Also known as chocolate clay or candy clay, modeling chocolate is a versatile and pliable medium used in cake decorating and confectionery arts. It combines the rich flavors of chocolate with the malleability of clay, allowing you to shape it into intricate designs, figures, or cake toppers. Compared to fondant or Krispie treats, modeling chocolate offers a smoother texture and a more delicious taste.

When a Sugar Angel asked for help in finding the perfect modeling chocolate recipe and tips, the baking community rallied together with enthusiasm and expertise. Bakers shared their tried-and-true modeling chocolate recipes and tips that had been honed over countless hours of experimentation.

Let’s delve into the delightful world of modeling chocolate and discover the invaluable recipes and tips that were generously shared.

Modeling Chocolate Recipe

Many Sugar Angels turn to Sugar Geek Recipes for Elizabeth Marek’s fool-proof modeling chocolate.

Ingredients

Modeling Chocolate 

6 ounces corn syrup

16 ounces chocolate (any kind)

White Modeling Chocolate 

16 ounces white candy melts

4 ounces corn syrup (or glucose), warmed for a few seconds until about body temperature

Few drops gel food coloring, if you plan on coloring

Instructions

Melt candy melts in a plastic or microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or stove-top saucepan.

Warm corn syrup and add food coloring if using. Remember that your final product will be lighter than the color of your corn syrup. You can also add color later if you want.

Fold mixture together with a spatula until mixture starts to seize and resembles soft serve ice cream.

It is important to not overmix or your modeling chocolate will get oily.

Wrap in plastic and let set until chocolate is firm but still pliable. Usually a couple of hours depending on how hot it is in your room.

Unwrap chocolate and knead until smooth, smashing any hard lumps with your fingers.

Rewrap chocolate and place back in plastic wrap to set up until hard.

5 Modeling Chocolate Tips from the Bakers

1. Controlling Temperature

Your chocolate will be hard every time you go to use it. You will need to reheat it a few seconds (5-15 depending on your microwave) before each use. Do not overheat it, or it will get too soft and you’ll have to wait for it to harden up again before you can use it.

2. Dusting with Confidence

Dust your hands, work surface, and tools lightly with cornstarch or powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Start with a small amount, and add more as needed. Excess dusting can affect the taste and smoothness of the finished product.

3. Adding Colors

When coloring modeling chocolate, use gel or powdered food coloring instead of liquid ones, as liquid colors can cause the chocolate to seize. Add the coloring gradually while kneading the chocolate until the desired shade is achieved.

4. Repairing Cracks

If cracks appear while working with modeling chocolate, gently blend the edges with your fingertips or use a small amount of melted chocolate as “glue.” Applying a thin layer of shortening or corn syrup can help smooth out any imperfections.

5. Customizing Firmness

Adjust the firmness of your modeling chocolate based on your project’s requirements. For delicate flowers and intricate details, use a softer consistency by adding a bit more corn syrup to the mixture. On the other hand, if you need more structural stability for larger sculptures or cake toppers, reduce the amount of corn syrup or add some powdered sugar during kneading to achieve a firmer texture.

The generosity and passion of the baking community have once again shone brightly as bakers shared their cherished modeling chocolate recipes and invaluable tips. With these tried-and-true techniques in your baking arsenal, you can confidently embark on the journey of creating stunning and delectable masterpieces using modeling chocolate. Embrace the knowledge and let your imagination soar as you shape and mold this versatile medium into edible works of art. 

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If you want more tips, updates, and stories from Icing Smiles, sign up to receive periodic updates from the team. You can choose to receive the newsletters we send out every other month or to be notified when a new blog posts. We think you’ll enjoy reading about the smiles we help to create. These stories inspire us. They motivate us. And they are the reasons we are here. 

In the world of baking, cakes are not just desserts; they are masterpieces that bring joy and celebration to our lives. 

Our Sugar Angels are true artists. Armed with their mixing bowls, spatulas, and an unwavering passion for their craft, they possess the remarkable ability to transform the ordinary into extraordinary. From everyday objects to fantastical landscapes, Sugar Angels can turn virtually anything into a delectable masterpiece that tantalizes both the taste buds and the imagination. 

Whether they are professionals or passionate hobbyists, creative bakers rely on trusted products to bring their visions to life. When it comes to fondant, edible paint, and modeling chocolate, one company that stands out as a go-to choice is Satin Ice. 

