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How To Make Marshmallow Fondant & Decorate A Cake With It!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MinionsMovieNight #CollectiveBias

minions movie watching collage

What was your family’s favorite movie from last summer?  If you are like us, it was  Minions © 2015 Universal Studios-all rights reserved . If you loved the movie like we did, then it’s time to celebrate, because Minions is coming to Blu-ray/DVD at Target on Tuesday, December 8th! We are super excited for this release and we are really ready to celebrate minion style.

If you want to celebrate with a great family movie night, Target is a perfect one-stop-shop for every thing you need to have an award-winning night! If you can’t wait, you can pre-order Minions online at Target and if you do, you will get a $5 Target gift card.  The Minions Metalpak Blu-ray/DVD-Deluxe is only available at Target and has 40 minutes of exclusive content! Pre-ordering is easy, just order online and pick it up at the store!

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You really get a great deal when you order the Target exclusive Minions Metalpak Blu-ray/DVD because you get bonus content not available anywhere else. You get a minions Party Planner that will help you create some fun party flair inspired by the minion movie. Have the perfect party with mask invitations, balloons, banners, cup sleeves and goody bags. Every party has to have yummy treats and recipes for frozen bananas, munch, cupcakes, cookies and cake pops are included. On to fun and games with a Pinata and Pin the Goggles. Finally get creative with balloons and bracelet arts and crafts!

We wanted to make something really special to show how excited we are for the Minions movie release. We decided to make a minions cake. In doing so we made our own marshmallow fondant for the first time. I was a little nervous before we started but found it was very easy and taste so much better than store-bought fondant. I was in Target recently and picked up their Market Pantry Powdered Sugar to use in our marshmallow fondant recipe.

market pantry sugar

My husband was a huge help and we had a great time doing this together. In case you want to try it, just follow the step by step tutorial below.

PicMonkey Collage minion cake hero

The ingredients you need to make the fondant are one 16 ounce package of mini-marshmallows, 2 Tbsp. of water, 2 pounds of confectioner’s sugar and some vegetable shortening for your hands and work surface. Our counters are quartz and they are excellent for rolling and kneading directly on. Find out if your surfaces are suitable or use a board.

ingredients

Place the marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl and put the 2 Tbsp. of water over them. Toss a little bit and put in the microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir. You will see little change after 30 seconds but it is important to work in 30 second increments.

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You will keep repeating the process of microwaving and then stirring the marshmallows until they are all melted with no lumps.

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Marshmallow fondant keep cooking

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Marshmallow Fondant stirring

Next you will add in your confectioner’s sugar a little bit at a time. When you have a consistency that is hard to stir in the bowl you will turn it out onto your work surface you have coated with vegetable shortening. You will also need to coat your hands.

Marshmallow Fondant Crisco

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Fondant Sugar Knead

Next you will knead the fondant and get it blended together with the sugar, you will need to add more sugar until you can stretch it for about 2 inches before it breaks.

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marshmallow fondant kneading

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After you have kneaded it to the right consistency you need to wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator at least 12 hours.

Fondant Away

In the meantime, I used a yellow cake mix to make two 9″ round cake layers.

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Next, we need to make the buttercream chocolate frosting. So you will need 2 sticks of butter, I let my soften at room temperature. You will also need 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar, 3/4 cup of good cocoa powder, 2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp. of milk. You mix all of the frosting ingredients except the milk in a mixer and add the milk a little bit at a time to get to the desired consistency.

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When the layers have cooled, you are going to frost the cake as you would for a regular layer cake.  Level the layers so your cake is as even as possible. Keep the frosting as smooth as you can. You can store the cake in the refrigerator to allow it to crust.

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cake frost

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When your fondant has been chilled enough, take it out and plan your colors. I needed a little white, a little blue, a little gray, a little black and a lot of yellow. So I cut small pieces and left the largest piece for the yellow. I have learned that the best kinds of colors that mix easily and completely are gel colors.

