How to Cover a Cake with Fondant | Smooth, Flawless Finish
Chef Alan TetreaultIn this tutorial: Knead and Prepare Your Fondant · Roll Out the Fondant · Measure and Drape the Fondant · Smooth and Adhere the Fondant · Trim the Excess · Fix Air Bubbles · Tips for Best Results
Covering a cake with rolled fondant is one of the most essential skills in cake decorating – and once mastered, it opens the door to virtually endless design possibilities. In this tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault of Global Sugar Art walks through his preferred method for achieving a smooth, crack-free fondant finish on a round cake. From kneading and rolling to draping and trimming, every step is covered in detail.
What You'll Need
- Rolled fondant (about 1.5 lbs for an 8-inch cake) – such as Satin Ice fondant
- Large rolling pin – a smooth plastic rolling pin works best
- Small rolling pin – for stretching fondant from the center outward
- Fondant smoother(s) – ideally two smoothers for working both sides at once
- Silicone mat – or any clean, smooth work surface
- Powdered sugar – or a half-and-half blend of powdered sugar and cornstarch for dusting
- Sharp knife – for trimming excess fondant
- Turntable – a cake turntable or even a large can works in a pinch
- Straight pin – for popping any air bubbles
- Cake board – the same size as the cake
Knead and Prepare Your Fondant
Before rolling, fondant must be thoroughly kneaded. All fondants contain a gum additive that makes them firm when cool – similar to a piece of chewing gum fresh out of the package. Kneading warms the fondant with the heat of your hands, bringing it to a soft, pliable consistency that rolls out smoothly and drapes without cracking.
💡 Tip: If you store fondant in a cool place – especially in colder climates during winter – let it come to room temperature before kneading. Cold fondant is too stiff to work with. Conversely, overly warm fondant becomes sticky and too stretchy, so aim for a room temperature in the mid-70s.
Roll Out the Fondant
Lightly dust the work surface with about a tablespoon of powdered sugar (or a powdered sugar and cornstarch blend). Begin rolling with the large rolling pin, keeping the fondant moving so it doesn't stick to the surface.
⚠️ Never use cornstarch alone. Cornstarch by itself draws moisture out of the fondant, causing it to dry out, crack at the edges, and develop "elephant skin" – a characteristic wrinkling that ruins the finish.
Once the fondant has been rolled out to a rough circle, switch to the small rolling pin and push from the center outward. Rather than rolling, this technique stretches the fondant – requiring far less force on the shoulders, arms, and back. This is especially helpful when covering large cakes.
Roll and stretch the fondant to a thickness of about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Periodically lift the fondant to make sure it isn't sticking, adding a small amount of dusting sugar only as needed.
Measure and Drape the Fondant
Before draping, measure to ensure the fondant circle is large enough. Add the cake diameter to twice the height of the sides. For an 8-inch cake with 4-inch sides, that means at least a 16-inch circle of fondant is needed.
Place the cake on a same-size cake board (so the board doesn't extend past the cake edges) and set it on a turntable or a large can. Lightly roll the fondant up onto the rolling pin, position it over the cake, and unroll to drape it evenly over the top and sides.
💡 Tip: If the fondant hangs down well past the base of the cake, trim some of the excess right away. The weight of extra fondant can pull on the sides and cause splitting at the top.
Smooth and Adhere the Fondant
Start by running a fondant smoother over the top of the cake to push out any air bubbles. Then use the warm palm of your hand to press the fondant around the top edge, adhering it firmly.
For the sides, open the folds of fondant and work in an upward motion – pushing up, never pulling down. Pulling downward puts stress on the top edge and causes cracking and splitting. Work around the entire cake, smoothing the folds flat against the sides – similar to working with fabric.
Once the fondant is adhered, use two fondant smoothers – one on each side of the cake – to polish the finish. Move them up and down first for good adhesion, then in a circular motion around the sides. Using a second smoother as a brace prevents hand prints from pressing into the soft cake underneath.
Trim the Excess
Leave about an inch of fondant as a skirt at the base. Once the sides are fully smoothed, take a sharp knife and cut along the bottom edge to remove the excess fondant cleanly.
Fix Air Bubbles
If any air bubbles remain after smoothing, insert a straight pin at an angle into the bubble and gently push the air out. Run the fondant smoother over the pinhole to erase the mark.
Tips for Best Results
- Use the right dusting mix. Powdered sugar alone or a blend of half powdered sugar and half cornstarch works well. Never use cornstarch alone.
- Knead thoroughly. The fondant should be warm and pliable before rolling.
- Control the temperature. Fondant works best in the mid-70s. Too cold and it cracks; too warm and it gets sticky and stretchy.
- Chill the cake first. Bake and ice the cake, then place it in the freezer for 10 – 15 minutes. The goal is a firm surface to smooth against – not a frozen cake. If the cake is frozen solid, the fondant will freeze on contact and create a mess.
- Choose a firmer cake. Fondant was originally developed for fruitcake. Pound cake or other dense cake recipes hold up better under fondant than light, soft box-mix cakes. Chilling lighter cakes before covering helps compensate.
This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →
