Hi everyone! I've been watching cake decorating videos on YouTube for a few days now and have one big question. Whenever the person making the video works with fondant they use a ton of powdered sugar or cornstarch to prevent the fondant from sticking which makes perfect sense to me. My question is...how do you get the p sugar or cornstarch residue off of your finished product? No one ever shows how they do that! Even on Ace of Cakes they always show the cakes in progress covered in residue but when they show the completed cake its not there anymore. When I've worked with fondant for modeling items I find it leaves like a dull spot where the residue was when I try to just wipe it off with my fingers. Thanks for any help you can give!

i usually brush it off-like with an big blusher brush or big artists brush hth-i'd like to know how the pros do it though (it always looks so perfect when it's put together in those shows)

Hmmmmmm, I wonder if they use a damped cloth to dust of the ps or cs, it's a possibility

I use a brush as well, though I'm thinking about getting one of those cans of "compressed air" (not sure what they are) which are used to clean out computer keyboards (I used to work in an office!)... I know I shouldn't put it too close, however I'm always getting the urge to blow on it like it's a piece of inedible art. I don't do it, but I think that air might help get that out of my system! A brush works good, but I need to get a huge one like "michellesArt" - mine is too small & sometimes leaves little dents if I'm not careful.

I've heard of giving the fondant a thin "polishing" of shortning or airbrushing vodka on it. I've never tried either. Anyone out there done this before?

There are a couple of ways to erase the powdered sugar or cornstarch from the finished cake. One is to take a small ball of fondant and use it like an eraser. Rub it very lightly over the areas with too much cornstarch and it will stick to it.

The other way is to paint it lightly with vodka or another clear alcohol. My husband watches Ace of Cakes and said they told once that they do that...he told me like it was some big national secret suddenly revealed, but I've already been doing it for a long time

I use a large paintbrush and paint lemon extract on it. It dries quickly and cleans off the chalky look.

I don't use ps or cornstarch. I rub a thin film of veg shortening on the coutner and roll out the fondant. Way easier, and your fondant won't dry out.

I even bypass the shortening and roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper.

No, drying time isn't affected.

Rae

thanks Rae!

The only reason I don't roll out small things with crisco is that I don't like the slightly shiny look it gives. I do use it when I'm rolling out the cake covering, but for smaller stuff I really prefer cornstarch.

I use MMF...when you roll other fondants with crisco, do you get a slightly shiny finish?

Thanks everyone for your great ideas! I will do some experimenting.

I definitely use a spray of vodka all over the surface. It leaves it totally brighter and shiny in some instances. The vodka evaporates but if you are opposed to using a liquor use a clear pure extract. The alchohol in it does the same thing. You will be very pleased with the result no matter which you choose to use. And yes, Duff recommended spraying it with vodka and you see them do it all the time.

I too use only a thin coating of shortening on my mat - no cornstarch, no powdered sugar. The fondant doesn't dry out or crack when putting it on the cake.

Spray it with vodka using your airbrush.

Minette
www.minetterushing.typepad.com