What is Fondant?
Fondant is a smooth, pliable sugar-based icing used in cake decorating. It gives cakes that perfectly smooth, polished finish you see on wedding cakes and celebration cakes — and it's much more versatile than most people realise. It can be rolled out and draped over cakes, shaped into figures and flowers, cut into decorations, and coloured in virtually any shade imaginable.
Not sure how much fondant you'll need for your cake? Use our fondant coverage chart — it covers every standard cake size so you buy exactly the right amount.
The Different Types of Fondant
Rolled Fondant (the most common type)
This is what most people mean when they say "fondant." It's a smooth, dough-like icing that you knead, roll out with a rolling pin, and drape over a cake. Colour Mill Decorators Dough is a popular choice — it handles beautifully, holds colour well, and is available in pre-coloured options so you can skip the colouring step entirely.
Poured Fondant
A liquid fondant made by melting fondant or sugar syrup to a pourable consistency. Used for glazing petit fours, eclairs, and filled chocolates — not for covering cakes. A different product entirely to rolled fondant.
Fondant Icing (ready-to-use)
Pre-made rolled fondant that comes ready to use straight from the packet — no kneading needed. Great for beginners and anyone short on time. Available in white (which you can colour yourself) or a range of pre-coloured options.
How to Cover a Cake with Fondant
- Crumb coat first. Apply a thin layer of buttercream or ganache to your cake and refrigerate until firm. This gives the fondant something to stick to and hides any crumbs.
- Knead the fondant until it's soft and pliable — about 2–3 minutes. If it's stiff, microwave for 5–10 seconds.
- Roll it out on a lightly dusted surface (use cornflour or icing sugar) to about 4–5mm thickness. Roll it larger than you need — you want enough to cover the sides with some overhang.
- Drape it over the cake using a rolling pin or your hands. Smooth from the top down, working out any air bubbles with a cake smoother.
- Trim the excess at the base with a sharp knife.
Need to know exactly how much fondant to buy before you start? Our fondant coverage chart has every common cake size covered — from 4 inch rounds to large square tiers.
How to Colour Fondant
White fondant takes colour beautifully — and getting the shade right is all about using the right type of colouring.
Gel food colouring is the best option for fondant. It's highly concentrated, so a tiny amount goes a long way, and it won't add excess moisture that makes fondant sticky. Our Chefmaster Liqua-Gel range and Vivid Gel Colours are both excellent choices.
Oil-based colouring like Colour Mill Oil Based Colours also works brilliantly with fondant — particularly when you want very deep, rich shades like navy, black, or deep red.
To colour fondant: Add a small dot of gel colour to the fondant and knead until the colour is fully incorporated and even. Add more colour gradually to deepen the shade. Wear gloves — gel colour stains hands.
For deep colours (black, red, navy): colour the fondant the day before use and allow it to rest. The colour deepens significantly overnight.
Browse our full range of petal dusts and powder colours for additional finishing effects — ideal for brushing onto shaped fondant decorations for a natural, shaded look.
Tips for Working with Fondant
Keep it covered. Fondant dries out quickly when exposed to air. Keep unused portions wrapped tightly in cling film, and work as efficiently as you can once it's rolled out.
Don't refrigerate a fondant-covered cake. Condensation forms on the fondant when it comes out of the fridge, causing it to become sticky and discoloured. Store fondant-covered cakes at room temperature in a cake box.
Speaking of cake boxes — protect your finished creation with one of our cake presentation boxes. A properly sized box keeps the fondant surface scratch-free during transport or storage.
Fix cracks with a little shortening. If the fondant cracks while you're smoothing it, rub a tiny amount of vegetable shortening over the crack and smooth gently. It works surprisingly well.
Dust decorations with lustre for a professional finish. Once your fondant figures or cut-outs are dry, brush with lustre dust or petal dust for a shimmery, professional-looking result. No special skills needed — just a soft brush.
Common Fondant Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
Fondant is tearing when you drape it: It was rolled too thin, or it dried out slightly. Knead in a little shortening and re-roll slightly thicker.
Air bubbles under the fondant: Pierce the bubble with a clean pin at a 45-degree angle and smooth it out gently with a cake smoother.
Fondant is sticking to the bench: You haven't used enough dusting powder. Lift the fondant frequently as you roll and add more cornflour or icing sugar underneath.
Colour is blotchy or streaky: The gel colouring wasn't fully kneaded in. Keep kneading until the colour is completely even throughout.
Fondant is too stiff to work with: Knead it for longer, or microwave for 5–10 seconds to soften it up. Adding a tiny amount of shortening also helps.
Decorating Beyond the Basics
Once you're comfortable covering a cake with fondant, the decorating options are wide open. Cut shapes using edible cake toppers for quick, beautiful results — or use edible flowers for an elegant, natural-looking finish that requires no fondant modelling skills at all.
For cupcakes, sprinkles and edible pearls pressed into a small fondant disc make a simple but stunning topper. Our cupcake toppers collection has plenty of ready-to-use options too — from birthday themes to character designs.
Shop Fondant and Cake Decorating Supplies at Baking Pleasures
Ready to give fondant a go? At Baking Pleasures, we stock a range of fondants including the popular Colour Mill Decorators Dough, along with everything else you need — gel food colours, petal and lustre dusts, smoothers, and more. Shop online with Australia-wide shipping, or visit us in store at Tweed Heads NSW.
New to cake decorating? Ask about our in-store Basics of Buttercream Cupcake Decorating Classes — a hands-on, beginner-friendly class where you'll learn to decorate, take home your creations, and leave with real skills and confidence.