These Rose & Lemon Fondant Fancies are made with a light lemon genoise sponge, filled with strawberry jam, and covered in rose and lemon flavoured fondant. They're perfect for a girly occasion like afternoon tea, a baby shower or Mother's Day as they are so delicate and dainty. If you've ever watched The Great British Bake Off, then you'll have seen that Fondant Fancies have featured a few times. You maybe also know them as French Fancies or petit fours. They do take time and patience to make, but they really are worth it for the elegant finish and delicious flavour.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Rose & Lemon Fondant Fancies
To make the genoise sponge use an electric mixer to whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 8 minutes until thick (known as 'ribbon stage'). Then carefully fold in the flour in two parts, followed by the melted butter and lemon zest.
Pour the mixture into a lined 8" square baking tin. Bake it for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and it is golden and risen, then leave to cool completely.
When it is fully cool, brush the top with apricot jam and cover it with pink fondant. Trim the edges, then using a ruler, cut it into 1.5" squares.
Next, cut each square in half horizontally and spread some strawberry jam onto the bottom half, and sandwich them all back together. Using a palette knife, cover the sides with the rose buttercream. Put them in the fridge for an hour for the buttercream to set.
Make a pourable fondant by mixing up the pink ready to roll fondant with water, lemon juice and rose extract. Set up a cooling rack with a baking tray underneath and use it to place the cakes on before the pouring the fondant over the top and encouraging it around the sides to fully cover each cake. Once they are covered, decorate the top with little sugar flowers and sugar pearls. Then leave the fondant to set at room temperature.
You can use anything you want to decorate the top of the Rose & Lemon Fondant Fancies, but I would recommend something small and delicate for the best effect.
How should the Fondant Fancies be stored and can they be frozen?
They should be stored in an airtight container in a cool place and eaten with 3 days. However, they are best as fresh as possible. If you would like to freeze the cakes, you can do this without the fondant decoration and sprinkles. Once the sponge is fully cool, wrap it well with cling film or put it in an airtight container. You can freeze the buttercream on it’s own in a tub as well.
Tips for making the Rose & Lemon Fondant Fancies:
- You could also cover them in chocolate ganache, or use any other colour of icing to decorate them with.
- You can put buttercream in the middle instead of jam.
- Instead of sprinkles, you could decorate with a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- 8" Square tin
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Stand mixer
- Pink fondant
- Angled palette knife
- Zester
- Silicone rolling pin
- Rose extract
- Silicone Brush
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More fondant fancy recipes...
Rose & Lemon Fondant Fancies
Ingredients
For the genoise sponge
- 4 Eggs large
- 120 g Plain flour sieved
- 120 g Caster sugar
- 55 g Butter melted
- 1 Lemon zest only
For the filling
- 2-3 tbsp Strawberry jam
For the glaze & to cover the cake
- 1 heaped tbsp Apricot jam
- 200 g Pink ready to roll fondant or colour of your choice
For the buttercream
- 35 g Butter or baking spread
- 70 g Icing sugar
- ¼ tsp Rose extract
For the pourable fondant
- 750 g Pink ready to roll fondant or colour of your choice
- 75 ml Water (you may not need all of it)
- 1 Lemon juice only
- 1 tsp Rose extract
To decorate
- Sugar flowers or sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/325F/Gas Mark 4, grease and line a 8" square tin
- To make the genoise sponge whisk the eggs with the caster sugar in a stand mixer for about 7 minutes until thick and trebled in size
- Sieve in the plain flour in two stages, and gently fold it in each time. Add the melted butter by pouring it around the edge of the bowl and folding it in. Then gently fold in the lemon zest
- Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake it for 25 minutes until risen, golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let it cool completely
- Brush a thin layer of apricot jam over the top of the cake to glaze it. Roll out the fondant and cover the cake with it
- Trim the edges of the cake then using a ruler cut it into 1.5" squares. Then cut each square into half horizontally
- Spread the strawberry jam onto the bottom half of the cake and sandwich them all back together
- Make the rose buttercream by mixing the butter, icing sugar and rose extract together until smooth. Use a palette knife to coat the sides of each cake with the buttercream. Try and get it as smooth as you can, then put them in the fridge for an hour for the buttercream to set
- Make a pourable fondant by mixing up the ready to roll fondant with the water, lemon juice and rose extract. Add the water slowly, you want to aim for a thick, yet pourable consistency. Set up a cooling rack with a baking tray underneath and using it to place the cakes on before the pouring the fondant over the top
- Pour the fondant over the top of the cakes and encourage it around the sides to fully cover each cake
- Once they are covered, decorated the top with sprinkles or sugar flowers as desired. Then leave the fondant to set at room temperature
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place and consume within 2 days
Chloe Edges
Oh my goodness. I love fondant fancies so much, I was bought 10 packs on my 30th and I had a ff tower as my birthday cake for my 25th!!! But I've never made them myself. You've made this look much simpler than I thought, I'll def have a try!
Choclette
These look absolutely fantastic. Every so often I tell myself I should have a go at making some, but dainty and neat aren't really my thing, so I never get around to it. Next time I have the urge, I know where to come.
Nickki
These fondant fancies are so pretty! I've only ever made them once, many years ago now. They are perfect for a fancy afternoon tea!