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We happened to have a minions cutter that was made for sandwiches that worked well for the eyes and goggles. If you do not have something like this you can use round cookie cutters and improvise.  We cut out the white eyes first.

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Then we did the gray goggles. You color the fondant by adding a little bit of gel color and folding the fondant on top of the gel and kneading it until well blended. The gel color works best and I saw that first hand because we used it for every thing but the blue. The blue was a lot harder to color and did not blend as well using traditional liquid food coloring.

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We made black and I shaped some hair, my husband shaped the eyeballs and I did the mouth. Then on to the yellow. My husband was a real help in all this and did most of the fondant work while I took the pictures. To get the right amount of fondant to cover the cake, you need to measure across your cake and then the height of each side. The total will be how large your fondant will need to be.

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When it was rolled to the right consistency we brushed a little water on the top and sides of the cake using a pastry brush. This helps the fondant stick and not slip.

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Next, drape the fondant in half over your rolling-pin.  Then carefully place it on top of the cake.  You smooth the top and as you go down the sides you don’t press down but up slightly and work to just smooth it all over your cake. When you have it smooth without wrinkles, you want to trim the bottom with a small pastry wheel or pizza cutter.  You can dust off the powdered sugar and then put the final fondant pieces on your cake. If you wet the back of them, it will help them stick.

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Lastly sit back and enjoy your minion cake before you cut into him to have something sweet to eat while you watch the movie. We felt bad cutting him, especially my 6 year old but in the end we knew we needed to. Everyone enjoyed our tasty minion cake.

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If you really want to have some fun with a lot of other Illumination Entertainment’s Minions movie fans there is a Twitter viewing part on December 11th from 7-9pm EST! You can RSVP at www.SoFabChats.com and follow along with the #MinionsMovieNight on Twitter!

Please let me know if you try this, I would love to hear how it comes out.


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Sneak Peek At Mommy Ramblings 2014 Holiday Gift Guide & Tommee Tippee Gingerbread Collection!!! #TommeeMommee

I was actually toying with not doing an official 2014 Holiday Gift Guide this year but after being approached by so many sponsors who wanted to be included, I decided to go ahead and publish one.  I know it is not even Halloween but it seems like once we hit mid-October we start zooming toward the holidays like a snowball down a mountain.  I wanted to give you a sneak peek at our new Holiday Gift Guide Graphic and some of the products and companies that will be featured.

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Holiday Gift Guide 2014 sm

Now for a sneak look at a special collection on our Holiday Gift Guide:

Tommee Tippee has the most adorable holiday theme products that are exclusive to Babies R Us.  Having a baby on Christmas Eve like I did, I totally adore the whole line.  How sweet is this gift set for the new Christmastime arrival?  Shop Babies R Us to see the entire Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Gingerbread Collection.

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Tommee tippee ginger paci

Tommee Tippee Gingerbread Bottles

The gingerbread collection by tommee tippee is a limited edition range of essential baby products decorated so that they bring to life a magical fairy tale world where the gingerbread people live. The designs feature wonderful scenes of seasonal festivities, gorgeous gingerbread houses, delicate snowflakes and stockings brimming with presents, ready for the holidays.

The gingerbread collection features two brightly colored closer to nature feeding bottles in green & red. The closer to nature bottle comes with all the revolutionary features you would expect from tommee tippee, a unique, easy-latch-on nipple shape, designed with breastfeeding experts to mimic the natural flex, stretch and movement of a natural breastfeeding action.

The super-absorbent Closer to Nature Milk Feeding Bib helps to protect baby’s tender skin, with a unique dribble catcher that absorbs moisture, helping prevent rashes on baby’s sensitive skin.

That is just a glance at what will be a packed Holiday Gift Guide full of ideas for Men, Women, Teens, Kids, Toddlers, Babies, Pets and more!!!  Make sure you follow us so you don’t miss a thing!!!


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Finn + Emma® Made For Organically Grown Babies!!! Exclusive 20% Off Discount Code In Post!!!

