I have not made many fondant cakes and have to make on this weekend. I noticed that the darker colors look dull after they dry. I read once about putting vodka on fondant, but do not know the details. Do you spray it on or paint it on? When do you apply it to the fondant?

You can paint vodka on with a paintbrush. If you want a more vibrant color for the fondant, you can mix a little bit of color in with the vodka and then paint it on. Don't use a lot of color mixed with the vodka or it will take longer to dry.

I just saw this site where they were asking Colete Peters the same ?

Here is the response (it's about half way down the page):

<Fran> Colette, how do you get the shine on your fondant?

<Colette_Peters> The fondant is painted with luster paint or you can spray it with water to get it shiny.

Here's the site:
http://www.pastryscoop.com/conferencesAndEvents_chat22.html

I also read somewhere that steam also helps with this.

Airbrushing with water will make it shiny evenly. Painting with a brush can make it a bit streaky. I tried once using a spray bottle but the spray is not fine or even enough, had huge blotches.

I don't have an airbrush and was thinking about using a regular spray bottle. Now I am worried. I don't want to mess this cake up. Any other suggestions?

Sorry cricket, did not want to scare you - that was not my intention. I am sure there are spray bottles and then there are spray bottles, mine was not very good. If you are worried just roll out a bit of fondant separately and try spraying it, that way if it does not work you don't have to ruin your cake.

Also Crisco will give some shine to dark fondant, just rub it on. It won't be glossy as if you have sprayed it with water but it won't be dull either, it just gives it a kind of "glow".

I am wondering if one of those steamers could be used to bring a shine to the cake...you know the ones you can clean with or the ones you can steam the wrinkles out of your clothes with? Of course you would only want to use it on your cakes. I have seen where people steam flowers by holding them over a boiling pot of water but that would be impossible to do with a whole cake. Any thoughts?

A clothes steamer would be perfect I would think.

I would not recommend brushing with vodka. I tried that once (well, with Everclear) and it just evaporated, leaving the same dusty look behind. So it looked the same as when I started. Kind of pointless.
I like to rub with a bit of crisco on a papertowel. I personally would be afraid that misting it with water would make it sticky and if you accidentally touch it, it will leave a fingerprint. That's just what I think.

I hae the clothes steamer I use. Before i bought it, I used a cheap whistle tea kettle. The noise gets to you but it worked a bit. I never found a bottle I liked to mist the cake with. Some of the droplets left pot marks. Try using a touch of crisco to the fondant, roll it out and smooth it with your hands. The heat from your hands will help. HTH

Unfortunately I don't have a steamer either. I was worried about the water for the exact reason tuffstuff said. I have found that it can leave the fondant sticky if you put too much. But if the vodka doesn't work, I guess I am left with crisco. I have to make a dark brown loop bow and I have just found they look dry the next day. Thanks for the advice.

Cricket, if it is something small like a bow I would try and hold it over a steaming kettle or pot. Just go easy so that it does not get soft or wilt. I am sure that would work really well.

I would not use crisco for a bow! Add a touch of tylose to your fondant and then steam it. I think the crisco my prevent the bow from firming up as much as you want, IMHO.

What is tylose? I hope you don't think I am an idiot, but I am just starting to work with fondant. This would be the 2nd cake.

To make sure I have it so far....you can use crisco on the cake itself, but nothing that would have to be firm and stand on a cake.

Vodka really doesn't work and the water in a spray bottle can leave too much water and cause issue. Using a brush can leave streaks. LOL. I hope I can remember all this if it is another 6 months before I have to make another one.

Since it's a bow,i've heard piping gel works.

Tylose makes fondant firm up. Solascakes, would you thin the gel down with vodka perhaps to make it more touchable. It is a bow and would need to be positioned. I like the idea, will have to try it.

What about using those spray cans of Evian water? I am not sure if there is anything else in there that is not food safe though...just a thought

i use criso on all my dried bows to restore them to a nice sheen. do it after they are dry.

i also crisco all my fondnat cakes. it will not be shiny, but restore it to a nice satin matte look.

alcohol just dried them out for for me.

HTH