40th birthday cake!

My dad's big 40th birthday was this past july! I was inspired by Kristen's 1st birthday cake! I loved making this cake! It turned out so cool! I used fondant, for both the main part and the polkadots. When I mixed in the food coloring, I didn't entirely mix it in all the way so that it would have a tie-dye effect. The fondant recipe is below... SO easy! Be patient while making it though. When you first start to kneed it all together, it is VERY sticky and is a huge mess. It took me about 15 minutes before it was just barely starting to look a thing like fondant like you see on "Cake Boss" or "Ace of Cakes"!

(I got all of this from this website)

Ingredients:

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Directions:


NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total.

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.

Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. If you have children in the room they will either laugh at you or look at you with a questioning expression. You might even hear a muttered, “What are you doing?”




Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.

It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. This fondant stores for up to 2 weeks.

**Please note, this is not my recipe, click the link right above the recipe for the original copy if you would like**
 

you have to remember this was my first somewhat succesful attempt at making fondant, so yes, there are some cracks and dents in the cake! haha, next time it will look better :)