Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

I’ve been using Marshmallow Fondant to decorate cakes for years. It’s really easy to make at home, it requires only a few ingredients. And this rolled icing can be used on cakes, cupcakes, and even cookies. Let me share my recipe and tips on how to use it.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOW FONDANT

When you scroll down to the recipe card you’ll notice 3 recipes for marshmallow fondant:  regular batch, small-batch, and mini-batch. All the images in the step-by-step picture instructions show the making of a small or mini-batch of marshmallow fondant.

To make an easy marshmallow fondant you need 3 ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

• Marshmallows (minis but big marshmallows are fine too)
• Powdered sugar – sifted if lumps are present
• Water
• Flavoring (optional)
• Vegetable Shortening (it helps with kneading and the stickiness)

OTHER USEFUL INGREDIENTS

• Starch – helps with stickiness and rolling out fondant (step 1).
• Vegetable Shortening – helps with stickiness, smoothness and coloring (step 1).
• Glycerine – is a humectant and plasticizer. It helps to keep fondant flexible and amends tearing (step 2).
• Water – helps with elephant skin, tearing (step 3).
• Tylose Powder – is used to make a quick gumpaste and aids in faster fondant drying time (step 4).
• Concentrated Gel Colors – use these to color fondant (step 5).

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT STEP-BY-STEP

Start by greasing the microwave-safe bowl and a spatula with vegetable shortening. I use Crisco (steps 1-2).

Into the bowl, pour white marshmallows. Pour a little bit of water over the marshmallows (steps 3-4). Microwave on high in 20-second intervals, checking on the marshmallows frequently to prevent overheating. When heated, marshmallows puff up (step 5). Use a greased spatula to test if they are fully melted. Continue heating in the microwave until they are fully melted (step 6). Stir them and add flavoring if using. I like to use a little bit of vanilla, almond, or lemon extract (steps 7-8).

Have a bowl with powdered sugar ready. Make a well in powdered sugar and pour melted marshmallow mixture over it (steps 1-2). At this stage, I use a greased spatula to coat sticky melted marshmallows with powdered sugar. Once the mixture starts to come together into a mass, grease your hands with vegetable shortening and start kneading it. First, in the bowl and then turn it out onto a work surface and continue kneading until smooth, soft and flexible, about 5-10 minutes (steps 3-7). Shape it into a ball (step 8).

Coat it with a vegetable shortening, double wrap tightly into a food wrap, and rest overnight before using. Resting makes it easier to handle.

Marshmallow fondant should be pliable, flexible, not overly sticky. Slightly sticky is normal. Please refer to the troubleshooting section below, just above the recipe card, for tips on fixing stickiness, cracking, drying time, and more.

STORAGE AND MARSHMALLOW FONDANT SHELF LIFE

Generously grease fondant with vegetable shortening. It helps keep moisture in and prevents fondant from drying out (step 1-2). Then tightly wrap it into a food wrap. Store in a Ziploc bag, with all the air squeezed out.

Marshmallow fondant keeps at room temperature for 2-4 weeks and in the fridge for up to 2 months. Please keep it away from smelly foods like fish. Let it come to room temperature before using. If you are in a pinch, you can use a microwave in 3-second intervals to soften it up a bit faster.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?

Yes, I have successfully doubled and even tripled this recipe.

When making a large, for example, 3 tier cake in one color, it’s best to color all the fondant all at once. It’s nearly impossible to match the previous color once you run out.

HOW MUCH FONDANT DO I NEED TO COVER THE CAKE?

The size of your project determines the amount of fondant you need. If you need just a little bit, you can scale down the recipe and make a small or even mini-batch of marshmallow fondant. And if you need a lot of fondant, you can double and even triple this recipe.

When doubling or tripling this recipe at home, use a large bowl or a large cooking pot to hold all the powdered sugar, and stir melted marshmallows and powdered sugar together. Here is a useful fondant chart for different cake sizes.

HOW TO COLOR MARSHMALLOW FONDANT

When to color marshmallow fondant?

• The most effective and fastest way is to color melted marshmallows before adding them to powdered sugar. This process is especially helpful with bright colors, like pink, red, purple, orange, and even dark black. From my experience heat of the melted marshmallows aids in activating the color further, achieving deeper colors.

Coloring melted marshmallows is an easy process. Add concentrated gel food color to the melted marshmallows. (steps 1-4). Stir well and pour colored melted marshmallows over the powdered sugar (step 5). Stir melted marshmallows into the sugar using a well-greased spatula (step 6). Once it comes together into a mass, use greased hands to knead it (steps 7-8).

Turn it out onto a work surface and knead it until it is pliable and flexible. If it’s too sticky, knead it for a little longer, it helps to add some vegetable shortening and some starch (steps 2-3). Shape it into a ball and grease it with a vegetable shortening. Wrap it tightly with a food wrap to prevent drying out.

• The second way to color marshmallow fondant is to color it after making it.

