Last winter, my sister came to visit and to meet her new niece (my daughter Ada)- who was, at the time, about two months old and just as adorable as she is now.  Somehow, on this visit, it became apparent that my sister and I had simultaneously yet independently developed an intense love of baking since the last time we’d seen each other.  She had recently scored a cupcake decorating set and had made some beautiful cakes.

We decided to undertake a couple of baking projects that neither of us would have dared to try on our own.  Together, with my husband and her boyfriend (now fiance!  woot woot!)  tending to the baby into the wee hours of the night, we designed, baked and decorated a cake using a recipe for homemade marshmallow fondant.

Now, we try to keep up this tradition of baking fancy schmancy cakes whenever we’re together (hence our most recent birthday cake for Ada).  As promised last week, here is the marshmallow fondant recipe we use.

Here’s what you need:

Shortening, for greasing up your hands and your stand mixer

15 oz. miniature marshmallows

2 tbsp. water

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. light corn syrup

1 tsp. clear vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. salt

7-8 cups icing sugar

Here’s what you do:

Use the shortening to grease your stand mixer bowl and dough hook, a couple of spatulas, and a microwave-safe bowl.

Throw your marshmallows and the water in the microwave-safe bowl and heat in thirty second intervals, stirring as necessary, until the mixture becomes liquid.  Then add in the lemon juice, corn syrup, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt.

Pour about six cups of icing sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer and create a well in the middle.  Pour in the marshmallow mixture and begin to mix on low speed with your dough hook, until the sugar is mostly incorporated.  When the mixture begins to get sticky, add another cup of icing sugar and keep mixing.

You may or may not need the last cup of icing sugar, depending on the consistency of your fondant.  It should be tacky but shouldn’t stick to your fingers.  It’s a little like play-dough, and it should be nice and smooth.

*if your stand mixer is having a rough time with the fondant, remove the fondant from the mixer and finish kneading by hand.  Be sure to coat your hands in shortening to make it easier to work the fondant.

Form the fondant into a smooth ball and wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and then store in an air-tight container.  You should let the fondant rest 2-3 hours before using it.

To add colour to your fondant, simply knead in the desired amount of gel food colouring.  Remember to coat your hands in shortening to facilitate this process.

Enjoy!

This recipe comes courtesy of Annie’s Eats which is one of my favourite food blogs.