Can't Make These Figures. Cake Due Tomorrow! Im In Trouble.

Decorating By JCE62108 Updated 29 May 2010 , 12:18am by JulieMN

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JCE62108 Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:16pm
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I'm literally in tears right now. This is the first cake I've taken on that I feel like maybe I just really can't do it. When I took the order I never, ever would have thought it would be this hard. I mean, it looks easy to me!

I just cant get the figures to work. For the life of me, I CANT get the stupid turtle thing and yoshi to work. My fondant just "melts" and they look like blobs. Not only that, it wont stick to the side of the cake because its so heavy. My first attempt slide off the side even though I had a scewer holding the heavy shell on the turtle thing. Gumpaste isnt helping either. It's still melting because it doesnt have time to dry.

I mean, when I was looking at this photo I never would have thought it was gumpaste. I thought it was all done in fondant. Am I wrong? Did I totally screw myself by not making the figures in advance?

I feel like this cake is going to be a disaster. I just can get them to hold their shape and this is due at 1pm tomorrow and the delivery is 2 hours away. I wont have time to deal with this tomorrow. It has to be done tonight.

Please tell me you have some suggestions for me. I cant sit here crying over this thing anymore, it's not doing me any good. Please tell me you have some idea of how these things might be made and secured on the cake because whatever I'm doing just isnt working. I need help. Please.
LL

58 replies
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JCE62108 Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:24pm
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Would it be really bad to not even include those figures? I mean, this is the photo she sent me. I have no clue where she got it. Maybe someone here did this cake. I dont know. I know I need to try to make it as close as I can because that is what she wanted, but it's just not working. What do I do? If I leave it off, do I need to give a refund? I never, ever thought I'd be having so much trouble. Im truly paniced right now.

I can tell you though, mine looks nothing like it. My Mario is totally scary. I used gumpaste and his head still sunk into his body and he looks like he's constipated. It's horrible.

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Joybeth Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:31pm
post #3 of 59

I would say it needed to dry more. If its not due until tomorrow can you start over on the figures and do them a little at a time as the pieces dry? Sorry this is so hard on you..."( hug)"

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CakesbyOma Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:40pm
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I live in a dry climate and sometimes it take ages for my figures to dry soooooo this is what I would do - make some green royal icing, take out grasss tip and put grass behind where the figures should be. Let it dry a bit (5 min +-) then put the figure on with more green "grass" in front. Hold it until icing is dry (Put toothpic in the bottom of figure, thro' grass), then fill up little holes with more green icing and no one is the wiser! Worked for me. Good luck and a big, big hug. Know how you feel. Please let me know if this works for you....

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JCE62108 Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:40pm
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I dont even need to start over. I pretty much already did. Well, I took the turtle and threw him at the wall. Which reminds me, I need to get that goo off my wall. I don't have any figures on the cake. I figured I'd stop what I was doing because I was causing a lot of damage to my cake, which I had to cover it up with a vine....which looks horrible. But oh well. No choice there. Actually there is some turtle stuck to my shoe now. DARN IT.

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JCE62108 Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:49pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CakesbyOma

I live in a dry climate and sometimes it take ages for my figures to dry soooooo this is what I would do - make some green royal icing, take out grasss tip and put grass behind where the figures should be. Let it dry a bit (5 min +-) then put the figure on with more green "grass" in front. Hold it until icing is dry (Put toothpic in the bottom of figure, thro' grass), then fill up little holes with more green icing and no one is the wiser! Worked for me. Good luck and a big, big hug. Know how you feel. Please let me know if this works for you....




Thank you for your suggestion. I'll keep that in mind if I get desperate, however Im not totally sure it will work in my case.

I feel like maybe I do need time for these to dry a bit, however with figures this thick, it would take a week for it to dry. I guess a firm dry skin on the outside would help it keep it's shape, even if it was gooey on the inside.

Can someone tell me this, how in the world do you dry round pieces of gumpaste without it getting flat on the bottom? I tried making yoshi's body and letting it dry, but as soon as I sat it on the counter it started getting flat on the bottom and loosing it's shape. Same thing with the faces. If you look at the faces, its like little balls put together to make the shape. It obviously wasnt set somewhere to dry, because if it was it would have flat spaces on the bottom. This is really why I thought it was done with fondant and just applied directly to the cake.

If you guys had this order, how would you have gone about this?

