A friend requested a cake for next Saturday. Well, I'm going out of town on Friday. So, I let her know that I could do the cake, but she would need to pick it up Friday morning (meaning it would be done Thursday night). It is a belly cake for a baby shower that will be covered in fondant to make the dress. I'm not very experienced with fondant and I'm starting to get concerned that the fondant will dry out between Thursday night and Saturday when she serves the cake. I am using Satin Ice. Will this happen? If so, is there anything that can be done to prevent it?

The cake will be fine. The fondant actually on the cake, it will remain soft on the inside while the outside dries to the touch. Anything like ruffles or such that is just decoration (both sides or majority exposed to air) will dry, but they'd dry anyway. Your cake will be able to be cut just fine and the cake inside the fondant will be protected.

My biggest concern is that the edges of the dress (fondant) will dry and possibly crack. Will the cake still look fresh on Saturday when it is served?

It'll look fine as long as reasonable care it taken with it when it's moved around and it's stored out of heat and light until serving.

Be sure that whatever icing or filling you use can be left out for that amount of time--unless the recipient is able to refrigerate the cake until the day of the party.

Rae