When And How Long?

Decorating By TurtleGiraffe Updated 21 Apr 2009 , 3:01am by aquamom

TurtleGiraffe Posted 18 Apr 2009 , 6:19am

I'm new to fondant cakes and giving it a go for the first time for my daughters 3rd birthday on Sunday.

I am doing safari themed.

I want to cover the cardboard under the cake ( will be sticking out around cake about 3") with fondant - how long do I let that sit till I add the. Cake on to it?

Also, I am hand crafting the safari animals so that they are 3D figurines out of fondant. How long do I let those sit before adding them to the cake?

Thanks!

13 replies

bizatchgirl Posted 18 Apr 2009 , 6:33am

post #2 of 14

I'm trying to remember and I want to say at least 24 hours on your board, just to be sure it is fully dry. Otherwise, it will try to sink from the weight of your cake and your fondant could crack.

For figures, I would just add some gumpaste to help them dry quickly and I would say you can put those on your cake as soon as all of their 'parts' are firmly glued together. Maybe make them the night before just to be safe.

Hopefully someone else will answer too!!

aliciag829 Posted 18 Apr 2009 , 6:38am

post #3 of 14

When I cover my cake boards, with fondant, I add some Gumtex because it helps it dry faster. I use clear piping gel to glue the fondant to the board. The last time I did this, the fondant took about 2 days to dry. Personally, I like to use Gumtex to help figures dry faster, too.

KawaiiCakeCook Posted 18 Apr 2009 , 6:46am

post #4 of 14

oh my gosh, i'm doing a safari cake too! You have to post it here when you're don!!!

TurtleGiraffe Posted 18 Apr 2009 , 6:49am

post #5 of 14

Thanks! Any other tips I should be aware of? I plaer the cardboard bottom tomorrow in the morning as well as make the figurines. I'm artistic so that's not an issue - I am jus so new to this

I bought a 10lb bucket of fondX and I am doing a two tier cake.

lostincake Posted 18 Apr 2009 , 6:56am

post #6 of 14

If I'm reading correct, it looks like you will be making this for tomorrow and I would say that you should get started right away.

The figures will take more than a day to fully dry if made of just fondant or MMF. If you don't have enough time for them to dry, make sure to support them on the cake or else you may find that they will start to slump or slouch or droop.

I usually make figures 3-5 days in advance - see my gallery - I've done a Santa, a Naruto and a Pinocchio all of which were done in two parts - body one day then head and limbs 2nd day.

I just finished a Gordon from Thomas the Train and I let that dry 3 days before adding details and it still warped a little.

Good Luck and HTH.