Black Fondant Nightmare

Decorating By tita23 Updated 2 Apr 2016 , 2:33pm by krye1025

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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 9:45am
post #1 of 15

Hi everyone I have been having trouble with black fondant to the point I tell my costomers choose a different color or cake all together first I would color the fondant black it would be to sticky then would just rip when putting it on the cake so i decided to try wilton premade black fondant same exact thing happened tearing I stuffed some fondant in the cracks then tried to gunge it the next morning but im not sure what i can do for the next black fondant cake i might have to do i cant run from it forever

14 replies
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JustVcakes Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 10:11am
post #2 of 15

I've never had a problem with black fondant, but I use The Mat, so maybe that helps me.  Maybe you could try that?

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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 11:01am
post #3 of 15

Ive tried the double mat system but it doesnt look smooth when it finally gets on the cake 

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JustVcakes Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 11:39am
post #4 of 15

The Sweet wise one?  Did you do it correctly?  Do you know why it wouldn't go on smoothly?  What was the issue? How did you prepare the mat before placing on the cake?

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JustVcakes Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 11:41am
post #5 of 15

I used them the for the first time last week.  It took me a while to get it, but I managed.  My icing had so much powdered sugar, that in it's original state (before color) there was a lot of air bubbles from basic piping.  Once I colored them, or added a little water to my piped original buttercream white, it went on beautifully.  The trick is to pipe up!  Not like a dollop on a cupcake, but first, almost make a tiny dollop base when first piping and just do one smooth somewhat fast motion upwards.  That helps with the piping details.  If you pipe the entire flower like a dollop, you just get a blob.

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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 11:42am
post #6 of 15

No just 2 flimsy wilton ones and i put powder sugar down but i just it was so humid it obsorbed it all so it had like a weird texture from the mat like little air pockets but alot and it looked greasy 

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JustVcakes Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 11:56am
post #7 of 15

Humidity definitely affects fondant since it's sugar based.  Powdered sugar wouldn't help.  When rolling out fondant (I've never used the Wilton mat) in general, use pure corn starch.  It will not stick as much as powdered sugar.  For the sweet wise mat, I lightly grease it with shortening (about a teaspoon or half a tablespoon for both mats total), place the fondant on the mat, lightly dust with powdered sugar (just a pinch), if it's very humid, us corn starch instead.  Rub that into the fondant which will be on the top of the cake.  Place the top mat and press the fondant down with your hand.  Roll the fondant from the middle out (more like push). That should work.  this helps me with air bubbles.


Your issues though may be it's just way too humid, which is the devil for fondant.  Remember it's hard to color fondant black.  That's a lot of color they put in.  Humidity will affect it more than a white or cream color fondant.

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costumeczar Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 12:06pm
post #8 of 15

Try a different brand of fondant. If you're in a very humid environment it might help to use something like Fondarific, which has candy clay in it, or Fondx, which has so many gums in it it sets up pretty quickly. Also, don't add powdered sugar to it, since sugar is hygroscopic and attracts moisture to itself. Use corn starch, which will dry it out without attracting more moisture.

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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 12:42pm
post #9 of 15

Thank you guys so much for the advice will be trying them both out on the next black cake i might have to do.

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ropalma Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 4:55pm
post #10 of 15

Here is what I do for black, red and any dark color that I need for fondant

Ingredients used:
10oz Generic Mini Marshmallows
Approximately 1 1/2 lbs C&H Powdered Sugar, Sifted
4oz (approx 1/2 Cup) melted  candy melts[postimage id="3433" thumb="900"]
1/3 tsp black gel color
1 Tbs Water
Here are the step by step

1) Melt the candy melts
2) Melt the marshmallows separately

Add the melted candy melts into the melted marshmallows

Add any additional coloring to achieve the color you want

Stir it all together, and now you are ready to continue with adding the Powder Sugar and finishing off the fondant



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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 4:59pm
post #11 of 15

The candy melts have to be black or can i use white ones?

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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 5:03pm
post #12 of 15

It looked this before i gundged it[postimage id="3434" thumb="900"]

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ropalma Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 5:08pm
post #13 of 15

If you want black fondant you need to use black candy melts.  If you want red fondant you use red candy melts and so on.  If you use the so called white candy melts in reality the fondant will turn ivory because the white candy melts are really not white. 

You got the color right but the amount of gel color that you had to use changes the texture of the fondant.  I had to make navy blue and it was a mess.  There are no navy blue candy melts where I shop so I had to use a lot of gel color and then knead a lot of cornstarch to make the fondant have a texture I could roll out and not stick to the mat.

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tita23 Posted 31 Mar 2016 , 5:12pm
post #14 of 15

Thank you this fondant was wiltons premade black 

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krye1025 Posted 2 Apr 2016 , 2:33pm
post #15 of 15

For years I used Satin Ice colored fondants. It is easier to buy  a color like red, royal blue for making navy, purple and black. I have found these colors are harder to make and keep the fondant a good texture. There is a website Globalsugararts.com that sells that and other brands. The smallest amount is a 2lb tub which is around $8ish. I never had an issue with that brand :)

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