Frosting a Wedding Cake with Fondant

Fondant frosting can work very well for a wedding cake. Based on a tasty layer of almond paste, the white fondant exterior can be decorated in any style you wish. The smooth white fondant layer can also work well visually when accented with part of the wedding's color scheme. Here are a few tips on frosting a wedding cake with fondant.

Frosting a wedding cake with fondant step #1: Prepare the cake

Before you can begin to frost your wedding cake with fondant, some preparation work must be done. Trim the cake so it will sit flat when you turn it upside-down. Some cakes may be easier to trim when they are frozen or slightly frozen. Use almond paste to make the wedding cake stick on the cake board. This adhesive is very important if you will be taking your wedding cake somewhere else after it is frosted with fondant. Use almond icing as a putty to fix any blemishes or imperfections in the cake. A wedding cake that is perfectly flat and smooth will work the best for fondant frosting.

Frosting a wedding cake with fondant step #2: Making the almond paste

To prepare the almond paste for your fondant wedding cake frosting, take a flexible plastic mat and roll out the fondant icing. Lightly cover the surface with sifted icing sugar and knead the almond paste well to get out any chunks. Using a heavy rolling pin, roll out the almond paste icing thoroughly. Be sure there is not too much moisture in the air when you are performing this step of the fondant frosting process as the humidity will make it harder to manipulate.

Frosting a wedding cake with fondant step #3: Icing the cake

Moisten the surface of the wedding cake with water, vodka, or sherry, just enough to slightly dampen it. Shake the plastic rolling mat so that the almond paste layer is loosened. Drape the mat over your arm to support it, then flip the icing onto the top of your cake. You can either smooth out the frosting with your hands or use a plastic icing smoother to get a smooth, flat look. Be sure to rub out any air bubbles that may appear in your wedding cake frosting.

Frosting a wedding cake with fondant step #4: The final layer

Now you are ready to add the fondant frosting to your wedding cake. Clean off the rolling mat and dust it again with icing sugar. This will become the outside of your wedding cake's frosting, so be sure it is clean and free of debris. Knead the fondant frosting well, then roll it out as you did for the almond paste frosting. Lightly moisten the almond paste layer of the wedding cake with the same water, vodka, or sherry like before. Drape the fondant-covered rolling mat over your arm and flip the frosting onto the wedding cake. Using your icing smoother or hands, smooth out the frosting and trim off any excess fondant from your wedding cake.