Spring Cake

One of the things that I like so much about making cakes is I feel like I am creating some sort of work of art. I have NEVER EVER been an artistic person. I had to take drawing in 7th grade and it was a painful experience. We once had to draw an animal, that animal morphing into some sort of tool, and then the tool. Seriously? Why? I ask you why?

So, you can imagine that when I work on cakes, I can get a little touchy with people telling me how to decorate them. I think most people don't understand that I put hours into these things, so someone telling me to just leave off part of a decoration irks me. So please, unless you specifically ordered flowers with no leaves, just trust me that most flowers have them and the whole cake will look better with them.

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Marshmallow Fondant

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16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds powdered sugar

1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

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Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put 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. (By the way, this recipe is also good for your hands. When I’m done, they are baby soft.)
Start kneading like you would bread dough.

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 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.