Fondant Baseballs

I just got my first request for a baseball-themed cake! As with the cupcakes for the Super Bowl party, I want to make sure every part of it is edible; I don't want people to choke on tiny plastic sports equipment stuck in the icing. I decided to start relatively easy and make some baseballs out of fondant. To make about a dozen balls, I started with about one-and-a-half golf balls worth of my fondant from scratch. I used clear vanilla and some Wilton White White Icing Color in this batch, just to make sure it's as white as possible: 

I rolled out a log about 1/2" thick on the counter. Don't roll logs between your hands; they won't be as smooth as they are when you roll them out between your fingertips and a flat surface. 

Use a spatula or sharp knife to cut 1/2" pieces (or approximately the length of the width of the log). 

Roll these pieces into balls (you can do this step between your hands) and let them dry on a surface dusted with a 50/50 mixture of powdered sugar and cornstarch. I used the reverse side of my practice board for piping; it has a very good nonstick surface.

To draw the "stitches" the red Wilton FoodWriter Edible Color Marker is perfect. 

It has a very fine tip and is a true red.

I started by making a loose "C" shape of dots…

 …and then turned the ball around and did the same thing opposite it.

 Then I connected these two curved dotted paths with another curved dotted path, and another just like it on the opposite side.

Then I made a column of "V" shapes, with the tip of the "V" on the dot, that went all the way around the ball. Wipe the tip of the pen clean on a paper towel when you're finished.

Here's the final product: a cheap, edible baseball that will look perfect on a cupcake, a cake border; wherever! Watch for more baseball-themed paraphernalia in the coming days; I'm really going to try to make this cake sweet!