How to frost a professional looking cake with pourable faux fondant icing in minutes– with store bought icing! Get a smooth cake frosting finish for birthday cakes, wedding shower and baby shower cakes and more!
Ever want a delicious, beautiful cake but don’t have a ton of time to make it? Take a bunch of Cake Decorating Classes, but don’t love the amount of effort you have to put in to make a beautiful cake?
Or read about pourable fondant or how to smooth icing to look like fondant- but you just don’t have the time to pull it off before a big event?
It’s time to learn How to frost a professional looking cake with pourable faux fondant in minutes!
I have the most awesome trick in the world for you- you can get a smooth cake that looks like poured fondant in minutes.
And the best part? You will be using store bought icing, so you can do it in any flavor in just minutes! It is easy to color, flavor, add sprinkles, or any other decorations.
This is the perfect way to get a professional looking finish for birthday cakes, baby shower cakes, cake pops, brownie pops, shaped cakes, petit fours and even wedding cakes!
Pourable Faux Fondant Icing
To do this trick, you’ll need:
-A cake, cupcake, bundt cake, or cake pop
-A can of store bought icing (2 if a particularly large cake- more than 1 box worth), I use Pillsbury Creamy Supreme because it has a great flavor and sets well
-A microwave
-Cooling rack
-thin, flexible cutting mat
-sprinkles or other decorations, optional
First off, set your cool cake on a cookie rack over a flexible cutting board. This will help catch leftover icing that you can scoop up and re-use if needed.
Next, microwave your frosting for two 15 second bursts- it should be completely melted but not hot.
Let it sit for a minute or two to cool a bit (you want it still liquid- just no warmth).
Then, in a circular motion, pour over your cake. Once you have used about 1/4 the can of icing and it looks pretty covered, let it sit and firm up for about 10 minutes.
Microwave the icing again, for 15 seconds.
Repeat the icing step to get a thicker, more even layer.
Repeat once more if needed after cool.
Once cake has set, slide it off cooling rack and onto clean cake plate.
If there are any large lumps or mistakes in the frosting, you can smooth them out after the icing is set by dipping your fingers in water and softly rubbing them out. Don’t have a ton of water on your fingers- but you want them to be slippery so they don’t stick. You can radically smooth out lumps and lines this way!
Decorate with sprinkles, fondant shapes, etc. Enjoy!!
I’ve made a short video showing the process I use (detailed video coming soon!). Check it out here, and be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel for more easy recipes and ideas!
For a slightly tweaked version to get picture perfect faux fondant poured icing cupcakes everytime, please check out this post:
And for a pourable home-made icing, please visit this new post:
A couple of tips and tricks if you run into problems: -if your cake looks lumpy, take a knife or offset spatula and gently smooth the icing.
Then add a thin layer of icing that is slightly warm over the cake -if your icing runs like crazy, it is too warm. let it set up for a minute. -if all else fails, sprinkle that bad boy up.
Sprinkles are instant beauty for cakes and kids love sprinkles!
Wait a couple of minutes before adding sprinkles or decorations.
Update: I used Cherrybrook Kitchen’s gluten free Chocolate Cake Mix and Pillsbury Creamy Supreme frosting for the people who asked.
Again, if you run into lumps or areas you don’t love, you can go back over it with your fingers lightly when still very wet or after it has set with wet fingers.
This just makes the icing spreadable, like a petit four. For a perfect result you will have to be sure your cake is level and not super lumpy just like any other cake you decorate. Love this idea? Sign up for daily emails from Sweet C’s Designs!
And be sure to follow me on pinterest where I am always finding something fun!
This is a great idea for petit fours or cupcakes, but it doesnt look good or professional on bigger cakes because first of all the cake should be very flat on all sides and you have to cover the cake 4 to 5 times or even more depending on how covered you want your cake to look, so for me the title is very misleading. The cake in the picture doesnt look professional. On the contrary. The beauty of real fondant is that you always can use some tools to flatten the fondant but with this faux fondant you cant. Any way, I think is also a good idea if you just need a cake decorated for your kid-last-minute birthday party with no guesses.
Guesses? U mean guests?
I think if you put a regular thin coat of icing on cake stick in fridge then pour this over you would get better results trying today
I would really use a better picture, the cake does not look well decorated. This leads me to reason that my cake would look like this cake if I used this ‘easy’ frosting method. I would not like my cake to look like the cake pictured here.
Really??? That’s all u have to say? I think it’s a great idea.
I can’t wait to try this on petit fours! Has anyone tried coloring the icing? I would love to dye the icing but I don’t know if it will harden or make lumps.
