How Much Fondant Do You Need To Cover Your Cakes?

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Do you find yourself guessing how much fondant to use when covering your cakes or cake boards? Whether you never quite have enough, end up with so much leftover, or maybe this is your first time covering a cake in fondant, getting the amount right can be tricky. That’s why I’ve created a helpful guide! No matter the size or height of your round cakes, you’ll always know the perfect amount of fondant to use.

How much fondant do you need for your cakes?

I know that covering a cake in fondant can be daunting (I promise you it does get easier with a little bit of practice) and one of the hardest things before you even start is knowing how much fondant you need to use for the size of cake you’ve made. You don’t want to use too little that the fondant doesn’t reach the bottom and you end up tearing the top edge as you try to stretch it, but on the flip side you also don’t want to be left with so much excess you could cover another 3 cakes.

I really wanted to create a guide that would work for any size round cake, no matter the height or width, giving you just the right amount of fondant. In this weeks video below I explain how to use the perfect amount of fondant. DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE PDF FONDANT CHART HERE

Disclaimer:

Please note that these guides are specifically designed for round cakes and are intended as a helpful reference. The calculations are based on covering cakes with a fondant thickness of 4mm and a cake board of 3mm. While I’ve accounted for variations in the weight of different fondant brands, there may still be slight differences.

If you find that the fondant you use requires a slightly different amount, I’d love to hear your feedback so I can refine and improve these guides for everyone!

Does the Type of Fondant You Use Matter?

If you’re wondering, “What exactly is fondant?”, fondant, also known as sugar paste, icing, or covering paste (The name varies depending on where you are in the world) but it refers to the pliable paste you can roll out to cover your cakes.

covering a cake in fondant

Fondant comes in many varieties, made by different brands, each with their own characteristics. You can buy it pre-coloured, purchase it in white and colour it yourself with food gels, or even make your own from scratch. Some fondants are stretchy and have more elasticity, requiring more kneading to become workable, while others are softer straight out of the packet but may be prone to tearing more easily.

Ultimately, the type of fondant you choose doesn’t matter as much as finding one you enjoy working with and that you like the taste of. It’s all about personal preference and what helps you achieve the best results for your cakes!

The ‘All in One’ or the ‘Panelling’ method

You know you want to cover your cake in fondant but there is an important decision you need to ask yourself first; which method are you going to use? I have created 2 separate guides based on the ‘All in one’ method and the ‘panelling’ method. Each method does use a slightly different amount of fondant due to the way you cover the cake.

The classic ‘All in One’ method involves rolling out a single piece of fondant and draping it over the top of your cake, smoothing out the pleats. This is the more traditional approach and often what comes to mind when you think of fondant-covered cakes.

The ‘Panelling’ method, on the other hand, involves covering the top of your cake first with a piece of fondant, then wrapping a separate piece around the outside. While this method tends to leave less excess fondant, it’s all about choosing the method you prefer.

How much fondant do you need to cover your cakes?

Both guides are laid out in a table, with the diameter of your cake down the left hand side and the height along the top (see below). The measurements are all in inches and the weight of your fondant is in grams. The cake sizes with a height of ‘0’ gives you the amount of fondant you would need for a cake board. This is based on a thickness of 3mm. The rest of the weights are based on a thickness of 4mm.

Firstly select the diameter of your cake. In the video I had a 5 inch cake that measured 5 inches in height. If I go across at 5 inches and stop at 5 inches in height I get 707g on the all in one method sheet and 468g on the panelling method sheet.

The all in one method

If you are using the all in one method you need to roll your fondant into as close a circle as you can with a diameter large enough to drape over your entire cake. If you have a 5 x 5 inch cake this will need to be 15 inches. Once draped over you can smooth out the fondant and trim off the excess.

how much fondant do you need for your cakes guide - all in one method

You might find with fondants that tear more easily, you end up with a little more excess than very stretchy fondants, as fondants with more elasticity tend to stretch less when smoothing onto your cakes.

The Panelling Method

With the panelling method, roll out part of your fondant to cover the top of your cake, adding any excess fondant you trim off back into the fondant you have left. This can then be rolled into a long strip to wrap around your cake.

how much fondant do you need for your cakes guide - panelling method

How I Calculated the Amount of Fondant You’ll Need

Now that you have the guides, you might be wondering how I figured out the exact amounts of fondant required. Let me explain…

The first step was ensuring I rolled my fondant to a consistent thickness. Personally, I like to roll my fondant to 4mm when covering cakes, as it provides great coverage and allows you to achieve those sharp edges around the top. For cake boards, I go slightly thinner at 3mm. While experience helps you gauge the thickness by feel, I wanted to be precise for these calculations, so I used rubber thickness guides on my rolling pin to ensure accuracy.

Next, I determined the average weight of a 1 inch square piece of fondant rolled to these thicknesses. I found that different fondant brands can vary slightly in weight, I tested multiple brands and used an average weight to make the guide as accurate as possible.

how much fondant do you need for your cakes calculations

I then looked at how you cover a cake. For the ‘All in One’ method, you need to roll your fondant into a circle large enough to cover the entire cake, top, and sides in one go. For the ‘Panelling’ method, you’ll need enough fondant to cover the top and a strip to wrap around the sides. I calculated the surface area for both methods and added a small allowance for excess.

This excess fondant is essential -it’s nearly impossible to roll a perfect circle or strip, and having a bit of extra fondant ensures you can neatly trim and finish your cake or cake board with a professional look.

I really hope these guides make your cake decorating process smoother and help you feel more confident the next time you need to cover a round cake in fondant. Whether you’re a hobby baker or a professional, having the right amount of fondant can make all the difference!

If you know other bakers who might find these guides helpful, please don’t hesitate to share them. And don’t forget to follow me over on the Cakes by Lynz YouTube channel, where I share more tips, tricks for working with fondant. Happy decorating!

Thank you for reading!

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Hi, I’m Lynsey and welcome to Cakes by Lynz. I LOVE everything cake! Here you will find all my latest cake decorating video tutorials from my YouTube channel, reviews and general cake ramblings!

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