Coloring fondant black can be tricky and sometimes an absolute nightmare. But, my method helps make the perfect homemade black fondant recipe every single time. It's an easy, fool-proof method whether you make black chocolate fondant or black vanilla fondant.
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Have you ever tried coloring black fondant at home? It can be so frustrating sometimes especially if you are making black from white fondant as a base.
- Worst is you keep adding black gel food color but all you have is this moss green fondant that's nowhere close to black.
- Another problem with coloring black fondant is the end result is usually so soft because of all that gel food color. You can barely roll it. Draping the cake is difficult.
The solution for black fondant
I find that no matter how much fondant I have at home. The best way to make black fondant is to make it from scratch. Yup! Its always black not grey not moss green. It's not soft but pliable and easy to use.
That does not mean you can't color a small batch of your regular fondant black. It can be done and here's are a few tips on how to color homemade fondant.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Gelatin - The Gelatin in the recipe is not an option so do not omit or substitute with anything else. I believe you can use agar-agar but I have not tested it out yet so..... if you do please do leave a comment and let us know the result so we can be as bold as you.
- Light Corn Syrup - If you can find LCS you may look for glucose. Glucose is almost similar to light corn syrup but with a thicker consistency so I'd say -
use ¾ cup glucose + ¼ cup water and mix well. This will make the 1 cup of the right consistency you need. - Creamer - I prefer to use nondairy creamer to extend the shelf life of the black fondant. If you plan to use the fondant immediately you can use the fresh whipped cream as well. The sugar content is so high it works as a preservative.
Non Dairy / Parve - Black fondant recipes
This can be made non-dairy very easily by simply replacing the creamer with water and butter with veg shortening.
Step by step instructions
Combine wet ingredients
- In a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler - add creamer and gelatin - let bloom for 2 minutes.
- Melt in the microwave at 50% power at 30-sec intervals until completely dissolved (no grains left).
- While still warm and working quickly - add in.
- Butter/veg shortening, light corn syrup, glycerin, vanilla - stir well.
- The mixture should still be in a liquid state not set!! If necessary place in the microwave for 10-secs.
- Lastly, add in the gel food colors.
Dry ingredients - vanilla black fondant
- Place powdered sugar in a bigger bowl.
- Make a hollow in the center, and
- Pour in the wet ingredients.
- Bring it all together with a wooden spoon first.
- Then transfer onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar, and
- Knead until smooth and pliable.
- Avoid adding too much, powdered sugar or the rested fondant later will be stiff and less elastic.
Dry ingredients - chocolate black fondant
- Place one cup of powdered sugar in a bigger bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
- Make a hollow in the center and,
- Pour in the wet ingredients - stir well
- Add the 2 tablespoon of hot water - stir well.
- Now start adding more powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Bring it all together with a wooden spoon first.
- Then transfer onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar and,
- Knead until smooth and pliable.
- Avoid adding too much, powdered sugar or the rested fondant later will be stiff and less elastic.
Wrap and rest
- Divide fondant dough into two discs.
- Place in a ziplock bag and a sealed container to prevent drying out.
- Let rest in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight on the counter.
Knead and check color
- Color gels will deepen over time.
- Knead the fondant until smooth and pliable.
- Check for color - at this point, you should have a dark black fondant.
- If necessary - add a drop or two more of black color gels.
Storing
- Black fondant is always a necessity on hand so make extra.
- You can store this fondant at room temperature in a cool dark place for three months.
- This can be frozen for over 6 months if sealed well.
- Ensure to always wrap fondant well to prevent drying out.
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Printable Recipe
Perfect Homemade Black Fondant Vanilla or Chocolate
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 498kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 1 Kg
Description
Coloring fondant black can be trick and even a nightmare sometimes. But my method will help you make perfect homemade black fondant recipe every single time. It's an easy and full proof method whether you use my recipe Black Chocolate Fondant or Black Vanilla Fondant recipe.
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Black chocolate fondant
- ½ cup (120 ml) Non-dairy creamer
- 3 tablespoon (45 g) Gelatin
- 1 tablespoon Glycerin
- 1 cup (250 ml) Light corn syrup
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Butter / veg shortening
- 5 cups (600 g) Powdered sugar / confectioners sugar
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar / confectioners sugar (for kneading)
- 1 cup (85 g) Cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 teaspoon Coffee extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Water
- 1 teaspoon Black food color gel (or more as needed)
Black vanilla fondant
- ½ cup (0.5 cups) Non-dairy creamer
- 3 tablespoon Gelatin
- 1 tablespoon Glycerin
- 1 cup (1.00 cups) Light corn syrup
- ¼ cup (0.25 cups) Butter / veg shortening
- 6 cups (720 g) Powdered sugar / confectioners sugar
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar / confectioners sugar (for kneading)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon Black food color gel
- 2 drops Dark yellow food color
- 2 drops Green food color
- 2 drops Red food color
- 1 drop Moss green food color
Instructions
Wet ingredients
- In a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler - add creamer and gelatin - let bloom for 2 minutes.
