Hi

I just finished covering a small cake with MMF. It rolled out smoothly after kneading it, though it was definitely a lot stiffer than the Michele Foster recipe I made last week. It was very easy to handle but after I smoothed it on the cake it gradually became pitted with very small craters. What did I do wrong?
I'm thinking maybe I put too much icing sugar in.

Thanks Leona

sounds like air bubbles!! Did you over mix it?? Or fold it over itself a lot during kneading instead of squishing it into itself??

I too have had air bubbles but I have also had just plain old pits!

When you roll out your fondant then place on the cake do you flip your fondant so that the side that was against the counter is now face up showing on the cake? If you use icign sugar or cornstarch to roll out your fondant perhaps you have little piles of icing sugar under your fondant?

I have had this problem - I fixed it by folding my fondant over once then dragging it onto the cake so that the perfectly smooth side I rolled out faces out on the cake.

This may not be what you are describing though... if the pits appear gradually.

You added salt, huh?

I've found that if I don't let the MMF with salt rest long enough the salt doesn't have a chance to completely dissolve. So even after kneading and getting it smooth on the cake, if there are still salt crystals in the MMF it will cause pock-marks as it finishes dissolving.

This was something I discovered only after I had made a few batches of red.

Now I dissolve the salt in the 2 T water and toss it over the marshmallows before I microwave them.

I started adding salt to mine to cut the sweetness after my cousin and his wife said they didn't like that MMF was so sweet. So I was determined to make a great tasting MMF!

I add 1 t salt and use an entire dram of LoRann butter flavor - it is sooo yummy! (I also add 1 T glycerine for pliability and will only use Wal Mart brand MMs and PS).[/i]

Does your MMF come out consistant all the time?

Is this the ratio's you use?

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)


For some reason my MMF has been very soft and elasticy, I can leave it out for a while uncovered and it wont get hard...isnt that wierd?

Fondantfrenzy....is this the recipe u use often? is it good? I've never made homeade fondant before and want to try...any tips?

Fondantfrenzy i have the same problem with mine, it always stays soft. i do fold it into each other instead of squishing it, I wonder if that could be the problem...I havent tried the Michele Foster recipe yet but plan on it to see the difference. I also use Princess Cake and Cookie Emulsion for flavoring in my MMF and it helps kill some of the sweet.....

Well I used a no name brand of marshmallows the ingredient list was the same as the kraft. The fondant was definitely on the firm side not soft. I used icing sugar to roll it out and lifted it directly onto the cake with the top smooth rolled side facing out. I guess I kneaded it like bread maybe I did get some air bubbles in that way. I didn't add any salt to it. This is the first time I have made MMF the recipe was 16 oz [454g] marshmallow, 2T water, 2# bag of icing sugar which was a 1kg [2.2 lbs] bag but I made sure not to add all of it. I was a little soft when it was warm but the next day as I said it was a little firm so maybe I added too much sugar? I will have to try it again my family liked the flavor of the MMF . I am practicing and trying recipes to make my niece's Wedding cake in August, I am new to fondant. Of course I just want her cake to be perfect!

Well the first time I ever made it using this recipe, it came out perfect, then the second time my kitchen aid died becuase it couldnt handle it when i added the second part of sugar. Then I bought a viking, and i dont know if thereis too much power or if my bowl is way bigger now or what.

The only other thing i can think of, is I started buyig 4 pound bags of sugar so I was measuring out 4 cups for 2 pounds...arent there 2 cups per pound? Or is it different for different ingredients? Maybe I need to buy a food scale then? If none of these factors matter, then I dont know why my fondant is coming out all yucky....like I said the first time I made it, it was perfect!!!!

Any experts around here know?

Fondantfrenzy,
I think that one pound PS is four cups.

I should have said "more or less" because some other sources say it's three and three quarter cups
(3 3/4).

The simplest no-fail method is simply melt a 16 oz bag of marshmallows (as per MMF instructions), add the flavoring and glycerine or corn syrup.

Open a 2lb bag of PS and stir in a little, then continue to stir in about a cup at a time until it gets difficult to stir. Then dump in the rest of the PS, grease your hands, and knead until it is no longer sticky. It should be like stiff Play Dough.

Depending on humidity on temperature you may use a little more or less PS.

If, after it has rested several hours, you've realized it could've used more PS you can still knead it in. Just soften in the micro in 10 second intervals.

If it is sticky but not too bad, you can knead in a little cornstarch.

If it is too stiff, you can knead in more shortening, glycerine, corn syrup, or piping gel afte softening in the micro.

Thank you, I will try that, I think I am not using enough powdered sugar and I will try your method, I was getting frustrated. So I have some that is too soft now, can I add more powdered sugar now or is that piece ruined?

You can still knead in more. Pour some PS in a greased bowl, soften the MMF in the micro just enough to knead easily, and plop it int he bowl with the PS.

I keep forgeting to say that the reason I prefer Wal Mart brand PS is because the MMF comes out less sticky. Obviously the generic brand has more cornstarch. I do not like Jet Puffed MMs because they are just weird--rubbery and also with a stickier result--so I stick with Wal Mart brand MMs as well.

I gave up on MMF b/c of the pitting and i've never used salt. I've used Jetpuffed and Walmart MM. I never figured it out - let us know if you do!

the MMF recipe i use calls for 8 C sugar, and I put in 7, and then as I work with it a little more gets added. it is a little sticky to work with, and you can really mess things up and stick to your table, but my MMF is always way smooth and no cracks, pits, etc. just be REALLY careful and use LOTS of PS when you are rolling.

I have had the pitted problem with Satin Ice, but I have found that I when I flipped the fondant instead of just lifting it up and setting it on the cake I get less pits.

Hey macsmom,

do you mix in the color while the marshmallow is melted? Try kneading it in? They say that you are not supposed to mix it in while its melted, who knows....I guess its a trial and error thing until you find something that works for you. I have a problem where I am not patient, and I put in globs of paste while I am kneading it, I guess you are supposed to put in little at a time with a toothpick and keep kneading to get the color you want, but I wanted a dark brown and i put in a whole bunch and my fondant started falling apart....sigh!!!!

I always mix it in while melted, but I prefer Wilton color. It's less liquid and I get better results with color. I guess this is just another reason I won't buy anymore Americolor!

And I also add globs at a time, but I've never had a problem with it falling apart. I add an entire jar of brown all at one time, an entire jar of navy blue, and an entire jar of red-red (obviously for their respective colors).