Should be fine. I’ve colored frosting using Wilton’a food coloring gels, did not affect frosting texture or taste at all.
Great idea! Those can be tough to glaze evenly, and impossible to frost. I’ll try it out, too!
What a great easy solution! Do you think this would work well with a cake made in a cake mold? Would the details come out OK? Plan on using this for the base, then piping on outlines of the details
Brenda- yes! It is PERFECT for that!
Can you use whipped store made frosting?
Thank you!! I’m terrible at decorating cakes, always something goes wrong, but this was the easiest, best idea to date!!! Can’t wait to do another one!
Ohmygosh that’s so awesome thank you!!!!!!
This is a great idea! I have a buttercream recipe that I love — do you think I could warm it and pour it like you have done here? I am looking for a smooth finish for Lego blocks (but I don’t want fondant).
Abby- you can try, but it often doesn’t turn out and becomes a greasy blobby mess. Butter isn’t as stable as whatever chemical is in the store bought stuff, and I havent been able to get an even result with it. I do have a recipe for a homemade pourable icing that is more of the consistency of a glaze for petit fours.
Hi Courtney,
I have a similar question as one of the people interested in using homemade buttercream. I live in Denmark and I have never seen store bought frosting here…*(perhaps a good thing?) Anyway, this is a brilliant idea, can I have that homemade pourable frosting recipe of yours? The link in one of your previous comments didn’t open. I really would love to have your fantastic trick in my repertoire. 🙂 Thanks!!
No, you a host try to just warm a traditional buttercream frosting. The butter will become oily, causing the icing to break and separate.
This looks amazing! I’m going to make a cake for Easter desert this weekend. I’m curious if this method will prevent the icing from melting if it’s left on the counter (versus being kept in the fridge)
Beth- it just depends on the temperature outside. If its really hot, it might droop a bit. If it’s not in direct sun and around 70 degrees it should be just fine!
Hi Courtney, just letting you know that I will be featuring your frosting at Best of the Weekend tomorrow night at 8pm!
I’ve got to try this! This cake is so pretty! Thanks for linking up with Best of the Weekend!
pinned and also shared on Seasonal and Holiday Recipe Exchange
I need an easy way to frost a cake! I’m terrible at it! ha I’ll give this a try!
I totally need to try this! And I love “sprinkle that bad boy up”–lol! Sprinkles make everything better, and cover all sorts of issues. 😉 I’d love to have you link your tutorial up to our Party Time Link party, if you have a chance! http://tikkido.com/blog/link-party-36
My ckaes never turn our that nice…I will have to give this a try for sure!! Thank you so much for linking up and sharing with OMHG WW!
Please come and share with us again next week! xx Ashleigh @SimplyWright
Co-Host, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wordless Wednesday Link Up
WOW this looks super easy and the cake look awesome! Gonna have to give this a try next time I frost a cake! Thanks for the tip! Have a lovely week!
What a fun and easy way! Thank you for sharing at Snickerdoodle. I will have to give this a try. 🙂
This is genius! Can’t wait to try! I’ll have to pin it, so I don’t forget.
You have no idea how happy I am to catch this blog psot— a baker I am not at times and I am alsways looking for an easier route. Thank you for being a part of #PureBlogLove this last Thursday. Be sure to join us this Thursday night @8 pm on http://www.themccallumsshamrockpatch.com!
Besos
Heidy
This is incredible! You have changed my life. Now I have to go make a cake!!
Oh my…great tutorial! Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for being part of our party. I hope to see you on tonight at 7. Lou Lou Girls
This is beyond brilliant! I can’t ever seem to spread the icing and have my cake look nice!
Best idea EVER! Thanks for linking up at Found & Foraged!
Wow what a great idea!!! And the cake looks absolutely fabulous! Love all the colorful sprinkles too, so fun!
I’m sorry but I’ve seen this pinned too many times to not say this. The cake looks terrible..
Huh!!! This person must think ALL THOSE OTHER PINNERS are wrong and they are right! Why even bother with the “I’m sorry but…”?
I’m sorry this person was so ill mannered … thank you for what you do and for sharing your thoughts and ideas!
I just followed one of those pins because this is a GREAT IDEA!
Haha, thanks Greta! Different strokes for different folks, its not everyone’s style. Didn’t upset me 🙂
If I have a cake that has a cut side to eat will this method still work? Should I do a crumb layer first?
If only you could do this with fancy flavored frostings. ie, buttercream, Swiss meringue. Nothing against store bought, just love the flavor of home made, but hate the work ????
