Tiny, edible, fondant ghosts are the perfect cake decoration for homemade Halloween treats. Use this technique to make them in any size, but the instructions here are for tiny ghosts that are just the right size to top cupcakes. They're even more delicious if tasty homemade fondant is used instead of the store bought variety.
Step One:
Pull a chunk of white fondant and roll it in between the palms to make a smooth ball. Apply extra pressure, rolling the ball into an oblong shape. Stand upright on a counter top, flattening one end so that the oblong shape stands upright on its own. (See image one, below.) This forms the body and support for the ghost. If many ghosts are being made, make all of the ghost bodies first, and allow them to dry a bit while starting the next step.
Step Two:
Roll out a small quantity of fondant on a lightly greased surface. PAM spray works beautifully for this purpose, but any solid vegetable shortening can also be used. Alternately, use a light dusting of powdered sugar to keep the fondant from sticking to the counter top. The powdered sugar method dries out the fondant more quickly and can leave white residue on colored fondant, so the greased surface technique is preferred.
Use a sharp knife or circle cookie cutter to cut out a circle of the thinly rolled fondant. The radius of the circle should be slightly longer than the height of the ghost body. (See image two, below.)
Step Three:
Lift the circle of rolled fondant and set it on top of the ghost body, coaxing the fondant to fold in an attractive way. Use a food coloring marker (available from cake decorating stores and most major craft stores) or a very tiny paintbrush and black food coloring to draw on eyes and a mouth. Let dry for at least a few hours. This will allow the fondant to dry and harden enough to move the ghosts without accidentally squishing them. (See image three, below.)
Additional Notes
Fondant decorations can be made weeks ahead of time. Some food coloring isn't stable in sunlight, so store fondant decorations in a box in a dark place. The thinner the fondant is, the more fragile it is when dry, so pack any fondant decorations carefully, using balled-up saran wrap to cushion the figurines.
These ghost figurines can also be made out of gumpaste.
For an extra cute cupcake or cake, mix the fondant ghosts with tiny fondant pumpkins. They'll be the hit of any potluck or Halloween event.
