Flamingo Pool Float Donut Recipe

Anyone who has an Instagram account has seen them and most likely posed with them – the infamous flamingo pool floaties, that is. They’ve become something of an iconic Summer symbol, conjuring up images of sunny days spent poolside (in a cute new bikini no doubt). Today I’m sharing the prettiest (and most hilarious) donut recipe that I made with Juliet Sear (the badass baker who made our wedding cake!), in the shape of actual flamingo floaties.

These babies make the ultimate party snack – we set them out for friends for an afternoon on our pool deck, and needless to say they were devoured within a matter of minutes (but not before tons of pics were taken for Instagram, of course). For the perfect Summer selfie, try making these. They’re way easier than you think, and actually use store bought donuts, in case you aren’t keen on baking yours from scratch. Read below for the full recipe, check out Juliet’s book for more amazing recipes like this, and watch us make them below. Cheers!

Flamingo Pool Float Donuts

Supplies
Will make approx. 8-10 donuts.

2 packs of Wilton pink Candy Melts
4 tsp. of Vegetable oil
1 pack of Pink, 1 white and 1 pack of yellow Wilton fondant
Some liquid black food coloring
Baking parchment
A small sharp knife
A couple of fine tip paintbrushes
Pastry brush
A little water for sticking
Confectioners sugar

Making The Head & Neck
(Do this the day before so they set hard)

Using a little pink and white fondant, knead together until you get a nice pale shade of pink that matches in with the color of your candy melts. Make up around 4 cups in total so you have plenty for the heads and wings that you will make the next day.

For each flamingo head, take about 2 tablespoons of pink fondant, and roll out into a sausage. Using your fingers or palm, mold one end for the beak, then thin out the neck a little more than the head to create the shape.

Lay each one as you go onto a piece of parchment paper on a plate or similar, dusted with icing sugar and bend it into the flamingo shape. Leave to set until dry, ideally overnight.

Dipping Your Donuts!
In a microwave safe bowl add your candy melts and a couple teaspoons of vegetable oil. Microwave on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring at one-minute intervals until you have a lovely pink melted coating that coats a spoon. You may need a couple of extra teaspoons of oil. Add if needed – some brands will vary if you are using different melts.

To decorate, submerge each donut half way to cover half, and then place on some parchment paper, coated side up, to set fully. It may help to refrigerate these if it’s a hot day. They will set in the fridge in about 5-10 minutes. Add a second coating once the first is set on the revers side, and turn with the wet side up to set. If you have fingermarks where you’ve held the donut, this is where you can stick your wings.

Final Decorations
For the beaks, pour a small amount of black food coloring on a dish or plate and using a small paintbrush paint over where you want the large black beak at the pointed bit. You can paint one side and the underneath part, then carefully turn over to do the other side just making sure not to place the décor over a smudge of black on the paper. To decorate the eyes, take a tiny piece of yellow fondant and form two eyes. Stick them to the head with a tiny bit of water if needed from a fine paintbrush on both sides just above the black beak. Add the black dot in the center of the eye with a tiny dot of food coloring applied with a lead free pencil dipped in the color or a toothpick.

To make the pairs of wings for each pool float, take a piece of pink fondant (about 2 tablespoons) and divide into two pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Then make each ball into a teardrop shape. Flatten each shape to create two little wings. Stick these to the pool float donuts (use some left over melted candy melts brushed onto where you are going to place these) and push them onto the body with both wings pointing in the same direction.

For the final part, dunk each flamingo head into the melted pink coating a little way down, then place on the front of each donut and push down carefully holding by the lower part so you don’t break the head, until it is in place. Leave to set back in the fridge or at room temp and enjoy within a few days. This lovely pink coating will keep the donut inside a bit fresher for longer as it is oil based, so you could get ahead on your party plans the day before, no need to rush. Yum!

xx,