I get you totally. I haven’t found a homemade consistency that works well for this apart from my slightly more royal icing recipe linked here. I have been expiramentimg with some other ingredients to get a smooth pourable finish so far to no avail. So when I want rich, buttery icing that’s homemade I aim for a “messy cake” with icing looking perfectly imperfect. But this is my go-to for kids parties because mine seem to never notice!
Great Idea!! …if you wish to poison your children…GOD!! how can you use this frosting for kids parties!!?!?
You can post whatever you like, it’s you blog..but i am sad to see how many moms are going to do this for their kids parties!!
Being a bit melodramatic, I think. This isn’t healthy frosting, but it’s not “poisoning children” to use it on occasion for a birthday party here and there.
Great method. Can’t wait to try it!
I wonder if it is possible to use this technique for “3D” cakes that need to be iced on the underside as well. Have you tried this at all? I don’t think I’m prepared to dive into the world of fondant.
Kerry- it is! You can see how I used this in these 3d dia de los muertos cakes: http://sweetcsdesigns.com/dia-de-los-muertos-mini-confetti-cakes/
Thank you!! I’m doing a fairly larger 3D cake – should i do the pouring method to get the bottom side and then repeat for the top? Thank you so much, I’m excited to try this method for my dad’s birthday
Thanks for the idea! I tried this, and it’s not perfect, but it’s a whole lot better than they way I usually mangle a cake when I frost it! 🙂
Storebought icing is just a MONSTROUS TRAGEDY that no human should put to their lips…I am sad to read this. : (
Some people like it. I personally prefer buttercream, but there are times where it is easiest. I’ve also included alternatives that don’t use store bought frosting.
I’ve been doing this method for many yrs. Store bought is fine for dozens of cupcakes for a child’s party BTW 🙂 I just don’t like that if it’s over heated..it is too runny..but it is easy to dip the cupcake in and be done! It is useful.
I’m shocked at the snobby rude replies in this thread! Boo to all the Purist Cake Nazis!!!
Yeah, that was kinda a disaster….oh well it tastes good. Pintrosity.
What went wrong, Mandy? Sometimes it takes a bit of practice. And lots of layers… it all kind of depends on the cake’s crumbs.
Your Tip Me Tuesday link is incredible this week! In fact, my readers would love to bookmark it in their craft rooms. Did you know that if you upload this blog post into your Tip Junkie craft room using at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL then Tip Junkie readers can favorite it which instantly bookmarks it so they can find it later. {Whoohoo!} ~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie}
http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/how-to-add-a-craft-room-project-on-tip-junkie/
Awesome idea!!! If I am making a dummy cake using styrofoam layers (instead of real cake) and I use the same technique for the frosting, will this work?
Oh, brooke- it will. But I would recommend using a styrofoam filler first, or it might look lumpy. The brand I’ve used is Smooth Finish- works like a charm! Once that has dried this will work beautifully… but id prep with this first, for sure.
Brooke, this will not work. You will need some plastic bottles and macaroni pasta. This is the only way that Styrofoam will hold. You’re welcome.
Could I use the melted frosting like royal icing on sugar cookies? How does it set because I like the smoothness of royal icing, but I don’t want it to be rock hard.
It sets to be super soft. I think you could, but you’ll need to find the right consistency. That is an awesome idea for a post! I may have to try it out. My only thought is that it might run all over the place. So there would be a bit more of a learning curve.
Ok, thanks for replying! I think I might just have to try it and see if it works. What I want to do is make Conversation Heart sugar cookies and I wanted to tint the frosting and melt it down and put it in a squeeze bottle and decorate the cookies like I would with royal icing. I’m hoping it will set at least a little so I could stack them.
LauriM – why wouldn’t you just use royal icing instead?
Maybe because it is more expensive to make? I think this method is good for making several cupcakes for kids..it fast and easy and those cans of frosting are cheap in the Dollar Stores or Big Lots 🙂 For quests or important parties..ya, I’d use the REAL stuff 🙂
And you figure all that out just by your itty bitty self?
I was wondering if you could use this method and then still spritz it with water when set to put on an edible cake image?
If you cooled it in the fridge or preferably the freezer it should be hard enough, but I would make sure it is VERY well set and you’re gentile. I haven’t done it before but should try!
Gross – Pillsbury canned frostings (ALL of them) contain a high amount of trans fats.
They do. I very rarely use them, but I know a lot of people like the convenience.- I also have a recipe for homemade pourable icing with natural ingredients. You can find it above!
