I am new to cake decorating and have just made some Penguins, a snowman and some green tress for an igloo cake for my Grand Daughters BD.

I used ready rolled fondant and added the powder to make them dry quicker, I live on the Gold Coast and it is not even hot, it is raining and quite cool, I have left them on the table to dryout woke up this morning and they are so sticky ( almost melting )

I dont understand why this is happening what can I do to dry them out. Even the white snowman is sticky as without colouring in it, I used Wilton paste colours not liquid

Hi it would probably be because of all of the moisture in the air, can you put the figures in a very dry area?
What did you put into the fondant? which brand was it?

I use this recipe for gumpaste http://www.gingerbread-house-heaven.com/gum-paste-recipe.html
very easy with excellent results.
The 1 sachet of gelatin equals about 7grams or 2 1/2 teaspoons

I think I should have used gumpaste, it is supposed to hold up better.
I used Wilton Colours in it and the powder that makes it go harder I cant remember the name. I have them sitting in front of a fan at the moment so I am hoping they will dry out a bit. I have been told it is because there is too much moisture in the air. You live and learn I suppose, I cant imagagine making them on hot days on the GC though LOL

You can mix g/p and fondant. Makes really nice figures.You, adding gum tex to your fondant will do the trick also. Adding gum tex to fondant or tylose makes gum paste. The fans should help them alot. I use fans also.

I live in Florida where it is humid 9 months out the year. I usually make sure that it is in the cooler part of the day & that my area is dry & cool, usually crank the air conditioning up & make sure I am ziploc'd in the kitchen (NO windows or doors open anywhere in the house). Make sure your hands are also cool. I use fondant & gumpaste (50/50) for my figures. A fan is probably a good idea for overnight. Hope it turns out for you. I feel your pain, humidity has wrecked more than one cake for me.

Thankyou so much for all your advice, I will be adding gumpaste to my fondant next time although I did add tylose, I had them sitting next to the window with the breeze blowing in LOL after reading your post I have quickly moved them into a room closed the window and have the fan full speed. I could put the Air Con on but we will be be freezing, but I will if the fan doesnt work.

is it possible for a figure to dry and then some days later get sticky again because of the weather?

gum tragacanth is the same with the gum text?

sorry for the language

That is a great question, if I do finally dry them out with the fan will they return to a sticky mess when I turn the fan off, the party is not until next weekend so it would be costly leaving the fan on until then LOL

You essentially made gum paste when you added the tylose to the fondant.

Gum trag is a more expensive, slower acting powder that acts very similarly to tylose.

If the air is very damp, even a dry figure can collect some moisture and to sticky. Sugar is hygroscopic--attracts moisture--and there is plenty of sugar in gum paste & fondant.

If you roll on powdered sugar, then the effect can be worsened. If you roll on vegetable shortening, the effect is usually lessened.

When storing finished figures, it's important to allow air to circulate around them, so tight fitting plastic containers aren't a good idea. If you can get a dessicant to place in with the figures, it can help limit the damage humid air can do.

HTH
Rae

I`ve made some aniamal figures last month, For my grandaughters B-D for May. I put them in a box, In the coolest room in the house, And they are just fine,

If I get them to dry out I will put them in a cardboard box, maybe that will absorb the moisure instead of the icing

I just had the same problem two days ago. I live in coober pedy and it is usually a dry heat here. Well, two days ago we got a thunder storm and the humidity was so high. I had made some figurines for an engagement cake for this weekend. I actually made them a week ago and they were very dry until the storm came. They became so sticky, like soft chewing gum. Luckliy they didn't melt and the next day was a bit better so they dried up again. I can't say the same for the cake. The fondant hearts just melted down the cake and I had to re-cover the cake the night before it was due. First time this has ever happened to me. I keep my refrigerated air-con on all day instead of the evaperative one I was using before.
Yes. humidity is an enemy to fondant. I will try and put some photos up of my melted cake.

I am having troubles uploading the pictures in this post so I have uploaded with the completed cake in my photos.

Well the fan did not work so I put the air con on and they started to dry slightly, we all froze it was that cold in the house, so today I have brought them to work and that is where they will stay until the weekend LOl, just one problem they now look horrible, all bumpy like ants have eaten tiny little holes in them, is there a way that I could smooth them without wrercking them, I really dont want to make them again. I was thinking of brushing them with spirits once they dry out to smooth them a bit