...make My 3-D Apples So They Won't Flatten On The Bottom
Decorating By kjskid Updated 13 Nov 2009 , 4:34pm by tonedna
I am planning a cake with a few 3-d apples made out of fondant or fondant/gumpaste on the top. My question is, how do I set them up to dry so they won't flatten out on the bottom. I did some 3-d pumpkins, and they flattened, but they were the little pumpkins that already look squashed, so it was ok.
Thanks!
The only thing I can think of is to get some styrofoam and put as many toothpicks as there are apples and then place the apples on the toothpicks to dry. That way, they are suspended and won't have a chance to flatten. Also, if the bottom of the apple will be down when it's put on the cake, then no one will ever see the hole from the toothpick... I don't know if that's the best way, but it's what I would probably do! HTH!
I take a container and put powdered sugar in the bottom and place the figures in that so the PS molds to the bottom and doesn't deform what I'm working on. HTH 
Yea but I always just brush it off or paint it with some vodka to get it off. I suppose if you didn't want to do that you could maybe put plastic wrap over the PS container, just be careful the plastic wrap doesn't leave marks in the fondant? not sure about that part... I haven't had a problem with not being about to get the PS off before.
I take a container and put powdered sugar in the bottom and place the figures in that so the PS molds to the bottom and doesn't deform what I'm working on. HTH
I do the same thing, but with corn starch... works like a charm!
Yea but I always just brush it off or paint it with some vodka to get it off. I suppose if you didn't want to do that you could maybe put plastic wrap over the PS container, just be careful the plastic wrap doesn't leave marks in the fondant? not sure about that part... I haven't had a problem with not being about to get the PS off before.
Thanks, I'll try it! Now I have to hope I can get it to look like an apple.... 
Thanks, I'll try it! Now I have to hope I can get it to look like an apple....
And if it doesn't, you can just tell everyone its a fancy new type of apple they don't even know about yet.... 
Oh no! I just looked at my apple, and it's flattening. And since I didn't think it would flatten at all, I put it on its side. I tried to kinda round it back out, but the fondant's dried enough that it's cracking.
Any other ideas? I'm trying to make the apple life-size out of 50/50 fondant/gumpaste. It won't stay up on a toothpick, just slides right down.
wow I didn't know you were making a life sized one! Thats pretty big to be made of all fondant/gumpaste. What about making it out of RKT first then covering it?
could you use styrofoam balls and cover with fondant.. this way .. they will be lighter.. and will dry easier.. since you are making them life like.. rolling your fondant/g/p into an apple shape.. takes a lot of the medium .. therefore making it heavier.. and hard to dry and keep its shape. just a thought .. nick lodge use this method for a pumpkin on one of his cakes and tutorial.. hth... in americancakedecorating magazine....
The only thing I can think of is your fondant/gumpaste is too soft. Maybe add more powered sugar to make it stiffer. Also, what kind of fondant are you using. Homemade? If so, make sure you let it set overnight so it firms up.
I dry heavy pieces on a 3 to 4" thick piece of upholstery foam that I purchased at Joann fabrics. The foam "cushions" the piece instead of flattening it out and it's porous enough that it allows the fondant to dry. (My piece of foam is about 12" x 12".)
wow I didn't know you were making a life sized one! Thats pretty big to be made of all fondant/gumpaste. What about making it out of RKT first then covering it?
LOL! I actually never thought of it. Duh! I think I'll try that next, it's a great idea. Won't the fondant be bumpy when you cover it, though?
I would let them dry on a skewer over styrofoam
Edna
It slid right down the toothpick. Would a skewer work better?
wow I didn't know you were making a life sized one! Thats pretty big to be made of all fondant/gumpaste. What about making it out of RKT first then covering it?
LOL! I actually never thought of it. Duh! I think I'll try that next, it's a great idea. Won't the fondant be bumpy when you cover it, though?
I would let them dry on a skewer over styrofoam
Edna
It slid right down the toothpick. Would a skewer work better?
No wonder they sliding down!...I didnt know it was life size either!..I think I would go with the rice crispies instead. I think at that size the gumpase will flaten unless you have a lot of support for it. Definitively a skewer wont be enough! 
Edna
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