Do You Find It Cheaper To Make Fondant?

Decorating By kellertur Updated 3 Feb 2010 , 6:58pm by jardot22

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kellertur Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 1:31am
post #1 of 31

I prefer making fresh fondant, but I find in my case, it's more expensive to make homemade fondant... maybe because of ingredients. I was wondering if this is the case for most bakers.

Thank you...

30 replies
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Elise87 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:24am
post #2 of 31

Alot of people say it is cheaper to make homemade but for me personally it is more expensive to make 1kg of homemade MMF compared to 1kg store bought.

That is only because i can't just buy a packet of just white marshmallows so have to buy a packet of pink and white thus need to buy double what i need cose half the packet is pink that need to be taken out.

If i just had white marshmallows then it would probably be equal price or a tiny bit cheaper..........it all comes down to what stuff costs in different places and what homemade fondant recipe you use i guess

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mamawrobin Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:34am
post #3 of 31

For me it is alot cheaper to make my own. I always use MFF.

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AngelaM Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:35am
post #4 of 31

I can make 4.5 lbs of MFF for about 20% of what it costs me for a 5 lb tub of Satin Ice.

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Sassy74 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:40am
post #5 of 31

A good bit cheaper, money-wise. But, I can't really factor in the time it takes to shop for the ingredients (as opposed to ordering online), make the fondant, and let it sit and "cure." It might just wash out...

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maidofcake Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:40am
post #6 of 31

I make my own using the recipe from The Cake Bible (I never had luck with MFF), and it costs me $3.50 in ingredients alone to make 2.5 lbs of fondant. And really, the hardest part about making my own is weighing all the ingredients.

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Texas_Rose Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:42am
post #7 of 31

It costs me $3.50 to make 3lbs of MMF.

Have you tried buying glycerin at the health food store? And shopping around for gelatin, if those are your most expensive ingredients? At the health food store here you can get 16 oz food grade glycerin for $8 which is about half what the tiny Wilton bottles cost by ounce.

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mommyle Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:48am
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It costs me about $10 to make 5 pounds of MFF (even using PURE clear vanilla from Mexico instead of cream or milk), whereas buying 5 pounds just cost me $40.

Elise, what exactly are the costs of your ingredients???? Is there somewhere else for you to buy your ingredients???

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Elise87 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:48am
post #9 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas_Rose

It costs me $3.50 to make 3lbs of MMF.




icon_eek.gif

It costs me $9 to make 1.1kg (2.5lb) of MMF!
I can buy a fondant from the store for $7.90 for the same amount!

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cakeandpartygirl Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:48am
post #10 of 31

for me it's less expensive. I make MFF plus the ingredients I try to have on hand at all times.

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Elise87 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 3:02am
post #11 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by mommyle

Is there somewhere else for you to buy your ingredients???




Well the price of $9 of ingredients per 2.5lb of fondant is based on buying local ingredients i can get from the supermarkets with the better quality ingredients. I tried making it with cheaper marshmallows once but it ended up like a stretchy elastic ball that wouldn't roll out as it keep snapping back into it's ball shape...weird icon_eek.gif so therefore i decided to buy the tiny bit more expensive marshmallows and just pick out the pink ones in the packet lol

I could go around looking for just white marshmallows for cheaper but it would be a hassel and i really don't trust them after the other experience, but the ones i use at the moment are vanilla flavoured and yum and really great to work with so i end up having to pay that bit more to get a decent MMF

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CristyInMiami Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 6:57am
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To me "TIME IS MONEY". So in the end it wasn't worth it.

It would take me a while to mix the fondant and then a longer time having to clean everything that had sticky MMF on it.

I have been buying SI for a while and am now in love with it. It was not love at first. I guess I was use to my MMF.

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milissasmom Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 7:39am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CristyInMiami

To me "TIME IS MONEY". So in the end it wasn't worth it.

It would take me a while to mix the fondant and then a longer time having to clean everything that had sticky MMF on it.

I have been buying SI for a while and am now in love with it. It was not love at first. I guess I was use to my MMF.




I totally agree Cristy! Especially when it comes to coloring it. With SI, I don't have to worry about the coloring factor and that, for me, is a HUGE deal. Time is money. I do from time to time make Michele Foster's fondant in a pinch when I run out of white and it works just fine but I am a 100% Satin Ice fan. Once you get used to working with it, it's just easy. But it does take some time to fall in love with it. Working with the darker colors can be a bit of a challenge at first but all in all, it's the best for me personally.

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pattycakesnj Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 11:47am
post #14 of 31

It cost me $7 to make 4 1/2 lbs of MFF, way cheaper to make my own, it is quick and easy and I can custom color it any way I want. I make batches of it in my down time, it keeps for awhile.

