Fondant Fun!

Last winter I took a basic cake decorating class and LOVED it. Since then, I've used every opportunity I can to show off my skills. Also, the more I do it, the better I get. Last month, I felt the need to step my game up. So I moved into the big leagues and started playing with fondant. I did not venture into making my own yet, but I did add some vanilla extract into the Wilton rolled white fondant to add some flavor. I then used gel food coloring to dye it the colors I wanted. Getting a true red was very hard. I used A LOT of food coloring and still wasn't truly happy with the results. Plus, my hands were red for the rest of the day. I needed black fondant for a Groom's cake I was asked to create, so I also bought a large tub of black, vanilla fondant. I seriously doubt if I would've been able to dye the white fondant black using food coloring.

I had worked with fondant one other time (the open book cake I made for a bridal shower), so I had a little experience. I did the rest from watching so many baking shows and reading up on tips people posted online. I had a hard time at the end polishing the cake to give that WOW factor, but I think I did a pretty good job. Here are the two cakes I made. The Windows logo cake was for a Windows 7 Launch Party that Doug and I hosted and the other was the Groom's cake I mentioned earlier. The heart and skull is the symbol of the band Alkaline Trio and I filled the cake with homemade cannoli filling*. He was very surprised and loved it, which made me and his beautiful bride very happy.







*The homemade cannoli filling, was so easy and delicious I would recommend giving it a whirl. Here's the recipe I used:

3 c. very dry ricotta
1 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate chips

Drain ricotta in a colander until very dry, overnight or longer if necessary. Mix with sugar and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer at high speed for 8-10 minutes. Fold in some chocolate chips and use to fill cannoli or between cake layers. Fills about 15-18 cannoli.

Also, make sure to let the filling sit in the fridge to settle. It will be firmer and the flavors will really blend. I also saw this idea online that sounds like a great idea: http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2009/10/cannoli-bites.html. I didn't get a chance to try that, but I am thinking I may try it for Thanksgiving.