Since 2011, Satin Ice has been an invaluable partner in Icing Smiles’ mission: The Icing Smiles logo is displayed prominently on Satin Ice fondant. The company has supported Icing Smiles over the years with cash and product donations. And its marketing director, Paul McVeigh, is Icing Smiles’ board secretary. 

“I am honored our customers see Satin Fine Foods as a visible partner,” Paul says. “Icing Smiles is a pillar of our company, and we couldn’t be prouder to be associated. On a personal note, I have three young kids of my own. I can’t begin to imagine the pain these families must be going through.”

Satin Ice’s fondant serves as the canvas upon which many of these artists work their magic, allowing them to sculpt intricate shapes, achieve vibrant colors, and bring the most imaginative cake designs to life.

Sugar Angel Charmagne Pearson says she likes the quality and the “new” taste of Satin Ice fondant products. “In my area, I have limited availability of cake-decorating items, and I would need to add candy flavoring to Satin Ice pre-rolled fondant to mask the Play-Doh taste,” she says. “But a few years ago, they changed the formula. It now has a nice marshmallow taste and texture. It is consistent, and I know how it will behave.”

Sugar Angel Sandra Griggs Smiley says she uses the fondant for the dark, rich colors, including metallic gold, and Sugar Angel Mike Elder says Satin Ice is all he’s ever used. 

Sugar Angel Kerri Weitzel adds: “If I have to cover a cake in fondant, I have always used Satin Ice because I can count on the quality of it creating a nice even non- tearing, clean, crisp-colored look. I also love it for use when I am doing sculpture work with a little addition of Tylose powder.”

In this blog post, we’re showcasing some of the incredible creations that have been brought to life using Satin Ice.

Sugar Angel Kristin Lynn made this Ms. Rachel cake using Satin Ice fondant for her third call to action.

Sugar Angel Victoria Andreacchio created a 17-inch Pokemon cake. For the ears, she used Satin Ice modeling chocolate. A Sugar Angle since 2014, Victoria’s first Icing Smiles cake was for a girl’s first birthday party — and the cake was bigger than she was!

Sugar Angel Laurie Romano hasn’t received a call to action in six years. She claims she’s “rusty” with fondant work, but her Fortnite cake, made using Satin Ice fondant, proves otherwise.

Victoria was at it again. This time, she used Satin Ice fondant for a Watch Dogs cake.

Sugar Angel Garima Rawat made cookies for the Cookie Club. She used Satin Ice modeling chocolate for the blue-sweater cookies.

Sugar Angel Sandra Griggs Smiley likes Satin Ice fondant for the dark, rich colors, including metallic gold.

Become a Sugar Angel

Satin Ice has played a vital role in empowering talented Sugar Angels to bring their creative visions to life with its premium fondant and modeling chocolate. From intricately designed Dream Cakes to whimsical character sculptures and even exquisitely decorated cookies, the possibilities are limitless. Satin Ice continues to be a trusted companion, providing the perfect canvas for Sugar Angels to showcase their skills and bring smiles to faces around the world.

If you have a genuine love for baking and a desire to use your skills to bring smiles to the faces of children facing difficult circumstances, then you have the foundation to become a Sugar Angel, too. 

There’s a lot you can do with a cake spatula and some decorating tips. But our Icing Smiles family is a creative bunch. If you’re looking for new and fun ways to expand your cake-decorating repertoire, check out these cool tools and accessories created by Sugar Angels, sponsors, and Icing Smiles supporters.

Cookie and Cake Stencils

Want to add trendy patterns, holiday-themed designs, or custom artwork to your cookies and cakes? Laura Brady of BakeArt Stencils in Tampa, Florida, has designed over 1,2500 cookie and cake stencils as well as other cookie- and cake-decorating tools. The reusable stencils are made of a food-safe plastic that is 5 mm in thickness and has a matte finish. In addition to the themes she offers, including holidays and season, events and celebrations, and patterns, Laura also takes custom stencil requests.

Laura wasn’t always a professional cookie-decorating queen. Her first career was in sales for a multimedia company. But when her son was born with many medical issues, going back to work wasn’t an option. “When I had my son, I needed to reinvent myself,” says the mom of three. “On top of that, all of my kids have food allergies — peanut, milk, eggs. I started getting real creative with making birthday cakes.”

Combining her creative flair with her entrepreneurial spirit, Laura started watching YouTube videos and making cookie stencils and decorating tools. Not long after BakeArt Stencils was born, Laura made the stencils for Elisa Strauss’s first Confetti Cakes cake kit. An Icing Smiles board member, Elisa told Laura about our mission, and Laura knew she wanted to be involved. 

