Food

Fondant is a pliable icing sugar-based dough used for decorating cakes—it's also at the centre of the cake craze sweeping the nation. After all, without fondant, neither Cake Boss nor Ace of Cakes could create their special brand of sweet sculpture.

We sat down with our very own CakeStar Barb Accogli to get the 411 on working with fondant.

How to Cover a Cake

1. Soften a piece of fondant with your hands.
2. Sprinkle work surface with plenty of cornstarch and roll out fondant to desired size. (Always make fondant bigger in circumference then the actual cake to allow enough to cover sides as well.)
3. Smooth fondant down with your hands and a fondant smoother.
4. Cut extra off edge at base of cake.

How to Make a Bow

1. Soften a small piece of fondant with your hands.
2. Sprinkle work surface with plenty of cornstarch and roll out fondant to desired size.
3. For a small to medium bow, cut 2 rectangles out of rolled fondant with a pizza cutter, using a ruler as your guide.
4. Brush one side of each rectangle with water and roll each into a tube to form the bow loops. Fill tubes with rolled-up paper towel or other cylinder and adhere them with some water. (Water works like glue to stick fondant together.)
5. Once two loops are firm, add a button-style centerpiece to hold the entire bow together.

How to Make Cut-outs

1. Soften a piece of fondant with your hands.
2. Sprinkle work surface with plenty of cornstarch and roll out fondant to desired size and thickness.
3. Use impression stencils to create patterns in fondant.
4. Cut out shapes with fun cookie cutters.
5. Brush shapes on one side with a little water to make them stick to fondant-covered cake. Arrange in desired pattern.