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dalis4joe Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:50pm
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take some fondant and add lots and lots of tylose to it... and re do the figures.... then pu them in the oven with the pilot light on.... they will be dry by tmo....

another CC'er said they usethe microwave... you put the figures in for 6-8 seconds.... then let them cool for 5 minutes or so... then again another 6-8 seconds... and so on an so forth...I haven't tried this method,but if they read this they might be able to help you more... don't dispair.... the cake is super super cute

maybe you should post pics of what u have so far so we can see what/how we can help you get it done faster....

hth

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marthajo1 Posted 27 May 2010 , 10:53pm
post #8 of 59

When I don't have time to put a figure together I do the parts and assemble those right before. Make his body/shell part around a mini marshmallow so it will be lighter or a medium pasta shell and make his head, legs and arms separate. then tomorrow when you get there put him together with a little gum glue that you have prepared ahead. That is how I did my bear on my umbrella cake. for the head have a bit of toothpick formed into the shell and then a tiny hole in the base of head....

Hope this helps.

OR scrap the 3-D thing and do flat shapes on the side of cake or flat shapes that you let dry overnight and stick on at 12:50 tomorrow.

Good Luck! I always hate when they give such a perfect looking cake as an idea. is it family or just a stranger client?

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Adriana090175 Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:02pm
post #9 of 59

Your best option it'sto mixwith a bit of fondant and stick them with dried spaghetti pasta so they don't fall, i'msure if do them all know they'll dry enough to stick them

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newmansmom2004 Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:04pm
post #10 of 59

Just keep in mind most figures are merely a series of round balls or sausages manipulated into the shape you need. Walk away for a half hour or so, do something else, then come back and just look at it as making a series of balls and sausages, then doing the detailed shaping, and putting them together. The royal icing idea might work in keeping the shapes attached to the sides of the cake. OR...take a little blob of gumpaste and dissolve it in some water to make a "sugar glue". I use this to keep fondant against fondant and it works very well.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. thumbs_up.gif

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Karen421 Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:19pm
post #11 of 59

The oven with the light only on, worked for me when I needed something dry in a hurry. But you need to take a break and relax first, when I am stressed nothing will go right. Good Luck!!! Keep us posted!

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JCE62108 Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:24pm
post #12 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by dalis4joe

take some fondant and add lots and lots of tylose to it... and re do the figures.... then pu them in the oven with the pilot light on.... they will be dry by tmo....

another CC'er said they usethe microwave... you put the figures in for 6-8 seconds.... then let them cool for 5 minutes or so... then again another 6-8 seconds... and so on an so forth...I haven't tried this method,but if they read this they might be able to help you more... don't dispair.... the cake is super super cute

maybe you should post pics of what u have so far so we can see what/how we can help you get it done faster....

hth





I just took your suggestion and added a ton of tylose to my fondant. It works better than the gumpaste! I just made yoshi and he was drying as I was making him so I had to lwork fast. It kept it's shape so much better. I honestly didnt think tylose would be better than gumpaste, but it really worked good in this case. Yoshi is done and stuck into the side of the cake with a scewer and proped up with a marker to hold him in place until he dries. Then hopefully I can remove the marker and add the legs under him.

Wow. I just got a little boost of confidence here. I think this may actually work ok. I was scared about putting it in the oven or microwave. Ive tried that trick before and ended up with a melted mess. I dont think my oven goes to a low enough temp.

Ive put fondant in the microwave before to soften it up. I was scared to do it for fear Id melt my yoshi. I think this may work with just the tylose by itself. Let me work a bit and Ill let you guys know how it turns out.

I greatly appreciate all your suggestions. I was in such a panic. I feel a little hope coming back. icon_smile.gif

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superstar Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:36pm
post #13 of 59

I never use gumpaste for anuthing, I always mix fondant with tylose & also add cream of tartar & egg white as per Frans recipe which is on Cake Journal's website. I can roll it & make it as thin as I like & for me living in Hawaii...this is the only way I can make anything out of sugar.

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mariana7842731 Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:37pm
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fondant+tylose=gumpaste.

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JCE62108 Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:49pm
post #15 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by superstar

I never use gumpaste for anuthing, I always mix fondant with tylose & also add cream of tartar & egg white as per Frans recipe which is on Cake Journal's website. I can roll it & make it as thin as I like & for me living in Hawaii...this is the only way I can make anything out of sugar.




What does it have to do with Hawaii? Is it humidity or something? Im in FL, which is humid pretty much all the time. Could that be why gumpaste doesnt work well for me? It was hot and nasty out today. Not horribly humid, but it's always at least a little humid in FL. I wonder if that is why I was having issues with my fondant and gumpaste.

