Easy Marshmallow Fondant

       Marshmallow Fondant is super easy to make, and it tastes better than regular fondant. All you need for one batch is a bag of marshmallows (about 40), a bag of powdered sugar, water, and a microwave.
       First, prepare a counter top for the fondant. Clean and disinfect the counter really well, and let it dry. Then pour out about 4-5 cups of powdered sugar right onto the counter, and make a well out of it. This is so that you can pour the melted marshmallows onto it so that the marshmallow doesn't get on the counter. Get out a medium-sized glass bowl, and empty the whole bag of marshmallows in it. The bowl will need to be big enough for all of them with enough room left for stirring. Add about 2 Tbsp of water to the marshmallows and mix it around a bit. Them microwave it for 30 seconds on high, stir it, and keep microwaving it in 30-second increments until the marshmallows are melted and smooth. If you are going to add any color or flavorings to the fondant, this is the stage you'll want to add them. But keep in mind that when you add the powdered sugar the color will lighten a bit. After all your color and flavoring is mixed really well, get your hands all good and greased up with butter or Crisco. Then spoon out the marshmallow mixture into the well you prepared ahead of time, immediately starting to fold in the powdered sugar, the whole time keeping the marshmallow mixture from "escaping" and getting on the counter. But be careful not to mix in the powdered sugar all at once, or else the fondant will get all dry and crumbly. Add it gradually, so that the fondant stays smooth.
       Keep on kneading and folding in the powdered sugar until the fondant is no longer elastic-y and pinches off easily but isn't too dry. Then you can set your ball of fondant aside and clean up your counter top. Once it is dry, grease a spot on the counter really well and knead the fondant on that spot. If the fondant gets too elastic-y, you may want to knead in some more powdered sugar. Once the fondant is the right texture, and the grease has made it nice and smooth, grease the whole counter so you can roll it out.
       Make sure when you roll it out that you don't roll it too thin, or else it will break when you try to transfer it. Once it is the right size, lift up the edges and make sure there are no parts of the fondant sticking to counter. Then you can carefully, with flat hands, transfer the fondant onto your cake (it may take two people, depending on how big the piece is). If the fondant breaks or rips, you can just roll it back out and try again.
       Once it is on the cake, you will smooth out the top first, conforming it to the shape of the cake. Then smooth it down the sides, all the way to the base of the cake. Fondant is a little bit stretchy, so if you have wrinkles, just carefully and gently flatten them out. After the fondant is smoothed evenly over the cake, trim the excess off the bottom, leaving a few millimeters or so to tuck under the cake so you can't see the cake underneath. You will always want to put a very smooth crumb coat on the cake before adding the fondant, because fondant will show every bump and shape underneath it.

How to Make Store-Bought Cake Mixes Taste Like the Real Thing!

       Boxed cake mixes often have a certain taste to them that screams "store-bought," and, when you're a cook who has a reputation to live up to, you don't want everyone to think that all your cakes are merely store-bought cake mixes. So I looked around online for a way to make store-bought cake mix taste like it's homemade, and it really works. I end up eating about twice as much when I make it this way because it's so good (which makes it hard for those of us trying to prevent belly pooches!)
       First, look on the box, and add one more egg than it calls for. Then use milk instead of water. Take the amount of oil on the package, and use melted butter instead, but double the amount the box says.
       Follow the directions on baking, but make sure you don't over-bake the cake! Keeping the cake moist is one of the major keys to a great cake, and over-baking it will dry it out.
       Now, if you are the type of person who actually has the time to make cake from scratch, then keep on doing that! I absolutely love homemade cake but because I make cakes so often, I try to cut down on time and so I use boxed cake mixes. But since I found these little tweaks, my cakes have made a great improvement. Now you can use store-bought mixes and no one will be able to tell the difference!