Cover Your Cupcake Tops With Fondant

For similar reasons that cakes are often covered in fondant, the same can be done to cupcakes to add a clean and elegant look to these miniature confections.

Follow these instructions on how to cover a cupcake in fondant.

Materials:

• Baked cupcakes
• Icing
• Icing spatula
• Fondant
• Fondant rolling pin with 1/8″ guide rings
• 3″ round circle cutter
• Dusting bag with powdered sugar

Step 1:

Use the spatula to ice a layer of your desired frosting over the cupcakes.

Tips:

• Thickness: Make sure to not spread them too thick, as they can spill out and over your cupcakes when covering them with fondant.

• Smooth: Try to make the icing as smooth as possible to avoid any visible lumps later.

Step 2:

Dust your work table with powdered sugar to ensure the fondant does not stick to it. Place your fondant on the table and use the fondant rolling pin to roll it out 1/8″ with the assistance of the guide rings. Using the 3″ round circle cutter, punch out a circle from the fondant

Tips:

• Size: A 3″ circle is usually the perfect size to cover a regular-sized cupcake, but it can differ if your cupcakes were made fuller or you added quite a bit of icing. If this is the case, use a larger size cutter to ensure there is enough surface space to cover the entire cupcake, as well as drape a bit off the perimeter. On the other hand, if your cupcake is smaller, use a smaller size and note that less fondant will drape and your surface will be practically flat.

• Smooth sides: Once you punch out the circle with the cutter, make sure to smooth out the perimeter of the fondant to clean up the “strays,” especially since it will be very visible when the cupcake is covered.

• Pattern: Add interest to the perimeter of the fondant by using a variety of cutters, such as a round scalloped border.

Step 3:

Place the round fondant in the palm of your hand upside down, then turn the iced cupcake upside down as well and place it in the center of the fondant. Begin to press the fondant to the icing to adhere it while turning it in the palm of your hand.

Tips:

• Adhere: If your icing is beginning to harden and the fondant is not adhering properly, you can spread some clear piping gel over the icing, which will help.

Step 4:

Turn the cupcake right side up and, using your fingers, smooth out the fondant around the entire surface of the cupcake. Ensure the fondant covers the perimeter of the cupcake evenly.

Tips:

• Smooth: For help with smoothing out the fondant over the cupcake, use a bit of vegetable shortening (also helps to avoid tears) and a fondant smoother.

• Clean up: If any excess icing spills out the sides, make sure to clean it up so that it is not visible.

Step 5:

Proceed with decorating your cupcakes with additional embellishments, such as fondant shapes and figures and floral accents.

Tips:

• Texture: Add interest to the covered fondant by texturing, piping and/or painting patterns and accentuating with edible decorations.

How would you further embellish your cupcakes once covering them with fondant?

Check back on the blog tomorrow to learn how to texturize fondant, including your now perfectly fondant-covered cupcakes!