I will be making some fondant clowns for a Relay for Life cake and wanted to ask...is it best to mix gumpaste or tylose powder with the fondant to make the stronger? Thanks for the guidance. I love the info this sight offers. You can learn so much from just reading other posts. Thanks again. BTW..I will be making the clowns this weekend to use on the cake next Friday.

Yes, you can mix fondant and gum paste 50/50 or add tylose. Fondant on it's own is not strong enough to make figures with. I found out the hard way.

Hi....and welcome to CC......a mixture of fondant and gumpaste about 1/2-1/2 works good. I usually use Wilton fondant for my figures, it's cheaper and it seems to dry quicker.....but that is a matter of taste. I don't know how to download a picture to the forum but if you look in my photos you will see some of my figures....... If you make them this week end they will be good and sturdy for next Friday. I use the BBQ scures for stability or tooth picks for the smaller areas.....

Great cause, Relay for Life.....post pictures...

I just did a cake with mario and sonic figures,I used just fondant.(Michelle Fosters recipe)I made bears,birds and people with it for another cake and all have turned out well.They can be made ahead and hardened without any cracking.I have heard to mix half fondant and half gumpaste and am trying that this week.

I always just mix the tylose with my satin ice fondant - I am lazy

ok...I need help from the experts or anyone for that matter on making fondant figures...I attempted to make clowns from the Wilton "raising a ruckus" cake. I make my own MMF from a recipe on this site and mixed 50-50 fondant and Wilton gumpaste. The clowns did not hold their shape very well. They are not looking too good. I made them this weekend so that they sould dry and I could complete the cake Thursday for Friday. What do I do now? redo the clowns and with what? hope for the best? any suggestions would be great! I am at my whits end and feeling very discouraged.

Thanks in advance!

I use Michelle fosters updated fondant mixed with half wilton gumpaste.
I was able to make a figure and golf balls and have them harden up enough over night to stand.
I always find that mmf is way to soft to sculpt with.

Would modeling chocoate be better? That doesn't need to dry right? Could make those and still be okay...if they work? HElp

The wilton fondant and gumpaste mix will mold well and hold well.....because the Wilton fondant is a bit dryer than satin ice and homemade fondant....Check out my wizard of oz cake....this mixture usually sets in a short time and completely set in a few days.....

I really like using modeling chocolate, but others prefer a fondant mixture. It is really up to you. The reason I like modeling chocolate is because it is easier for me to blend seams and make it smooth. It can be problematic if you have warm hands as the chocolate can get pretty soft. However, if you pop it in the fridge for a while, it hardens back up.

Post pics to see how bad they are. Humidity also has alot to do with drying. The more humid it is the longer it will take for fondant to dry. I find wilton fondant very good for figurines because it dries faster and is very easy to work with. If I am making very last minute figures and want them to dry fast I just mix half wilton fondant and half gumpaste. They are usually dry to the touch over night. Don't get discouraged it will work out.

I will check them when I get home and see what they are like. I like for things to look like they do in a picture and I can't seem to make that happen. Very discouraged at this point. Thanks for all who made suggestions.