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Loucinda Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 1:26pm
post #15 of 31

I agree with pattycakes.....I make it in just a few minutes (maybe 15 min.??) No time at all - and it costs me $3. to make 3 lb. No where near the price of pre-made (and I use that as a selling point, it is NOT already made, I make it fresh for your cake!!) thumbs_up.gif

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Renaejrk Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 1:57pm
post #16 of 31

I guess it all comes down to how much the ingredients cost each person. It is WAY cheaper for me to make MFF than it is to buy fondant, and it doesn't take hardly any time - I don't have to look at Michele's recipe anymore, I have it memorized now! She gave it to me about 6 years ago and have been using it ever since lol!

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LuvLyrics Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:17pm
post #17 of 31

OMG their so much to learn about fondant for us newbies !!! LOL Would anyone mind sharing their MMF recepi? I would like to try and make it.

Thanks

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mabryant0212 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:28pm
post #18 of 31

It is much cheaper to make your own I use MMF and by my glycerin from CVS it cost $3.99 for 6oz (if you are buying wiltons...... it is way more per oz. I have tried many other recipes and had no luck... I just did my first fully fondant cake and it was a HUGE sucess with MMF(Michelle Fosters recipe). I also love that I can control what the flavor taste like... I use those little luanne flavors just a few drops and BAM... HUge flavor!!!

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CookieMeister Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:33pm
post #19 of 31

Good lord, what recipes are y'all using???

It costs me less than $3 in ingredients to make 3.5 pounds of MMF using T's marshmallow fondant and I love it! It is sooo easy to make too - my dough hook in the KA does almost all the kneading - I barely knead it for more than a minute or two by hand before it's good to go. And it tastes so yummy too.

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aggiechef Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:47pm
post #20 of 31

I just recently discovered T's MMF recipe and I love it. It costs me around $3 in ingredients as well, which is WAY cheaper than buying Satin Ice or Chocopan. I love that my KA does the work for me because I'm not a fan of kneading sticky fondant.

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Win Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:53pm
post #21 of 31

I think sometimes it comes down to whether you are a hobbyist or a professional producing one cake on a semi-regular basis (hobbyist) or multiple cakes a week (pro). I am a hobbyist and buying fondant is expensive. I cannot get the larger tubs around my neck of the woods so they have to be ordered. Factor in postage and icon_eek.gif wow, this becomes an expensive hobby! I make quality fondant for very little money and can, therefore, maintain my creativity while being cost conscience. I realize for professional bakers, the Economics term, "Opportunity Cost" comes into play for them. It is a time saver to open a tub of premade fondant vs. the time it takes to make it in quantity. Time is money when they are factoring the total cost of their cakes.

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cakesrock Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 2:53pm
post #22 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by mommyle

It costs me about $10 to make 5 pounds of MFF (even using PURE clear vanilla from Mexico instead of cream or milk), whereas buying 5 pounds just cost me $40.

Elise, what exactly are the costs of your ingredients???? Is there somewhere else for you to buy your ingredients???




Same here.. costs about 1/4 of the price to make it. But I just use water, marshmallows and icing sugar in my MMF. And that's using the highest quality ingredients. I often will buy red Satin Ice if I'm feeling lazy. Although Satin Ice is tasty, I still prefer MMF!

Your ingredients must be insanely expensive!

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momg9 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 3:48pm
post #23 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by maidofcake

I make my own using the recipe from The Cake Bible (I never had luck with MFF), and it costs me $3.50 in ingredients alone to make 2.5 lbs of fondant. And really, the hardest part about making my own is weighing all the ingredients.




I also use the Cake Bible recipe, but I don't weigh anything. I use a 2 lb bag of Domino powdered sugar and just measure the rest of the ingredients. It works well for me.

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cakesbycathy Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 3:54pm
post #24 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Win

I think sometimes it comes down to whether you are a hobbyist or a professional producing one cake on a semi-regular basis (hobbyist) or multiple cakes a week (pro). I am a hobbyist and buying fondant is expensive. I cannot get the larger tubs around my neck of the woods so they have to be ordered. Factor in postage and icon_eek.gif wow, this becomes an expensive hobby! I make quality fondant for very little money and can, therefore, maintain my creativity while being cost conscience. I realize for professional bakers, the Economics term, "Opportunity Cost" comes into play for them. It is a time saver to open a tub of premade fondant vs. the time it takes to make it in quantity. Time is money when they are factoring the total cost of their cakes.




From reading the posts I think it might actually come down to whether the decorator lives in the US or not. The costs of marshmallows and other ingredients seem to be much more expensive in other countries.