Have you ever tried to color the icing? I need red for a spiderman cake…Thanks!!!
Maura, this will be perfect! Its actually easier to mix the coloring in after microwaved. It will be great!
Probably too late to help Maura. But in my past experience trying to color icing red, you have to use A LOT, so it will make it quite runny. This was using regular food coloring though. I’m sure if you buy dye made for frosting it would work better.
I f you add coccoa powder along with the red coloring you will get a deeper red!!
Great idea ! I never thought of that….
Try an already pink dyed frosting like strawberry. That way, you don’t have to use a lot of coloring. Gel colors work best so it doesn’t get too runny. If you were to start from white and use a LOT of red coloring, it might end up tasting bitter so be careful and make sure you taste it.
I can’t wait to do this with my sons birthday cake this weekend. Genius!
I know Maura has looooong since made her cake, but I wanted to say that, when making red frosting, it works really well to start with chocolate frosting and use paste food coloring instead of the liquid that comes in those tiny bottles at the grocery store. I know it sounds weird, but it really works! You can get paste food coloring anywhere they sell cake decorating supplies (Walmart, etc). Hope this helps!
What an awesome idea. I must try this next time I use a store bought frosting!
I am making a Lego cake. I thought it would be a simple thing to make large Legos. I did not want to use fondant. After a failed (curdled) buttercream, I found your faux fondant. First, I tried the homemade version. It was good, but still messy and took more time than I wanted to spend. I went to the store, in a disguise, and bought the frosting you recommend. I put it into a bowl and colored it before I microwaved it. It made my job and my life so much easier. I made red, blue, green and orange Legos, different sizes, but the smallest is 2″ X 3″. I used mini-Oreos and marshmallows (cut into the appropriate size) for the little pegs. It was still a messy job, and I’ll never do it again, but the blocks are in the refrigerator now and they look a little less professional than I’d like, but at this point (I started at 10 a.m. and it’s now 6:41p.m.), they look fine. They will look a lot better when they are placed on a frosted cake with Lego figures and a toy the 4-year old’s parents bought for the cake topper. For the rest of the cake (2 112″ by 24″ layers – one chocolate and one vanilla), I have used a homemade buttercream. You’re tip kept me from pulling my hair out!!!! It was wonderful. Thank you!!! Gloria
Hi thx for sharing, great idea, I have a question will it melt if not refrigerated.? I am making a pregnant belly for a shower and it will be out for a few hours, will it melt or it will stay fine if done the night before or the morning of? Thx again
Eli,
I’d refrigerate it to set it before the party, but it can sit out just fine like a regular cake. However if its really hot any icing that isn’t fondant could melt off. Keep it inside and in the shade as much as you can and it should be fine!
Can you color the store bought frosting first and have the same results? Thanks!
yep sure to check the consistency. If you add a lot of liquid food coloring, it could make it too runny, so you’ll want to microwave it a little less.
Gonna try this on Ethan’s 2nd Birthday Dump Truck Cake this weekend….fingers crossed!!
Awesome tip! I am pinnig 🙂
Thanks Desiree! Its a great way to frost in a hurry!
Ingenious! Just in time for a baby shower I’m hosting. Thank you so much!!
I am a cake decorator and have been for some time now. I noticed the bottom tier of the cake is up right. For a cleaner edge you need to level the top of the larger cake and place it upside down just like the top tier is shown. Great quick and easy way to cover a cake if your in a pinch. 🙂
Great Tip !!! I’ve been trying to figure out the best way.
( SMILING ) First of all ~~the kindness I feel when reading your website and answers to others .. well may I say, what comes to mind is the sweetness you must put into all you do , I just want to tell you THANK YOU .. Then to share your AWESOME idea .. I was wondering does it look (in person )like a faux-fondant style> I have tired the damp paper towel to get the same look .Which the Lady who did this made it so easy and looked great. I am sure it was may be me ??, But I didnt do so well !! HA HA .. But, I am so happy for yet another AWESOME idea to get the look faux-fondant style >. Thank you so much … Have yourself a merry little kinda day >>
I assume this can also work for cupcakes?
I just tried this with cupcakes and everyone loved them! I’m so doing this from now on. Thanks! 🙂
Oh my gosh…Love this idea/tip!!
I would never have thought of doing this.
Love the way it looks and it’s cool that it’s quick and easy!
I’m pinning this one!
That looks amazing and so good!!!! I actually have thought of that but figured it wouldn’t be good for the frosting and would be a fail on my part. Great to know it does, and looks awesome!
