I've viewed all the beautiful Easter baskets and handles on CC, they inspired me to think I could actually make a handle - duh! A client requested a cake that looked like a basket, I said sure, I can do that. I made the handle out of fondant mixed with gumtex and let it harden for several days. I applied the handle directly into the cake, the handle was hard but did have some give, but not much. I worried about the handle all night, so I got up at 1:00 a.m. this morning only to find that my handle had broken off level with the cake -- OHG! I repaired the damage to the cake and contacted the client about the breakage in the handle -- that's another story for another day -- anyway, what did I do wrong? I'm new at cake decorating and I'm sure it was my inexperience that caused the handle to break, any advice, assitance, etc., would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

Gipsy Gourmet

I would've made the handle with wooden skewers coming out of either end, and slid the skewers into the cake. Once you pushed the fondant handle into the cake, the moisture from the cake started softening your dried fondant. The skewers would've prevented it from breaking. Sorry this happened... live and learn, right?

I also have an Easter basket cake due. I made the handle out of fondant and tylose powder and it has dried nice and hard, but I think the same thing is going to happen to mine. I think I will put the handle on right before I deliver the cake

thank you for this advice, I was wondering the same thing!

Thanks so much, you are exactly right I should have either put skewers on either end of the handle or not placed the handle in the cake until just before the client picked it up. The handle was fine on the cake from 5:30ish to 10:30ish, I went to bed worried about it and woke up at 1:00 to discover the handle had fallen off the cake, yuk.

Thanks again.

Gipsy Gourmet

Another question, if I make another handle this evening, will it have time to set in order to put it on a cake for a party tomorrow at 2:00???

Thanks.

Gipsy Gourmet

I am going to make a handle for a basket cake today or tomorrow. I was planning on using florist wire as the main support, and wrapping the 50/50 fondant and gum paste mixture around that to look like a rope. I was wondering if pure gum paste would be better to use.

gumpaste gets soft in cake and icing and breaks. learned that the hard way

anther suggestion is to paint any part of it that will be down into the cake with choc and let it harden before u push it onto cake to protect from the grease.