work surface with icing sugar and knead until smooth and free from cracks. Wrap icing completely in cling or store in a polythene food bag with all the air excluded. Use white or tint with food gel colour for covering cakes and moulding decorations. Sets firm but not hard or brittle. If icing is too soft and sticky to handle, knead in more sieved icing sugar until it becomes firm and pliable. If sugarpaste dries out and becomes hard, knead in a little boiled water until soft and pliable, or cut off the dried outer edges.
There are recipes online for marshmallow fondant icing. Hope this helps, but it’s so much easier to just go and buy it. xx
I think the only reason why I haven’t bought any at the store is because some people say they don’t like the way it tastes. I will have to try it sometime.
Thanks a bunch to both! x
Thanks Sharon, just in time for my next project, marshmallow fondant requested for heart shaped 30th wedding anniversary cake! xx
MyFairdiva, some shop fondants taste grainy and crumble quickly. I buy Renshaws or Satin ice. Other members find Asda and Tesco brands fine to work with. G’d luck with your fondant making, feed back would be great! x
