I haven't actually tried this yet, but I want to use them on a cake next weekend-you know, sticking out of the top of the cake. It just seems to me that the fondant/gumpaste balls will slide down the wire after they dry.

There must be a trick I don't know.
Help, please.

Poohsmomma, I want to know the same thing. I tried to make the fondant balls stay on the wire and you were right about them sliding down.

Someone PLEASE let us know how this is done. THANK YOU!!

Poohsmomma, I want to know the same thing. I tried to make the fondant balls stay on the wire and you were right about them sliding down.

Someone PLEASE let us know how this is done. THANK YOU!!

~ excitednewbie

I had the same problem happen when I made something like that and, yup, sure enough, balls slid right off! I have read recently though that if you dip the wire in water first, the balls will stay on! Makes complete sense, eh? Now why didn't WE think of that!!

Thank you Acupcakenameddesire!

Depends on you wire as well. Cloth covered wires work good but don't look as pretty. You can also do a small kink in the wire and use gumpaste glue.

Had to go out for a a while...so happy to see these replies when I got back.

I'll try the kinks in the wire, and wetting the wire.... maybe a little RI???

Thanks for helping me out, Acupcakenameddesire and jlynnw!
And welcome, Excited Newbie.

be careful the RI too much and it gets gloopy and shows up in an ugly way. You can use eggwhite (powder pasturized if they might be eaten, but with them on wire they really should NOT be).

Make a small loop at the end of the wire where the ball will be, just like you'd do if you were making rose centers for gumpaste roses.

Thanks.
I'm assuming wherever I want a ball to put a kink/loop kind of thing.

Would I be better off with gumpaste in the mixture.

...careful if you wet the wire, it can make the fondant gummy and slide off worse, I have learned the hard way. Looping the wire worked best for me, and letting it dry overnight on its side before trying to insert the wire into cake helped me too.

thanks, sugarmomma

I haven't tried it, but I think if you mixed the fondant with a bit of gp, it would probably help (as poohsmamma suggested).

i've made some fondant balls, you might want to make them dry faster with tylos or gum paste, i still have easter chicks that are somewhat soft. try curling the tip of your wire, you can also put floral wire around the curl and wrap it a few times to dry faster, i take a book or something heavy put the balls on the end of the wire, and on a counter slide the wire under so they hand over the side. they should stay, now if it's as big as a golf ball i'd make it out of gum paste. you can also try cutting a little piece of a pie plate like a washer or something to that effect. super glue it to the wire, make sure it's dry. put a tiny piece of saran wrap between the washer and the ball.

I made stars for a cake and what i did was when i cut them out i slide the wires on at that time then i let them dry for weeks, and they stayed put

ok i do quite alot of the cake spikes you are referring to here is an example:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1348209
make the balls from gumpaste/modelling paste so that they will set hard. there are two ways i do this, method one: when soft slightly moisten your florists wire at the end or the spot for the ball with fondant glue/cmc glue (paper covered wire) and slide the balls on and leave to dry
method 2: roll balls and leave to set, when hard get your florists wire and hol over an open flame to heat the end till hot and then insert in the ball and leave to cool, the heated wire melts the gumpaste and creates its own glue the minute it cools it sets and is ready to go, i prefer the heating mehtod but obviosly that doesn't work for balls in the middle of the wore like on the cake i have shown you

Thanks, adatay, That's exactly the look I'm looking for.
BTW, love the cake!

poohsmomma, I'll give you my 2 cents worth. I'm still a newbie but I have done it. (check my avatar).
What I did was make your balls, mix tylose and water to make a glue, paint the ball where it is to inserted. After all the balls are on the wires you can add another dob of glue to the bottom of each ball. Leave the wires with the balls on their side to dry overnight. Make sure they are good and dry and you can insert them into your cake

You're 2 cents worth is appreciated!
and BTW, my b-day is Oct. 3...hello, fellow Libra!

I heat the wire over a candle until it red hot, then stick it into the ball. The heat melts the sugar, its like instant glue

PS I do the same for my rose cones, no need to wait for them to dry Im not the patient kind

Thanks

Thanks riana maybe I'll try this tip if I'm in a hurry.

yep they are the ways i described above cmc glue is the same as tylose glue and i use a lighter instead of a candle but all the same