- Melt in the microwave at 50% power at 30-sec intervals until completely dissolved (no grains left).
- While still warm and working quickly - add in.
- Butter/veg shortening, light corn syrup, glycerin, vanilla - stir well.
- The mixture should still be in a liquid state not set!! If necessary place in the microwave for 10-secs.
- Lastly, add in the food color gels.
Dry ingredients - vanilla black fondant
- Place powdered sugar in a bigger bowl.
- Make a hollow in the center, and
- Pour in the wet ingredients.
- Bring it all together with a wooden spoon first.
- Then transfer onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar, and
- Knead until smooth and pliable.
- Avoid adding too much, powdered sugar or the rested fondant later will be stiff and less elastic.
Dry ingredients - chocolate black fondant
- Place one cup of powdered sugar in a bigger bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
- Make a hollow in the center, and
- Pour in the wet ingredients - combine well
- Add the 2 tablespoon of hot water - stir well.
- Now start adding more powdered sugar one cup at a time
- Bring it all together with a wooden spoon first.
- Then transfer onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar, and
- Knead until smooth and pliable.
- Avoid adding too much of powdered sugar or the rested fondant later will be stiff and less elastic.
Wrap and rest
- Divide fondant dough into two discs.
- Place in a ziplock bag and a sealed container to prevent drying out.
- Let rest in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight on the counter.
Knead and check color
- Gel colors will deepen over time.
- Knead the fondant until smooth and pliable.
- Check for color - at this point, you should have a dark black fondant.
- If necessary - add a drop or two more of black color gel.
Recipe Notes & Tips
Tips for making this black fondant
- Measure your ingredients correctly. Using measuring cups and spoons or a weighing scale where necessary.
- Ensure your powdered sugar is fresh out of a sealed bag without lumps or sift the powdered sugar - lump will leave white dots in the fondant.
- You want liquid ingredients to be warm, barely warm. But, not hot. Hot liquid ingredients mean the sugar will melt. So you will need more than mentioned in the recipes.
- Humidity and climate play a huge role in fondant. So, the amount of powdered sugar mentioned in the recipe is a guide. You may need a little more or a little less.
- However, once you've used up all the sugar mentioned in the recipes instead of adding too much-powdered sugar. You can make the fondant mass and place it in a ziplock bag. Let it cool in the fridge for a few hours (4 to 6 hours) this will help the gelatin set.
- Once cooled let it come back to room temperature - then knead and add powdered sugar as necessary. Chances are you will need much less this time.
- The disadvantage of adding too much of powdered sugar is that the rested fondant becomes hard and difficult to roll. The gelatin then will give you less elasticity.
- When possible always make black fondant a few days or even weeks ahead. Gel colors deepen over time. That way you will have a nice deep black color.
Tips for using black fondant
- You can cover a buttercream or ganache cake with fondant.
- Always knead fondant to a smooth pliable consistency before you roll out - This will prevent drying out.
- Avoid using powdered sugar to roll fondant. In good weather use veg shortening on your work surface to roll fondant.
- Alternatively, use powdered sugar then dust off any excess from the cake.
- You can use a wet paper towel to wipe cornstarch from the black fondant cake - just wipe then let dry.
Storing
- Black fondant is always a necessity on hand so make extra.
- You can store this fondant at room temperature in a cool dark place for three months.
- This can be frozen for over 6 months if sealed well.
- Ensure to always wrap fondant well to prevent drying out.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 498- kcalCarbohydrates: 114- gProtein: 4- gFat: 6- gSaturated Fat: 3- gCholesterol: 11- mgSodium: 127- mgPotassium: 99- mgFiber: 2- gSugar: 109- gVitamin A: 125- IUCalcium: 13- mgIron: 1- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Joanne
Hi. I’m not sure what you mean by non dairy creamer. Are you talking about the powdered stuff (in Canada we call it Coffee Mate?) Or do you mean the liquid stuff in the dairy section, usually the health food area?
Thanks
Veena Azmanov
yes Joanne. It's the liquid stuff that looks like whipping cream but it non-dairy. Alternatively, you can also use water. With water, you will need a little more powdered sugar.
Marion
Hi Veena, what brand of colours do you use
Veena Azmanov
Hey Marion. I use Magic Colours or Americolor. Thanks
Marion
Thanks Veena 🙂