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chellescountrycakes Posted 27 May 2010 , 11:56pm
post #16 of 59

The main thing I wouldnt dois stickthem to the cake right now. Let them dry overnight and worry about sticking them on in the morning.

they tend to pull with their own weight when you put them out there like that.

and the only way I've ever gotten a ball to work was to stick a toothpic in it and stick the toothpic in styrofome. it keeps it from sitting on a surface.

I always mix my gumpaste and fondant. it gives me the perfect medium to work with. doesnt dry too quickly, but it does dry and allows me to work with it and its not flimsy like trying to make a tower with bread dough.


good luck!! its an adorable cake, and I cant wait to see the finished product!!

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dalis4joe Posted 28 May 2010 , 12:01am
post #17 of 59

good.... I'm glad it's getting better.... just take it easy and as you go along... of you run into any problems... come back to us.... believe me if you are going through it....one of us here has already gone through it and will be able to help you....

icon_smile.gif

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StandingForJesus Posted 28 May 2010 , 12:10am
post #18 of 59

Gosh, I've been in the place your in cake due next day and nothing working out, pure panic sets in! As fas as these figures, I'd make some royal icing and give that a try. I'm afraid fondant and gumpaste won't dry in time, but royal icing will dry pretty quick and so long as you get the consistancy just right, you'll be able to do those figures in royal icing just fine. I've done a barn yard cake and made all the animals even little chickens that really turned out great from royal icing. I was amazed myself how well they turned out, but more so how easy it was to create using royal icing. My only other suggestion would be to use fondant flat on the cake. What I mean by that is, roll out your fondant flat, cut out and lay it on the side of the cake. That would be the quickest way to do it and that would be even easier than royal icing I think. I suggested the royal icing because that's what it looks like to me in the pictures, but there is also some flat fondant on there. It's really a cute cake and I'm sure you'll do just fine. Just walk away for a little, take yoru mind off it, maybe go take a nice hot bubble bath and relax, then go back and you'll be amazed. I've had to do just that many times myself. Look forward to seeing your cake! Be blessed!

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jerseygirlNga Posted 28 May 2010 , 12:16am
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You are on the right track with the tylose. You can add to gumpaste too. I made my gumpaste only once the day before and it almost didn't have time to dry...I ran to the store and got a very small "personal sized" fan to speed dry time for figures and my covered drums. Now, (same predicament as you with humidity in Georgia) I make all my gumpaste figures as soon as I take an order. Heck, no one is going to eat them anyway. I'm working on figures now for next Saturday!

I'm sure all will turn out fine...relax and enjoy!

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Christen99 Posted 28 May 2010 , 12:16am
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Wow. I just got a little boost of confidence here. I think this may actually work ok. I was scared about putting it in the oven or microwave. Ive tried that trick before and ended up with a melted mess. I dont think my oven goes to a low enough temp.

Ive put fondant in the microwave before to soften it up. I was scared to do it for fear Id melt my yoshi. I think this may work with just the tylose by itself. Let me work a bit and Ill let you guys know how it turns out.

I greatly appreciate all your suggestions. I was in such a panic. I feel a little hope coming back. icon_smile.gif[/quote]

Don't EVER turn your oven on, or you'll ruin all of your work! You just need to turn the oven light on, put the figures on a parchment covered cookie sheet (though I just plop them directly on my pizza stone), and they'll dry over night with the door closed. The oven light creates a very low, drying heat and will dry out your figures very quickly.

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mim1106 Posted 28 May 2010 , 12:26am
post #21 of 59

I learned on here that if you fill a bowl with flour and cover that with saran wrap, then dig a hole in the flour the shape that you need, put your figure in it and push the flour around your figure, it will keep the shape you want.

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superstar Posted 28 May 2010 , 12:45am
post #22 of 59

Yes, JCE62108, humidity is sometimes a big problem here, I have learned the hard way how to deal with it!

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JCE62108 Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:14am
post #23 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christen99

Wow. I just got a little boost of confidence here. I think this may actually work ok. I was scared about putting it in the oven or microwave. Ive tried that trick before and ended up with a melted mess. I dont think my oven goes to a low enough temp.

Ive put fondant in the microwave before to soften it up. I was scared to do it for fear Id melt my yoshi. I think this may work with just the tylose by itself. Let me work a bit and Ill let you guys know how it turns out.

I greatly appreciate all your suggestions. I was in such a panic. I feel a little hope coming back. icon_smile.gif




Don't EVER turn your oven on, or you'll ruin all of your work! You just need to turn the oven light on, put the figures on a parchment covered cookie sheet (though I just plop them directly on my pizza stone), and they'll dry over night with the door closed. The oven light creates a very low, drying heat and will dry out your figures very quickly.[/quote]

Ahhhh. My oven doesnt come with a light. icon_smile.gif I just have a regular, cheap household oven. I guess that's why it didnt work before. lol. I have a fan that I usually put stuff in front of. I just honestly didnt think I would need to do that with these figures. I guess Im really showing my inexperience here.

