I want to make a Christmas cake with white fondant frosting

[hedgehog]

It's a British/Irish tradition. The cakes look something like this:



I know what I want for the cake - I make a pound cake but add hazel nuts, dried cherries and Irish mist and soak the finished cake in Irish Mist. What I need is a recipe for a smooth frosting that doesn't use gelatin (my daughter is vegetarian) or corn syrup (my personal bete noir) or else a supplier who sells a fondant made without gelatin, corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oil.

[grasswire]

1. did you check the internet?

I see several recipes for vegan fondant. Here's one:
................

I am taking this from the Wilton class. My instructor is pretty rockin' since she's totally not phased by the fact that I use vegan substitutes. She thought my first try at fondant was pretty darn good. A little too dry (it was cracking), but it was because I tried to add all the sugar that was suggested in the recipe. She said she always uses 6 cups, not 8. Another point: even though it totally tastes nasty, the Wilton premade fondant is vegan. I used it for the decorations on this particular cake. The weird thing is, making rolled fondant was kind of like making bread.

Here's the recipe I used:

Rolled Fondant from Wilton site
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (I used agar agar flakes)
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup Glucose (There is a glucose mixture that Wilton sells, but you can use light corn syrup, you'll just get a softer fondant)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon Glycerin
8 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (about 2 lbs.) -- 8 cups is a lot, plan on using more like 6. The 8 really makes it stiff and dry/cracked.
Icing color and flavoring, as desired

Combine agar flakes and cold water; let stand until thick. Place mixture on stove and boil 5 minutes, or until dissolved. Remove from stove add glucose and shortening, and mix until shortening dissolves. Add glycerin, flavoring and color. Cool until lukewarm (should happen pretty quickly). Next, place 4 cups confectioner's sugar in a bowl and make a well. Pour the lukewarm agar mixture into the well and stir with a wooden spoon, mixing in sugar and adding more, a little at a time, until stickiness disappears. Knead in remaining sugar. Knead until the fondant is smooth, pliable and does not stick to your hands. If fondant is too soft, add more sugar; if too stiff, add water (a drop at a time). Use fondant immediately or store in airtight container in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate or freeze. When ready to use, knead again until soft.

This recipe makes approx. 36 oz., enough to cover a 10 x 4 in. high cake.

http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=25848

[hippywife]

2. Glucose and corn syrup

are essentially the same thing, I believe. Especially with the use of corn in production of all types of sweeteners now.

[Warpy]

3. Corn syrup is high in fructose

Table/confectioner's sugar is a complex sugar composed of glucose and fructose.

I'd just use the corn syrup. You're only going to eat this stuff once a year, right?

[hedgehog]

4. I guess that somehow I'm convinced that somewhere out there is a recipe that predates

corn syrup and gelatin. On the other hand, it probably involves a deft hand at candy making that i don't have. Every time i try heating sugar, I end up with a crystal laden mess.

[Warpy]

5. Google is your friend

and "old time fondant recipe" turned this up: http://www.homemade-dessert-recipes.com/fondant-recipes.html

You'll have to learn how to handle that boiled sugar, though.

[hedgehog]

6. Thanks - I tried Google but all I found were the modern recipes.

You wouldn't have a suggestion for a replacement frosting, would you?

[Warpy]

7. Are you talking about decorating gel frosting?

There is no veggie substitute. Everything uses egg whites and gelatin.

[hedgehog]

8. What I'm looking for is a smooth frosting that will last a few days on a cake.

Since it is Christmas and the house is cool, I may just go with a last minute buttercream.

[Warpy]

9. You can get perfectly acceptable soy margarines

in health food stores for the buttercream.

Dealing with strict vegans is a thrill a minute. BTDT.

[hedgehog]

10. She's not strict about dairy, but she won't eat anything with gelatin.

[hippywife]

11. Many people

don't have the concept on the gelatin thing because they don't know how it's derived. My other half has always refused to eat it even though he is an omnivore.

[Shakespeare]

12. Just FYI, the corn syrup you get in the grocery aisle is NOT the same as HFCS.

Two totally different animals.

If you're avoiding corn syrup period, that's one thing, but I wanted to make sure you were aware that Karo is not the same as the HFCS used in so many food products these days (and you may already know this--just trying to be helpful). :hi:

[hedgehog]

13. I just have a thing against corn syrup. When I'm using real better,

eggs from my own hens and Irish Mist to make the cake, corn syrup seems a little out of place. Maybe I'll play around with Lyle's Golden Syrup.


On edit - better yet - HONEY!

[ginnyinWI]

14. this one only has 2 T. corn syrup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-Pour-Fondant-Icing/Detail.aspx

Corn syrup isn't the same as high-fructose corn syrup, so in my opinion not as bad for you. The other ingredients are powdered sugar, water and almond extract.