Fondant is a multipurpose cake decorating element that’s fun to work with.
You can coat your baked goods with it or form it into adorable decorations that will surely elevate your cake’s appearance.
However, fondant is an ingredient easily affected by temperature fluctuations, humidity, and too much air exposure.
It quickly gets dry if left sitting out for too long. Saving it is impossible once it turns dry and crumbly, so you’ll have to open a new batch.
Thankfully, we’re here to show you how to store fondant. We’ll also share helpful tips on how to make it pliable and fresh even after storage!
How to Store Fondant in 8 Easy Steps
Are you preparing your fondant in advance or planning to store the leftovers? Here are the steps to properly store your fondant:
1 – Allow Fondant to Dry and Cool
If you made fondant from scratch, it’s best to leave it to cool for a few hours prior to storage. You can use a fan to promote air circulation, making your fondant cool fast.
Make sure that it’s completely dry and non-sticky before wrapping it up.
2 – Roll Your Fondant Into a Ball
This step is optional, as you can still store your fondant even if it’s irregularly shaped. However, rolling your fondant into a ball allows you to spot cracks or crusts easily after taking it out from storage.
You can also add a thin coat of vegetable shortening to your fondant ball to decrease the chances of crusting upon storage.
3 – Wrap Your Fondant
Air is fondant’s natural enemy; it’s best to wrap your fondant immediately in preparation for storage.
Wrapping your fondant safeguards it from humidity and air, so it remains pliable even after days to weeks of storage. Plus, wrapping it in cling film helps protect it from contaminants like dust.
To wrap your fondant, tightly cover it with plastic or cling wrap. Ensure the plastic film is clean, has no holes, and free from moisture.
Wrap your fondant repeatedly until it’s fully covered.
4 – Put Wrapped Fondant in a Resealable Bag or Airtight Container
After wrapping your fondant, put it in a zip lock bag or airtight container. When storing in a zip lock bag, ensure the bag’s free from air, so squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing it tightly.
You can also add a clean packet of food-grade desiccant silica to help limit moisture.
5 – Store Fondant at Room Temperature
You have the option to store your fondant in the cupboard or anywhere clean and dry.
Make sure to keep your fondant somewhere far from direct sunlight and heat. Sunlight exposure can dull colored fondants or cause them to bleed. On the other hand, heat melts or softens your fondant.
How Long Can Fondant Sit Out
Leaving your fondant in the open air for a long time is not recommended. Too much air exposure causes your fondant to dry and crumble.
That said, you can leave your fondant uncovered for two hours or less without drying.
Note that fondant is also sensitive to humidity levels and temperature fluctuations. Given that fact, working with fondant in a cool and dry environment is best.
Meanwhile, if you’re not going to use your fondant right away, it’s best to coat it with vegetable shortening and put it in a resealable bag.
You can also put it in a glass container and cover it with cling film. Both methods are good for short-term storage of up to 24 hours.
Does Fondant Need to Be Refrigerated?
Refrigerating your fondant for long-term storage may cause irreversible damage, rendering your fondant useless.
Since fondant is made with powdered sugar, it easily reacts to humidity and moisture.
The humid environment inside the fridge causes your fondant to sweat and soften. When your fondant becomes too soft and sticky due to moisture, it’s impossible to work it with your cakes and baked goods.
Thus, sealing it properly and keeping it at room temperature is still the most preferred method for long-term storage.
Storing your fondant at room temperature preserves its consistency. As a result, it remains soft and pliable even after weeks to months of storage.
How Long Does Fondant Last
If appropriately stored at room temperature, fondant can last for a few days up to two months.
Note that the secret to making your fondant last is ideal storage conditions; packed in airtight containers, away from sunlight, moisture, and heat.
How to Store Fondant Decorations
Like regular fondant, fondant decorations can last two months or less if stored properly. Here’s how:
1 – Coat Fondant Decorations With Shortening
Rub a thin layer of vegetable shortening to fondant decorations to help limit the chances of drying out. You can also use butter.
2 – Wrap Decorations Individually
With plastic or cling film, wrap your decorations per piece. Make sure to wrap the decorations gently but tightly, leaving no space for air and moisture.
Wrapping decorations individually instead of putting them in an airtight container altogether is preferred because not doing so can dry them out quickly.
Moreover, individually wrapping the decorations prevents them from sticking together.
3 – Put the Decorations in an Airtight Container or Resealable Bag
Using an airtight glass container to store your fondant decorations is preferred.
When arranging fondant decorations in a glass container, avoid overfilling or stacking them. Doing so may cause your fondant decorations to deform.
On the other hand, squeeze out the air from the resealable plastic bag before putting your fondant decorations in. Avoid overstuffing.
4 – Store Fondant Decorations in a Cool and Dry Place
Don’t store your fondant decorations in the fridge. Instead, you can store it in your pantry, cupboard, or anywhere clean, dry, and away from direct sunlight.
How to Store a Fondant Cake Overnight
There are two ways to store your cake overnight: store it in the fridge or leave it on a countertop.
However, there are limitations and precautions to observe when storing your fondant cake. Let’s find out!
Storing Fondant Cake in the Fridge:
If your fondant cake contains perishable filling or ingredients like cream cheese, storing it in the fridge would be best.
At the same time, keeping your fondant cake in the fridge is best in an area with a hot or humid atmosphere.
We’ve already mentioned how storing in the fridge makes your fondant sweaty long-term, but putting your fondant cake in the fridge for overnight storage can be feasible. Follow these tips:
Wrap Your Cake in Cling Wrap and Box It Properly
Use a box that has enough room for the cake. You can use a corrugated cake box, a traditional cake box, or one with a plastic window. The trick is sealing the box properly.
Additionally, use plastic tape to seal the openings of the box. This will prevent humidity from seeping in.
Wrap Your Cake in Plastic Wrap or Cling Film
Covering your boxed cake with cling film adds additional protection from moisture inside the fridge. You can repeatedly cover the box with cling film until it’s airtight.
Storing Fondant Cake at Room Temperature:
Your fondant cake may last up to three days at room temperature, given that humidity levels are low. Ideally, the right temperature for storing your fondant cake is at least 70°F.
Here’s how to store your cake on the countertop or at room temperature:
- Wrap your cake in cling wrap
- Put the cake inside a corrugated cake box or cake carrier
- Leave the cake on the countertop, away from heat, direct light, and water
On the other hand, you can also store your cake in an air-conditioned room if you’re living in a humid or hot area.
How Long in Advance Can I Make a Fondant Cake
You can make your fondant cake up to two days in advance, as it is viable for up to three days at room temperature.
It’s also best if your cake is free from perishable filling or ingredients like fresh fruits, cream cheese, or whipped cream.
Final Thoughts
Storing your fondant at room temperature can make it last from a few days up to months; the secret is to store and seal it properly. You need to keep it away from sunlight, heat, and water too.
To store fondant, you need to wrap it with cling film first. Wrap the fondant repeatedly until it’s properly covered.
You also have the option to apply a thin layer of vegetable shortening before wrapping to prevent your fondant from drying out quickly.
After wrapping your fondant, store it in a resealable bag or airtight container, and place it at room temperature. You can put a packet of food-grade silica desiccant to limit moisture.
At the same time, avoid storing your fondant in the fridge because the humidity will make it sweaty and sticky.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.