Anyone have any suggestions for what to use when I'm rolling out my black fondant? Powdered sugar and cornstarch make a huge mess when I'm trying to brush it off.

I would like to know as well... hope someone has an answer. I've tried brushing off the cornstarch with everclear, but it dried back to a powdery state. I am considering brushing or spraying the fondant with oil. I've heard of rubbing shortening on the fondant with a paper towel but when I tried this, the paper towl fibers were left behind on the fondant.

Roll out on Pam instead.

But even when you roll it out on shortening (or Pam)... don't you have to dust with cornstarch anyway in order to smooth it with the fondant smoothers?

Nope. I use the blue Ateco mats from www.decopac.com or some ppl use vinyl from the craft store with a sprits on Pam underneath, nothing on top. If you Pammed the top, then yeah, the smoother would stick.

those blue silicone mats are the best! it doesnt' wrinkle your fondant and works like a dream. i can't live without mine. i got mine from cakedeco.

I use cocoa in a dusting puff for dark fondant instead of cornstarch when I want the dryness for rolling that. It will absorb into it better and brush off without showing.

AND the mats themselves don't wrinkle like the vinyl does. At the end of a long day I can just pile em up and tomorrow they will be just fine

KoryAK, I am assuming you do it this way: you put a thin layer of shortening or pam on the blue mat, roll out the fondant, then FLIP it over onto the cake, no? So wouldn't the surface of the fondanted cake now have a thin layer of greasiness that would prevent being able to smooth it? Do you just smooth it from there, without adding anything? I'm sorry, but I'm confused!
I'm picturing the way sugarshack does it in her video, which I have tried once, and worked well for not getting the "elephant skin" on the corners, but I still had to dust with cornstarch to smooth it (as she shows in the vid).

No, I don't flip it. I just put my arms under it and move it to the cake just like you see on Ace of Cakes (lol - only other visual I can think of). As far as the fat layer, just a quick once around with the Pam, spread it out with my hand (just for a split sec) and go.

Thanks for the cocoa idea! That's a great tip!!