Duff Fondant @ Michael's

Decorating By SammieB Updated 20 Jul 2011 , 7:50am by scp1127

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SammieB Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 2:23am
post #1 of 18

I have never priced out premade fondant, just always used a MMF recipe and did my own. But since I've seen so many mentions of a 50% off Michael's coupon I thought I may give it a try since I've got a few cakes coming up and I was feeling a little lazy. But without a coupon it's $20.00 for 2 lbs? That seems really expensive to me! I can get 2lbs of Fondx at Sweetwise for $12.99. Or 10lbs for $37.99. Still, I love my MMF enough that I'm perfectly happy spending $3 on sugar and marshmallows to make it myself. Do most people spend this much on premade fondant? I feel like I would go broke.

17 replies
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Kitagrl Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 2:31am
post #2 of 18

No I use FondX....and occasionally I will pay a little more for precolored fondant if I need a lot of a dark color.

I don't really like the Duff kind anyway...I think people have said its similar to Fondarific, which has a nice smooth finish because it has oils in it that regular fondant does not have...however, you can't airbrush it or paint on it or anything like that because of the oils in the fondant. Some people really like it...I prefer the regular old matte fondant.

I buy Fondx regularly because I just don't have time to make batches upon batches of MMF and back when I was making it, I wasn't able to get the science down of getting every batch identical, anyway.

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Ummeiko Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 4:12am
post #3 of 18

As a fondant newbie I like Duff's stuff in that it doesn't dry out. When I started, especially if I was mixing intense colors or rolling out to cover a whole cake, I would have a problem with overworking my Satin Ice fondant, resulting in it being dry and cracking. Duff's is nice to get the feel for laying the fondant on the cake and smoothing it out.

I only buy it on sale though, and since I just hobby, and don't do much fondant at that, a tub lasts me for awhile. With the coupons, it's pretty much the same price as everything else. I don't make my own at the moment because I don't have a stand mixer.

The downside to Duff's is the same thing I like about it - it takes forever to dry. If you're doing anything that needs to hold a shape, it can be painful. I was messing around trying some fondant figures tonight and it took some serious work to get it to cooperate, and then a lot of "is it dry enough yet?".

I also didn't know that it couldn't be airbrushed/painted on. I will definitely have to look into options some more. I can get Satin Ice and Wilton stuff pretty reliably from a couple of stores, and I think one store that I haven't been to yet carries Pettinice. But Duff's is the only one that I know of being carried around here, that I can get in ready-made colors.

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Darstus Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 4:32am
post #4 of 18

I was told by a store owner that Duff's fondant is just Satin Ice. I will buy this if I need colors and have a coupon to use at Michaels' (like black or red) I agree it is very soft and takes forever to dry. Even with tylose added. I occasionally make MMF for my cakes but I just don;t seem to be able to perfect it like I would like to. But I make it especially when I do a cake for a child that may have fondant features because the kids always love it!

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SAHCaker Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 4:47am
post #5 of 18

It surprises me that Duff's fondant is Satin Ice because they taste totally different. I can care less for the taste of Satin Ice but Duff's actually tastes good.
As far as price of fondant, I pay about $50 for a 20lb bucket of Satin Ice.

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cs_confections Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 4:56am
post #6 of 18

Duff's fondant at Michael's is Fondarific - not Satin Ice. I mainly use Fondarific and get the black or red from Michael's when I'm in a pinch. In fact, a few hours ago, I combined the last little bit left from my Duff's red with some of my new Fondarific I recently picked up at a cake supply store. The ingredients list on both is the same. With a coupon, it's actually a little cheaper than my cake supply shop for the same size - $16.99 is what the cake shop charges.

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Darstus Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 5:03am
post #7 of 18

Guess the cake supply store owner was wrong about Duff's being Satin ICe then icon_sad.gif

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cs_confections Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 5:22am
post #8 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darstus

Guess the cake supply store owner was wrong about Duff's being then icon_sad.gif




I've heard that he does have Satin Ice under his label, too - it's just not what's sold at Michael's. You can always compare the ingredients of the Duff fondant and SI and Fondarific at your cake shop. Maybe that shop owner does get the SI version.

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Rendee Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 5:55am
post #9 of 18

I did my nephews rattlesnake cake tonight, covered it in Duff fondant, and painted it, both airbrush and w/ paintbrush and it did just fine. I love Duff Fondant I just wish it weren't so expensive!!!!!

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scp1127 Posted 17 Jul 2011 , 6:39am
post #10 of 18

I only buy it at 40% off. It is my favorite taste and the only one that I can get without shipping.

I am planning on trying Massa. The quantity is high enough to overcome the shipping and I've heard good things about it.

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SammieB Posted 18 Jul 2011 , 2:11am
post #11 of 18

Kita, if I were in business and making as many (completely awesome) cakes as you do I probably wouldn't mak my own MMF either. But I do it as a hobby for friends and make at most 2/month. icon_smile.gif

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Lelka Posted 18 Jul 2011 , 2:23am
post #12 of 18

I like Duff's colored fondant, specially for Topsy cakes, that gives me plenty of time to stretch it and make it perfectly smooth. I hate hate hate his silver airbrush color! I had a terrible experience and swear not to do it again.

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Lori2240 Posted 18 Jul 2011 , 5:46pm
post #13 of 18

I like the taste of the Duff fondant. My biggest complaint was that his "white" is not white at all, it is definitely ivory. Not the biggest deal in the world but it is a big deal when I placed it on a bright white fondant covered board. Bright white board with a huge ivory suitcase cake on top. Not the look I was going for.

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JSKConfections Posted 18 Jul 2011 , 6:01pm
post #14 of 18

The only time I use pre-made fondant is when I am using it for a decorative piece. I myself am a MMF fan. Normal fondant is stiff and tastes awful to me. And yes you would go broke! Its crazy what they charge for it.

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Nazarine Posted 18 Jul 2011 , 7:04pm
post #15 of 18

If I can ever make two batches of MMF similarly, then maybe I'll give up on the store bought stuff! I tried Duff to make some figures. It never seemed to dry right. I used the rest to cover a cake and it was so soft! The only other store bought fondant I've worked with was Wilton and there seemed to be a big difference. I want to try some Satin Ice since everyone raves about it.

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scp1127 Posted 19 Jul 2011 , 5:26am
post #16 of 18

It is soft for figures. But it stays so nice and soft on the cake.

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sccandwbfan Posted 19 Jul 2011 , 6:05pm
post #17 of 18

Learned the hard way that the fondant with his name on it doesn't work well for bows. icon_eek.gif

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scp1127 Posted 20 Jul 2011 , 7:50am
post #18 of 18

You are so right on the bows. I place them on their side and bend thm a little at the top. But for anything more elaborate, forget it.

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