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maidofcake Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 3:59pm
post #25 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by momg9

Quote:
Originally Posted by maidofcake

I make my own using the recipe from The Cake Bible (I never had luck with MFF), and it costs me $3.50 in ingredients alone to make 2.5 lbs of fondant. And really, the hardest part about making my own is weighing all the ingredients.



I also use the Cake Bible recipe, but I don't weigh anything. I use a 2 lb bag of Domino powdered sugar and just measure the rest of the ingredients. It works well for me.




I know, but the food scientist part of me insists that I MUST weigh everything out (except for the powdered sugar - I use the 2 lb bag, too).

I do find that gelatin volumes differ depending on brand, so I always weigh it.

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Win Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 4:11pm
post #26 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakesbycathy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Win

I think sometimes it comes down to whether you are a hobbyist or a professional producing one cake on a semi-regular basis (hobbyist) or multiple cakes a week (pro). I am a hobbyist and buying fondant is expensive. I cannot get the larger tubs around my neck of the woods so they have to be ordered. Factor in postage and icon_eek.gif wow, this becomes an expensive hobby! I make quality fondant for very little money and can, therefore, maintain my creativity while being cost conscience. I realize for professional bakers, the Economics term, "Opportunity Cost" comes into play for them. It is a time saver to open a tub of premade fondant vs. the time it takes to make it in quantity. Time is money when they are factoring the total cost of their cakes.



From reading the posts I think it might actually come down to whether the decorator lives in the US or not. The costs of marshmallows and other ingredients seem to be much more expensive in other countries.




thumbs_up.gif Agreed!

One of the reasons I can keep my cost down is the convenience of Sam's 7lb bag of 10x powdered sugar... a little over $4.00, it is the best bargain and great quality to boot! Truly, when one reads the cost of living in other countries it makes our economic situation pale in comparison.

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CookieMeister Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 5:04pm
post #27 of 31

One of the reasons I can keep my cost down is the convenience of Sam's 7lb bag of 10x powdered sugar... a little over $4.00, it is the best bargain and great quality to boot! [/quote]

I buy that too! LOTS cheaper than buying the 2 pound bags at the grocery store.

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pouchet82 Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 5:31pm
post #28 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Win

Quote:
Originally Posted by cakesbycathy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Win

I think sometimes it comes down to whether you are a hobbyist or a professional producing one cake on a semi-regular basis (hobbyist) or multiple cakes a week (pro). I am a hobbyist and buying fondant is expensive. I cannot get the larger tubs around my neck of the woods so they have to be ordered. Factor in postage and icon_eek.gif wow, this becomes an expensive hobby! I make quality fondant for very little money and can, therefore, maintain my creativity while being cost conscience. I realize for professional bakers, the Economics term, "Opportunity Cost" comes into play for them. It is a time saver to open a tub of premade fondant vs. the time it takes to make it in quantity. Time is money when they are factoring the total cost of their cakes.



From reading the posts I think it might actually come down to whether the decorator lives in the US or not. The costs of marshmallows and other ingredients seem to be much more expensive in other countries.



thumbs_up.gif Agreed!

One of the reasons I can keep my cost down is the convenience of Sam's 7lb bag of 10x powdered sugar... a little over $4.00, it is the best bargain and great quality to boot! Truly, when one reads the cost of living in other countries it makes our economic situation pale in comparison.




It is so true. I live in Canada and I regularly drive down to the States to buy my groceries and clothes. Cheaper and better variety in the States as compared to here. Plus I lived 2 years in Mass. and got spoiled with American shopping....

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costumeczar Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 5:41pm
post #29 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Loucinda

I agree with pattycakes.....I make it in just a few minutes (maybe 15 min.??) No time at all - and it costs me $3. to make 3 lb. No where near the price of pre-made (and I use that as a selling point, it is NOT already made, I make it fresh for your cake!!) thumbs_up.gif




I agree with you, it takes no time to make it (but I don't use marshmallows,I don't know how that affects the time.) and it's a lot cheaper. If you use the confectioner's sugar recipe you can do 8 pounds of sugar in a BIG bowl, 1 cup cold water with 4 packets gelatin bloomed in it, then melted over water and add 1 full bottle of corn syrup and 1- 2oz bottle of glycerine added in and stirred to melt, then pour the liquid into the sugar and mix it up. No weighing, no measuring except for the cup of water. The worst part is washing the bowl afterward icon_smile.gif

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Kellbella Posted 2 Feb 2010 , 5:56pm
post #30 of 31

I buy all my fondant....I have to "make" everything else...the cake, my icing, decorations....why make my fondant too? icon_wink.gif

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