Finn and Emma Logo

Do you have a little one?  Maybe you have a new grandchild or just searching for a great baby gift.  Whatever the reason, if you are looking for quality, organic, safe clothing and accessories for baby, you will want to check out Finn + Emma®.  Have you heard that 1/3 pound of chemicals including pesticides, chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, ammonia, lead and phthalates go into the production of  a single conventional tee-shirt.  These toxins have a negative impact on the environment, the workers in the fields and factories and of course the little one wearing the shirt.  Considering the skin is the largest organ of the body, these chemicals that are worn directly on the skin are easily absorbed and  that’s really scary!

Finn + Emma® believe in the balance of stylish and sustainable, whimsical and sophisticated, classic and contemporary. With fresh prints, modern colors,and heirloom quality construction, they are creating a new world for the organically grown baby. One where boring designs and toxic chemicals are a thing of the past, and adorable, wearable, remarkable organic cotton is abundant!

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All Finn + Emma® products are designed and tested according to applicable rules and regulations. In the U.S., this includes acts enforced by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, and those defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).  As per CPSIA, Finn + Emma® tests post-production samples of all regulated products, using certified third-party laboratories. These products are labeled with tracking information to identify the manufacturing date and location of each product.  This is something that gives parents, grandparents and let’s face it anyone that is concerned about chemicals and toxins peace of mind.

 

I recently reviewed the Long Bodysuit in the Word design.  The long sleeves of this 100% G.O.T.S. certified organic cotton bodysuit keep little ones warm and protected.  The bodysuit features lead and nickel free snaps with coconut inserts that make it easy to dress squirmy babies and toddlers.  The super soft, organic cotton is so comfy and this versatile bodysuit can be worn alone or pairs so well with pants.  This bodysuit is an essential piece to have in any little one’s wardrobe.   This bodysuit is made using low-impact inks and dyes.

Finn and Emma

 

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Another Finn + Emma® product I had the chance to review was the adorable Piper the Elephant organic Teething Ring.  Lots of textures for little ones cutting teeth on this teething toy.  The hand knit teething ring features and uncoated hardwood that is finished with a bit of beeswax, no harsh chemicals here!  The ring is soft, smooth and safe to bite to help ease the pain of growing those pearly whites.  Toy is made with 100% G.O.T.S. certified organic cotton and  is eco-friendly using non-toxic dyes and sheep’s wool stuffing.  The toy is fair trade and is hand knit by artisans in Peru.

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Exclusive 20% Savings For Mommy Ramblings’ Readers:

I have great news, Finn + Emma® have provided Mommy Ramblings’ Blog readers with an exclusive 20% Off Promo Code.  This code is valid starting today thru August 13th.  When checking out on FinnandEmma.com use the code VFOFW to redeem the discount.  Stay in the know with Finn + Emma® by following them on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

 


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Natural Handmade Soap 20% Discount From The Mohawk Valley Trading Company!!!

The Mohawk Valley Trading Company is offering a 20% discount off all of their Handmade Soap from 07/5/14 through 07/19/14 with the Discount Code “Mommy Ramblings Handmade Soap 20% Discount”.

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Handmade Soap and Natural Skin Care Products from the Mohawk Valley Trading Company are made without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petrochemicals, synthetic or artificial fragrances, dyes, detergents, preservatives or any other toxic or harmful surfactants, degreasers, plasticizers, reproductive toxins, pesticides, carcinogens, industrial chemicals or hormone disruptors.

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Instead, they are made with:

Goat’s milk, shea butter, natural plant oils including; olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, hemp seed oil, palm oil, castor bean oil, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil and other botanical sources such as fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs and nuts.

• 100% natural plant-based essential oils distilled or pressed from fresh citrus peels, flower petals, spices, tea tree leaves, herbs and other naturally fragrant botanical materials.

• Beeswax, propolis and raw honey.

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In addition, using the same coupon code, you can also receive a 15% discount on all Mohawk Valley Trading Company 100% Pure Beeswax Candles, Maple Syrup and Honey .

