okay so my budget is really tight but i would really like to do a cake with fondant. Is there a simple, cheap recipe for fondant out there anywhere?

Search for marshmallow fondant, or MMF. Can't get cheaper than that

Michel Foster's recipe on this site is very good and easy to work with. I personally don't care for MMF but that's JMO.

Marshmallow fondant is cheap and easy to make. A batch is about $5.

I LOVE Michelle Foster's fondant (just trying to figure out now what to do with all those bags of marshmallows I have from when I used to make MMF).

I agree that MMF isn't the best, but for $3 a batch (or $5, depending on where you live), it's a cheaper alternative.

I agree! The only thing I don't like marshmallow fondant for is when I'm using it with small flower cutters... I find it sticks a bit more.. but it still does work in a pinch!

thank you all so much. i'll try it!

One large bag of marshmallows, one 2lb bag of HIGH QUALITY conf. sugar, 1/2 cup Crisco, and a little water (depends on the humidity of the day but I usually only need 1T.)

Melt the marshmallows and water for about a minute in a well greased bowl. Make a well of the sugar on a well greased board! I use gloves, grease your hands well! Dump the marshmallow mixture into the flour. Adding the coloring now makes it much easier to color! Begin kneading. Add grease to your hands as needed but you'll need just about all of the Crisco. Keep kneading until it gets to a bread dough like consistency. You may not need all the sugar. Preserve in a well greased piece of plastic wrap for about 24 hours to allow sugar to completely dissolve!

Note: If you don't use a high quality sugar, it will be lumpy! Even if you sift it! Trust me!