Well, I've done all I am going to do tonight. I made the turtle dude and yoshi. I think those two characters had to be made. My cake looks absolutly NOTHING like the photo....and I mean n-o-t-h-i-n-g. But I hope she likes it. I think it's cute, but I am worried that she is going to say something about it not looking like the photo.

I usually make a point to tell my customers that each piece of art and each artist is unique and while you may give me a photo to use as inspiration, it doesnt mean its going to turn out exactly like that. HOWEVER, I don't remember specifically telling HER that. I'll just drop it off and get out of there as fast as I can before she can say anything. LOL. At least it's cute and it's going to taste awesome....so I think all will be good. Ok...can you tell Im still nervous?

I didnt add luigi or the little mushroom dude. (Toad, I think his name is?) The cake looks very full as it is. Should I still try to squeeze those characters on there since they are in the photo she gave me? If you think so, I'll get to work on it very early tomorrow. If you dont think it's a big deal, Im going to leave it. Honestly I just want to leave it. AArrrghhhhh....I think I do need a break. It's 9:15 and Ive been working on this cake since 7am. I'm going to bed.

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cownsj Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:35am
post #24 of 59

Sounds like you're doing pretty good. Can you post a picture of what you have? then we can let you know if you need the other characters or not. More likely though, when you get up in the morning, are refreshed and get a fresh look at the cake, you'll know the answer yourself. Good luck, sounds like you're overcoming all the problems nicely.

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dalis4joe Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:38am
post #25 of 59

if the cake looks pretty well ditributed when it comes todetails and you got most of the characters on...then don'tworry about it.... it's fine... I don't think that they would make a big deal... as long as the cake is Mario themed and has a lot of the things that we associate with Mario Bros'... it's fine...

I am glad you were able to make the other figures with the fondant and tylose... to be honest with you... I am not sure that RI would have been a good option being that when you add details in fondant and/or gumpaste... it's a neater cleaner look.... and by that pic... the client should be expecting a clean looking cake... not nessesarily with ALL the characters...but certainly the clean look of fondant/gumpaste....

I hope you post som epics... can't wait to see it... icon_smile.gif

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mamawrobin Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:45am
post #26 of 59

I made this cake last week. I didn't make my figures until the night before it was due. I used gumpaste for the figures so it dried pretty fast.

How do I get my picture to post?

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cownsj Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:47am
post #27 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by dalis4joe



I hope you post som epics... can't wait to see it... icon_smile.gif




I know the above is a typo, and I'm certainly not picking on anyone's typos, I have enough myself. But it just struck me funny in this case because I am absolutely sure the poor OP has felt like this cake has been an epic. lol

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cownsj Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:51am
post #28 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamawrobin

I made this cake last week. I didn't make my figures until the night before it was due. I used gumpaste for the figures so it dried pretty fast.

How do I get my picture to post?




I've never figured out how to get photos to post here either, but I did go into your photos area and looked at the cake. You did a great job on it, it came out adorable.

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mamawrobin Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:53am
post #29 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by cownsj

Quote:
Originally Posted by mamawrobin

I made this cake last week. I didn't make my figures until the night before it was due. I used gumpaste for the figures so it dried pretty fast.

How do I get my picture to post?



I've never figured out how to get photos to post here either, but I did go into your photos area and looked at the cake. You did a great job on it, it came out adorable.




Thank you. I'd never made a gumpaste/fondant figure before and I dreaded it so bad that I put it off until the night before it was due. icon_lol.gif

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cownsj Posted 28 May 2010 , 1:58am
post #30 of 59
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamawrobin

Quote:
Originally Posted by cownsj

Quote:
Originally Posted by mamawrobin

I made this cake last week. I didn't make my figures until the night before it was due. I used gumpaste for the figures so it dried pretty fast.

How do I get my picture to post?



I've never figured out how to get photos to post here either, but I did go into your photos area and looked at the cake. You did a great job on it, it came out adorable.



Thank you. I'd never made a gumpaste/fondant figure before and I dreaded it so bad that I put it off until the night before it was due. icon_lol.gif




I've never made a figure either and I have to make two for a cake for my neighbors. I keep putting it off but know I should get started so I have proper time to relax and really stress over it..... lol But I do want to get it done. I'd never know it was your first time making figures.

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