For more information please visit: http://www.tenonanatche.com/handmade-soaps-natural-organic.htm


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Lovable Labels, Teacher Gift Sets Available Now!!! Save 10%!!!

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I can’t believe it but another school year is almost in the books.  If you are thinking about what you could get your child’s teacher as a thank you or end of year gift, I have an idea.  The Teacher Gift Sets from Lovable Labels will give teachers something personal and practical.

Teachers get so many mugs, pens and note pads, why not get then something they can really use?  The personalized note cards and apple-shaped labels will get put to good use in the classroom and for notes to parents.  The set is packaged in a clear bag with ribbon so it is all set for gift giving.

Choose from School House or Wheels on the Bus designs. Hurry because these are only available until June 30th.  You can take 10% off the Teacher Gift Sets and anything else on the Lovable Labels site by using the Coupon Code CarolynKLB1 when you check out at Lovable Labels.

 

Teacher Gift Sets

 

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Description: Looking for the perfect teacher gift? Get a gold star with this gift set! Personalized note cards and adorable Apple-shaped Labels make the perfect thank-you gift! (perfect for labeling classroom supplies). We use high quality graphics to create our cards and all are printed on Acid Free heavy card stock. Presented in a beautiful clear cello bag and pretty ribbon, it makes a perfect gift. 

Features: acid free heavy card stock, pretty wrapping

Quantity: 12 folded cards, 12 matching envelopes, 12 coordinating seals and 40 apple-shaped labels

Dimensions: 
Card: 13.97 cm x 10.8 cm (5 ½” x 4 ¼”)
Envelope: 11 cm x 14.6 cm (4 3/8″ x 5 ¾”)
Seal (circle): 2.54 cm (1″ Diam.)
Apple Shaped Label: 3.8 cm x 4.4 cm (1 ½” x 1 ¾”)


 


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Check Out Lovable Labels Date It! Labels New Designs & Exclusive 10% Discount Coupon Code!!!

Lovable Labels Logo

As a Lovable Labels Love Bug Blogger, I have used and reviewed a variety of Lovable Labels and I have to admit they are hard not to love.  Extremely durable, colorful, reusable and stylish they are a go to solution for all kinds of labeling needs.

Are you trying to get more organized?  Maybe you are trying to have more time with your family by making freezer meals or just doubling recipes and freezing half so that you have a stock of meals that are easy to prepare.  Lovable Labels Date It! Labels can help with that.  It’s no fun to play guess how old this is, with your freezer, fridge or pantry and you don’t have to when you use Date It! Labels.  Do you like to can or just vacuum seal bulk food purchases?  If so Date It! Labels are are so handy.

Lovable Labels has added 2 new designs to the Date It! collection, now you can choose Retro or Country style labels.  They come in 30 label packs with 10 Large, 10 Medium, and 10 Small.  The reusable labels are dishwasher and microwave safe and are also great for labeling food gifts!   Right now you can save 10% by using our exclusive discount code when you buy Date It! Labels or any other product from Lovable Labels.  To save 10% just enter Coupon Code CarolynKLB1 when you check out at Lovable Labels.

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The Berenstain Bears LIVE! See Them Every Weekend in NYC! Exclusive Discount Link!!!

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NOW PLAYING EVERY WEEKEND IN NYC!
Adapted from the classic children’s book series by Stan and Jan Berenstain, The Berenstain Bears LIVE! brings everyone’s favorite bear family to life in a thrilling theatrical experience that kids as well as their parents will treasure for many years to come. As always, Bear Country is not without its complications: Brother Bear’s grades are slipping, Sister Bear still has a few things to learn about making new friends, and Papa Bear just can’t stop eating junk food. Thankfully, we can always depend on Mama Bear and her loving patience to help set things right. Now in its 3rd smash year, The Berenstain Bears LIVE! will give boys and girls of all ages the chance to fall in love with these characters, just as their parents did when they were growing up.

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SAVE $15 Off Front Section Tickets to The Berenstain Bears LIVE!  Only $29 EXCLUSIVELY just click HERE!!! link


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