Rice Crispy Treats For Cake Decorating

Rice Krispy Treats (RKT)

One of the foundational tools of 3D cake sculpting, rice krispy treats are essential to getting shapes and forms that simply can't be achieved with traditional cake sculpting. After trying and testing several recipes over the course of my career, this recipe is my go-to for getting the job done right the first time.

Rice Cereal Treat Recipe For Sculpted Cakes And Toppers

This is my recipe for making rice cereal treats for toppers and for sculpted cakes. The main difference between this recipe and a regular rice cereal treat recipe is that it doesn't have any butter and it has chocolate added to it. Butter makes RKT too soft and not ideal for sculpted cakes. The additional chocolate helps keep the RKT nice and solid so they don't pull away from the structure.

Make sure that when you are applying RKT to a structure you have a base of melted marshmallows on the structure or your RKT will fall off. Also remember to let your RKT mixture cool for 10 minutes until it can hold it's shape before attaching to the structure. Wrap the RKT well and let cool fully before attempting to carve.

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Rice Krispy Treats (RKT)

Print Rate Never Miss A Cake

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Serves: 1 lb

Calories: 1811 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 8 oz (227 g) Marshmallows
▢ 8 oz (227 g) Rice cereal
▢ 2.5 oz (71 g) Melted chocolate melties work best
▢ Small amount (Small amount) Vegetable shortening
▢ Plastic wrap

Instructions

Put marshmallows into microwave-safe bowl and melt in microwave for 1 minute on high. Check marhsmallows and mix with a spoon and then put back into the microwave for 30 seconds, checking every time and mixing until completely melted.
Melt chocolate over a double-boiler on the stove or in the microwave. Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds and stir 2 times, then microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring every time and checking until completely melted. Don't over-heat, if chocolate gets heated for too long it will burn.
Add rice cereal and melted chocolate to marshmallows. Mix until evenly coated.
Let set 5-10 minutes before handling.

Nutrition

34 comments on "Rice Krispy Treats Recipe"

I used this for my USS Enterprise cake. I made it a couple weeks in advance and it stayed malleable the whole time highly recommend!
Thanks for coming to India Mumbai.
For the cakeolog exhibition.
You are nice to talk. Sharing caring loving person.
Thank you,
God bless.
1. I had a wonderful time! Thank you for your hospitality
Melted chocolate melties. Are you talking about Wilton chocolate melts
1. Yes those would work, there are many kinds of melties. I use guittard vanilla a'peels
Hi…for the melts…is it a 1/4 cup of melted melts?
Thank you!
1. Yes it is
Hi… So I just made my first batch.
Can't wait to use it.
Liz it taste so good
Thank You
1. yay so happy to hear it!
I used the chocolate rice krispies. My goodness it smells good.. this recipe works fabulous. Thanks Liz
What is the purpose of the melted chocolates?
1. Stability for carving.
How long will a batch keep? Can it be made ahead of time for a project?
1. RKT are typically used right after you make them because you use them to sculpt into a shape. Once they harden you will not be able to re-shape them. They don't go stale so that isn't an issue
  1. since it wont go stale could I sculpt with it in Sept or early October for around December 9th?
    
    I dont want to eat the RKT but will add cake to eat in December.
    
    I dont want the rkt to mold etc and I'm not sure if it does that or not..
  2. No it doesn't mold. I have RKT sculptures that are years old 🙂
Can you freeze them after you have modelled what you need ??
1. No need to freeze them, they are shelf stable.
what do I use the shortening for please
1. You put it on your hands so that it doesn't stick when you are molding the treats
Can I leave out the chocolate and if so do I change the amounts?
1. The chocolate is part of what gives the RKT it's structure so if you're using it to sculpt a 3D cake or structure, I would not leave it out.
Can I use semi-sweet chocolate rather than melties?
1. Yes you can
Hi, how long after you shape the Rice Krispie sculpture it holds its shape? Is it possible to do sculpture to use in a month time?
1. It will hold its shape for years
  1. Thank you ?
1- If I make a cube shape while the "dough" is malleable, will I be able to carve the cube with a knife after it has become firm and solid?
2- Can bits that have become solid and been carved off be reheated to use again on a different project?
3- Also, would you recommend putting the rice krispies thru a food processor to make them finer prior to mixing with the marshmallows?
Thanks so much for your help 🙂
1. Yes you can carve RKT after it's firmed up. I dont think you can heat up cut off pieces. I don't do the crushed rice cereal because it makes it very hard to cut later
Thanks for replying. I just tried. It must be the marshmallows that I used. Either that or me 🙂 They never really completely melted in the micro and instead looked like they were about to explode inside. So I heated them for 30 seconds at a time several times and still never really completely melted. When I mixed with the cereal I couldn't get them to mix well. I wonder if this has happened to anyone else. For the meantime I'm sticking to MC and fondant sculptures, but I do thank you Liz for sharing and for responding.
Excited to try this. I noticed in many comments you said RKT is shelf stable for a long time. Does that still apply if it's covered in fondant? I need to make a cowboy hat and since this is my fist attempt I want to give myself plenty of time. However if it works, I'd like to be done with it!
1. You sure can! I typically would carve down the RKT first to make it smooth, then apply ganache or buttercream to make sure the fondant sticks
How do you "smooth" the rice cereal treat mixture after carving? Or do you coat wth chocolate or ganache before covering in fondant?
1. I dont coat it with anything but you could use ganache, buttercream or royal icing