...in making fondant icing rather than royal icing for the Christmas cake

[LadyMontdore]

IME and O bought fondant icing is vile, is homemade any better? I would be ashamed to produce a cake with fondant icing of that sort! Voluntered to make MIL a Christmas cake as none of them actually like it and she normally buys one and ices it [sceptical].

I have made a 'proper' one and normally do proper royal icing but now wondering if there's any point as the fondant icing recipe looks super easy and v quick!

Thought welcome.

Home-made (and in fact, some brands of bought - just not the supermarket ones) fondant can be lovely and marshmallowy.

No-one in our household actually eats icing (of any variety) anyway, and the chickens seem to like bought fondant, so it doesn't really matter round here

Yabu, in my opinion, but I love royal icing. No experience of home-made fondant icing though, can you make some and try it out first before putting it on the cake?

The recipe I have seen involves icing sugar, egg white and liquid glucose kneeded into a ball. Does that sound marshmallowy?

Good idea to make and try - I never think of the obvious solutions!

Neither do I normally, I was quite pleased with myself

Yes, massively unreasonable.

Christmas. Will be. Ruined.

Not one person will be able to tell the difference.

Unless you're having Delia over?

Don't know if YABU or not, but DH has a real thing about fondant icing. He despises it, but I like it for ease of use.

OP, when you use Royal icing do you make it smooth or into peaks like snow? The reason I ask is I've always found it really difficult to get it really smooth.

IMO fondant icing is always horrible, ready made especially so. But then royal icing tastes of nothing and I always pick it off, so it doesn't get eaten either way!

Definately snow peaks!

Hmm, I think this is confirming that IABU. AIBU to use fondant anyway!

Royal icing keeps the cake better for longer and last better itself so that may be a consideration (doesn't really apply here in this household of gannets!)

I always use royal icing as it is easier to decorate further.

Except I meant fondant

Fondant is no easier than royal though surely, and if you've never done it before, it's more complicated surely?

I think royal icing is easier than fondant as you have to make it,roll it out and try to lay it smoothly over the cake which is a bit of a faff. I'd make the royal chuck it on and shape it into snow peaks, throw on a ribbon and a few decorations- easy!

Fondant icing is different to marshmallow fondant which has melted marshmallow in and is yummy!! But it can crack and dry if it's left ages. So depends when ur making cake and how long it will be in eaten!

I made fondant icing for DD's birthday cake and flavoured it with strawberry flavour and it was yum and easy to work with in my (very limited) experience :)

Royal icing is much nicer

Can you link the fondant recipe?

Do it as you like, that's the beauty of making your own.

Had a word with DM who has talked some sense into me - it's going to be royal icing as normal. Looking forward to the dcs putting the decorations on!

Ready made and ready rolled is the way to go!

We did Christmas cakes in O level Domestic Science (Food) at school. Royal icing is easy. You get it smooth with heat - just need to warm a palette knife in hot water. Let it dry to pipe decoration. Alternatively, just rough ice with peaks. Don't forget the glycerin to stop it setting rock hard. Some things just stay with you (who needs quickgel when you can make an arrowroot glaze!) Royal icing is not difficult at all.

I usually do bought fondant with marzipan underneath but I quite fancy trying Royal. Is it difficult? And do I still have to put the marzipan under it??

Yep, you should ideally put marzipan under the royal icing.

If I can do royal (with peaks) anyone can. You have to use the marzipan or the cake spoils the icing, and also it is the best bit including the cake!

Have you tried the "royal icing sugar" (on the shelf next to the icing sugar and fondant icing sugar)? Saves a lot of faffing with eggwhites and suchlike.