“This is such a full circle for me,” Laura says. “Being the mother of a sick kid, understanding the exhaustion and expense that goes with it, not being able to make your kid better. There were so many organizations that gave sweet things to my son when he was in the hospital. I asked Elisa, ‘What can I do?’”

Over the years, BakeArt Stencils has donated stencils, tools, and gift certificates to Icing Smiles, and she offers Sugar Angels $5 off any order on the BakeArt Stencils website (promo code SUGARANGELS). 

“We have been so fortunate to have had the help of so many amazing philanthropies along the way,” she says. “We feel it is our responsibility to give back to our communities to try and help out other families in need.”

Custom Cutters and Embossers

If you’re ready to experiment with imprinting decorative designs on fondant or buttercream, ​​Sugar Angel Erin Christensen offers 3D-printed cookie cutters and embossers through Custom Cutters and Embossers by Erin. In addition to creating alphabet embossing stamp sets, fondant and cookie cutters, and the Flower Nail Buddy (a stand that holds up your piped buttercream and royal icing flowers on your flower nail while you switch piping tips!), Erin shares videos, tutorials, and recipes on her website.

Like many bakers, Erin’s passion for cake decorating started at home. “When I first started having kids a few years ago, I wanted them to have more epic, interesting, one-of-a-kind birthday cakes,” she says. Today, she makes sweet treats for clients through Custom Cakes and Cupcakes by Erin in Circle Pines, Minnesota, and for families as an Icing Smiles Sugar Angel.

“I saw some people posting about Icing Smiles a couple of years ago and checked it out,” she says. “I thought it was very cool and right up my alley: Crazy birthday cakes for kids is my passion. You’re helping a family, helping a little kiddo. It’s super rewarding.”

Icing Smiles Sprinkles

Sugar Angel Michelle Curran of Mitchies Munchies in Las Vegas is no stranger to pizzazz. Nicknamed “Femme Fatale of Fondant,” by NV Pageant Magazine, Michelle has been designing food-grade silicone molds, twisted edible art, and custom cake toppers for over 30 years. 

Since she joined Icing Smiles as a Sugar Angel in 2010, she’s completed over 30 calls to action and has sponsored the state of Nevada since 2014. In February 2022, she hosted a Violet’s Bake Sale for Icing Smiles and made custom Icing Smiles sprinkles, helping to raise nearly $2,000 for our nonprofit. Although the sprinkles were a one-time limited-edition mix, Michelle is considering offering them again at her next Violet’s Bake Sale in 2023. 

“When I was a child, we did not have much,” Michelle says. “Our family relied on state assistance, care packages from our church, and we wore hand-me-downs. I have a huge heart and believe in giving back to communities that helped me. Icing Smiles has captivated my heart. I love being able to help families have peaceful and happy moments in time through sugar art.”

Edible Printing System

You don’t need to be a professional baker to create your own edible images for topping cakes. Icing Smiles sponsor Icing Images has designed four edible printer systems for cake decorators and home hobbyists to print edible pictures on cookies, cakes, and more.  

Some of our generous Sugar Angels who own an edible printing system have also offered to donate edible images for any call to action. Check out the Icing Smiles Sugar Angel Facebook page, and search for Sugar Angels Kim Crowder, Edee Muehlbrad, Lisa Peters, and Elizabeth Veronica.

Photo Backdrops

Once you have a decorated cake, you probably want to take a photo of your handiwork. Mitchies Munchies Michelle Curran strikes again with an inexpensive do-it-yourself photo backdrop. 

“I saw this idea floating about TikTok using poster board and contact paper,” she says. “Then my thinker said, ‘Hey, Mitchie, what if you used subway tiles instead of contact paper? And voilà! My DIY backdrop is very easy to mimic, looks legit like a kitchen or window space, and it is reversible and folds up neatly to get tucked away in my little studio.”

All you need to make a collapsible, storable backdrop:

• 2 foam poster boards
• Clear packing tape
• Self-adhesive shelf liner
• 6 self-adhesive wall tiles
• 2 clothespins
• Scissors

Michelle got all the supplies from the dollar store for $13.50

Join Our Mailing List

If you want more tips, resources, and updates from Icing Smiles, sign up to receive periodic updates from the team. You can choose to receive the newsletters we send out every other month or to be notified when a new blog posts. We think you’ll enjoy reading about the smiles we help to create. These stories inspire us. They motivate us. And they are the reasons we are here.