If you have white marshmallow fondant already made, you can color it with concentrated gel food color. When using this method, I highly recommend wearing gloves.

Flatten fondant and, make a well in the center, add food coloring. Knead the fondant until color is homogenous throughout. You can do a simple test by cutting the ball of fondant thru the middle. Examine the cut sections, and if color is not even, knead it for a little longer, test again (steps 1-8).

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT IS CRACKING AND TEARING

Why is my fondant cracking and tearing?

From my experience, cracking and tearing happen when fondant lacks moisture. Could it be too much powdered sugar or old marshmallows? Or perhaps you left the rolled fondant out for too long, and it’s starting to lose flexibility?

• Use water and vegetable shortening. Spray dry fondant with water and knead it with a little bit of vegetable shortening. Hydrating fondant also helps to improve its texture and elephant skin problem (steps 1-8).

• Use glycerin. I know, not everyone keeps glycerin on hand. But if you have some in your pantry now, it’s time to use it. Glycerin is a humectant, a type of moisturizing agent that draws moisture from the air. Kneading it into dry and cracked fondant helps improve the texture and increases the fondant’s smoothness and elasticity.

Cracked and fondant tearing apart is very difficult to work with (steps 1-2). Add a small amount of glycerin to the fondant and knead it well until it becomes pliable and smooth. I often use a little bit of vegetable shortening to help with the kneading process (steps 3-8).

IS MARSHMALLOW FONDANT GOOD FOR COVERING CAKES?

I use this fondant to cover all my cakes.

TIPS FOR COVERING A CAKE WITH FONDANT

• Make sure your cake is chilled, filled and frosted.
• I roll fondant on a well-dusted surface with corn starch.
• Use a silicone rolling pin.
• Roll it out on a large silicone mat or flexible acetate when covering a large cake. You can easily lift it and turn it onto the cake.
• Use a fondant icing smoother to smooth the top and the sides.
• How to cover a cake with fondant step-by-step via Wilton.com.

Here are some other cakes I decorated using marshmallow fondant and quick gumpaste.

DOES MARSHMALLOW FONDANT HARDEN?

It can take several days for marshmallow fondant to dry thoroughly. You can speed up drying time by adding Tylose.

Place your fondant decorations on a splatter guard to increase air circulation from underneath.

HOW TO MAKE A QUICK GUMPASTE

To help speed up the drying process, or if you need to make a quick gumpaste using rolled fondant, you can use Tylose Powder, Gum Tragacanth, or Gum-Tex.

Learn more about Tylose, Gum Tragacanth and Gum-Tex (via Design Me A Cake Blog)

1 to 1 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon tylose powder for ½ pound of rolled marshmallow fondant (226grams) or follow directions on the packaging for individual products. If you want your dry fondant decorations with a soft bite, add less tylose.

I usually use Tylose Powder (CMC-Carboxymethyl cellulose) to make faster drying fondant when making cupcake decorations or cake toppers.

For a quick gumpaste I use 1 to 1tsp and 1/2 teaspoon Tylose to 1/2lb(226grams) marshmallow fondant. Depending on how soft is your marshmallow fondant you can add a little more tylose (steps 1-2).

Dust work surface with tylose powder and knead it into the rolled fondant (steps 3-6). Coat a quick gumpaste with vegetable shortening and wrap it tightly into a food wrap.

I used quick gumpaste to create these fondant decorations for cakes and gingerbread houses.

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT FAQ

• I don’t have mini marshmallows, can I still make it? Marshmallow fondant can be made with mini or big marshmallows.
• Can I double this recipe? Yes, this recipe can be easily doubled.
• Are you looking for a small or mini-batch? Look in the recipe card for ingredients’ amounts for small or mini batch recipe.
• Is your fondant is tearing, breaking easily, or forming elephant skin? It needs moisture. Use water with a little bit of vegetable shortening or glycerin and knead it into the fondant until it’s elastic and smooth.
• Why is my fondant too stretchy? It could be caused by over kneading. Loosely cover it and let it sit for 20 minutes Then try using it again. Try kneading in more powdered sugar with a little bit of starch and vegetable shortening.
• When should I color fondant? You can color melted marshmallows before you add powdered sugar. Or color it after it’s been kneaded. Use concentrated gel food colors.
• How to make marshmallow fondant dry faster? Add a little bit of tylose powder. 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon of tylose powder to ½ lb fondant(226grams). Place your fondant decorations on a splatter guard to increase air circulation from underneath.
• Can I use it to decorate cookies? Yes, absolutely. Use a little bit of water for the glue.
• I want to make fondant roses, can I use this fondant? Yes, absolutely.
• How long does marshmallow fondant keep? Fondant keeps well covered at room temperature for 2-4 weeks or in the fridge for up to 2 months. Please keep it away from smelly foods like fish. Let it come to room temperature before using. If you are in a pinch, you can use a microwave in 3-5 second intervals to soften it up a bit faster.