How many days ahead can I make this? If it isn’t covered in the fridge how many days will it stay fresh?
I wouldn’t make it more than 2 days ahead of time- the frosting will stay fine, but cake dries out pretty quickly. The night before would be the best.
Ahh, loving this and totally pinning! Can’t wait to try it!!
Beth @ The First Year Blog
Once the frosting is dried can I make impressions in it? I have to make a castle cake and I am supposed to use a frosting that I can press a brick template into it. Will this frosting do that?
For sure! It stays put and is smooth, but still pretty soft.
I had trouble getting the sides coated but the top is perfect. Any suggestions on the sides
Beth- I just keep rotating the cake and drizzle it down the sides to coat them.
Used this tutorial for my son’s birthday cake. It was ASTONISHINGLY easy. THANK YOU!!!
How could you do this with cake pops? I have the most difficult time getting cake pops to look good with chocolate or almond bark
chelsea, I will be showing my cake pop method this week! Stay tuned!! 🙂
It is just as easy and turns out great- but there are some handy tips!
AWESOME! I can’t wait to trythis for my daughter’s birthday in a month!!
I would bet you could use this on cookies also. Have you tried?
i tried this on cookies a few years ago and it worked perfectly
Now THAT is good to know!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Try putting the cake in the fridge and chill it down a bit before you pour the frosting. It will make the frosting set up a bit faster and thicker. Don’t freeze it, but cool it down to below room temp.
This is AMAZING!!! I’m responsible for making all of the desserts for my sister in law’s wedding, including the cake. Eek!! I’m really nervous about it since it’ll be my first time attempting such a large cake. I think this will make my life MUCH easier! I’m going to try it this week with homemade frosting made with shortening. I’ll let you know how it melts!
Kathryn, I am not sure how it will melt with homemade frosting (part of me thinks its all the stuff in the canned frostings that keeps it from separating) but let me know!
How did this work with the homemade frosting? I am thinking of trying it.
Thanks!!
It works ok. It takes more time, you have to do a few more layers- but it works. The store bought icing works better- but I realize its not on everyone’s priority list because of the ingredients. The home made version is a good substitute- it just requires a little more work and patience. The method on that one is more important.
I hate the fake taste of store bought frosting. Have you ever tried it with homemade frosting?
Hey Jenn- I haven’t yet. You could do this with a thick royal frosting instead of buttercream- like a petit four- but buttercream would probably just get oily and possibly clumpy.
In my teaching years, a big ol 17 year old, who probably tilted out at 250 lbs, told me that his favorite thing from childhood was that his Mom let them decorate their own birthday cakes. After that, I would make and frost a simple cake, provide some toppers, etc., and let my kids go for it.
Great idea, but I would suggest removing the frosting from the original plastic container into a microwave safe container before heating in the microwave.
Thanks for the tip.
So after you put icing on and let it sit,, if there is any extra icing on the plate surrounding the cake is there a trick to get it off so you have a clean plate around the cake?
That is why I ice it on a cooling rack… the icing drips down below the cake. Then you can slide the cake off the rack and onto a clean cake plate!
Please show the cake from the front so we can see what it actually looks like when frosted this way. Thanks!
Added a side shot!
I LOVE this idea! Frosting is my nemesis. Thank you for the inspiration!
I tried this with the two different-sized layers like you show at the top. I had LOTS of frosting pool in the corner between the two layers. When I tried to “fix” it I just made it look worse. Any suggestions?
I’d try warming the icing a tad more so it runs off more.
How about trying to lift the rack a little in a circular motion to gently encourage the frosting to continue its journey. 🙂
Kathy- you sure could!
Maybe you could frost the two layers separately, then put it together.
You certainly could. You;d just want to be careful when adding the top cake on. Store bought frosting sets beautifully, but it wont harden unless you get it really cold, so it could smudge when moving. But I am NOT a cake decorating pro (hence the need for this method) so others might be better at that than I!
Great idea… I will definitely try it…
I love this idea! Brilliant!
Wow I never would have thought of that! What a great idea – Now I have to go bake a cake!! It looks really pretty too 🙂
GORGEOUS!! Now I’m really hungry for cake. Can’t wait to try this for my daughter’s birthday cake. This is good timing — her party is this weekend!
Very cool! Never would have crossed my mind!
Do you mean” once you have used 1/4 of the frosting” instead of 1/4 of the cake? Or am I wrong? Thanks for this idea anyway, I always have problems to have a pretty frosting.
Ahh! Yes, that was a big typo. Fixed now 😉