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Today’s question: “I hear that you can’t refrigerate fondant. Is that true?”
Oh those urban caking legends! I wish this myth would deflate like a poorly made soufflé. There are many horror stories about refrigeration causing a fondant-covered cake to sweat profusely or its décor to run.
Are they made up?
Nope.
These things do happen and they can ruin hours of effort. But there are very science-y reasons that fondant-covered cakes react this way, and if you understand a few basics about fondant, humidity and brand/recipe variation, you’ll be better equipped to manage that dreaded sweating.
Fondant is sugar. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means it LOVES to pull in moisture any way it can. Humidity in the air is the biggest problem when it comes to refrigerating fondant-covered cakes. Think of a bottle of cold water on a warm, humid day: Within seconds of pulling it out of the fridge it becomes frosty on the outside, which quickly turns to dew drops and dripping beads of water. Now imagine that on your cake.
No matter your climate, the best first step to being able to refrigerate your fondant cake is choosing the right fondant. There are many brands out there, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. There are brands designed specifically for humid climates and others that perform well in more moderate or dry climates. Of course you can always make your own (might I suggest CakeMade instructor Liz Marek’s LMF recipe?) to suit your needs and climate.
How do you choose? You’ll need to try them out. After you’ve discovered the best fondant for your climate and working conditions, consider storing your cake in a heavy-duty, corrugated cardboard box. The type you would use for shipping or moving are perfect. Placing your finished cake in a box can make all the difference in keeping your cake dry and happy in refrigeration.
Choose a box that’s close to the dimensions of your cake. Seal every seam, edge and corner with packaging tape. Use a couple of rolls of tape under the cake board to keep it from moving around in the box during transport. Once you have sealed the cake safely inside, fully decorated, you can refrigerate it until delivery. (An added bonus to the box trick: the weight of a heavier cake is evenly dispersed across the bottom surface of the box, making it much easier to lift and carry.) There is still the likelihood that there will be some shiny fondant depending on the weather conditions and how the cake is handled immediately before being presented.
It’s the nature of cakes and sometimes, no matter how well prepared you are, it happens. This method will, however, give you the best chance of warding off excess moisture.
Got a question for the CakeLady? Just post it in the comments section.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
