Hi everyone! I'm hoping to solicit some advice from all you amazing cake decorators out there. I am doing a wedding cake this weekend (my first) and for the last 2 days I have been working on a gumpaste bride and groom, and so far I have done 2 brides, only to have them crack and fall over as they are drying! They look amazing when I initially finish them, but as they dry, they start to topple over and crack everywhere and look awful. Any advice on how I can prevent this? I can't find any youtube videos on how to make people, and the books I have bought so far don't have any people, just animals and small creatures. Anyone able to help me???? Please????

Also, is there any way to repair the cracks? If I could salvage one of these brides it would help a lot!

did you make your own fondant? When I work with fondant I use shortening in it while I am working the fondant and then roll it out. The shortening helps to keep it from drying out. I make my own MMF and it never cracks on me. I would take it off and try again. Not sure if you can save what on the cake because of the icing and cake crumbs that would be on it.

If you are standing them up to dry, might I suggest you lay them down until they are completely dry. I don't know how big you're making them, or what position you have them in. Is the gum paste itself cracking? What kind of gum paste are you using? Are you sticking them into the cake with skewers or are you trying to get them to stand on their own?

Instead of using gumpaste (which indeed does have a tendency to crack on dense figures but is perfect for thin elements [i.e. flowers]), try using a combination of fondant mixed with a little tylose powder. I used to have the same challenge you are describing but once I switched to fondant mixed with tylose powder voila no cracking and the figures dry relatively quickly!

If they are toppling over, maybe your base is not wide enough. can you add a blob of gumpaste to make a sturdy base - can it be covered byt hte brides gown?
For the cracking, depending on where it is - you can make a same colored royal icing and smooth it over the cracks. Also, fondant mixed with a bit of water and mushed and smoothed over might help. If you can post a picture, you might get more help.

you could try mixing gumpaste and fondant together 50/50 if will make it a little more flexable , but it takes a little longer to dry , you could also try using modeling chocolate to make your figures , are you making the figures standing or sitting because I think sitting might be easier. good luck melissa

I agree with the 50/50 so it doesn't dry too fast and crack or just put some tylose in your fondant.

i agree i don't have any luck with gumpaste even my flowers are to delicate and break 50/50 is much better