Hello cakers,

My only experience with fondant was in making Mickey Mouse cupcakes like these:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1924570/mickey-mouse-cupcakes

My ears kept falling off, possibly because I didn't cut them out in advance and let them dry - possibly because I had no idea what I was doing.

So now I want to make this cake for my grandson's first birthday party:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1791317/milk-and-cookies-cake

My questions are:

1.) How thick do you think the fondant is in that picture?
2.) Do I make the milk bottles/number, etc. in advance and let them dry? If so, how long?
3.) Do I smack them on the cake before the buttercream crusts or attach them later with more icing?

I'd also like to make a "C" like the "S" on this cake:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zjgKOzC5MkY/S_DKUWUlgyI/AAAAAAAADrU/gqKw_CttXwY/s1600/04+29+10_1855.JPG

Do I do THAT in advance and let it dry? If so, how long?

Thank you SOOOOOOOO much for any help you give!

Regards,
Laurel

I would say it's about 1/4 inch thick, how are you cutting the bottles out? You could do them a day in advance and they will be fine. Don't let them dry completly flat though, place them on something with a curved edge (a shortening can would be good, or the wilton flower dryer thing). When I attach fondant decorations, I lightly paint the back with a wet brush and it attaches perfectly. You can do this before or after it crusts, as long as the fondant is wet, it will stick.

As far as the 'C', yes you will want to do that at least 24 hours in advance to give it time to dry and be sturdy...also make sure you insert a toothpick into the bottom of it before it drys so you can attach to the cake.

Hi,

Yr problem with the ears falling off, could hv been due to them not being dry OR you maybe added a little too much "glue" or water to the area where you placed them on, I'm not sure.

The fondant looks like maybe its 1/8 thick, I could be wrong but thats what it looks like.
As far as the milk n cookies cake: I wouldn't make the milk bottles in advance bc you would want them to fit/adhere directly to the sides of yr cake. If you make them in advance, they wb too hard to manuever to fit accurately. I would make the rounds and #1s the same time I make the milk, again bc of placement. I would attach them with BC after it has crusted for a few minutes. That way when you place them, they won't make marks in the cake as if it had be squashed/pressed into the cake.

The "C" monogram: YES make it in advance, so that it is hard and sturdy enough to stand and hold its shape. I usually make monograms at least 3 days in advance. Make a 50/50 mixture of gumpaste and fondant OR just gumpaste (drys faster) OR fondant with tylose mixed in to it and it will dry fast as well.

The cookies around the border looks like real cookies to me.
HTH

Hi,

Yr problem with the ears falling off, could hv been due to them not being dry OR you maybe added a little too much "glue" or water to the area where you placed them on, I'm not sure.

The fondant looks like maybe its 1/8 thick, I could be wrong but thats what it looks like.
As far as the milk n cookies cake: I wouldn't make the milk bottles in advance bc you would want them to fit/adhere directly to the sides of yr cake. If you make them in advance, they wb too hard to manuever to fit accurately. I would make the rounds and #1s the same time I make the milk, again bc of placement. I would attach them with BC after it has crusted for a few minutes. That way when you place them, they won't make marks in the cake as if it had be squashed/pressed into the cake.

The "C" monogram: YES make it in advance, so that it is hard and sturdy enough to stand and hold its shape. I usually make monograms at least 3 days in advance. Make a 50/50 mixture of gumpaste and fondant OR just gumpaste (drys faster) OR fondant with tylose mixed in to it and it will dry fast as well.

The cookies around the border looks like real cookies to me.
HTH

Hi,

Yr problem with the ears falling off, could hv been due to them not being dry OR you maybe added a little too much "glue" or water to the area where you placed them on, I'm not sure.

The fondant looks like maybe its 1/8 thick, I could be wrong but thats what it looks like.
As far as the milk n cookies cake: I wouldn't make the milk bottles in advance bc you would want them to fit/adhere directly to the sides of yr cake. If you make them in advance, they wb too hard to manuever to fit accurately. I would make the rounds and #1s the same time I make the milk, again bc of placement. I would attach them with BC after it has crusted for a few minutes. That way when you place them, they won't make marks in the cake as if it had be squashed/pressed into the cake.

The "C" monogram: YES make it in advance, so that it is hard and sturdy enough to stand and hold its shape. I usually make monograms at least 3 days in advance. Make a 50/50 mixture of gumpaste and fondant OR just gumpaste (drys faster) OR fondant with tylose mixed in to it and it will dry fast as well.

The cookies around the border looks like real cookies to me.
HTH

It doesn't matter how thick their fondant is, it will look just as good whatever thickness you use.

If you want to cut the bottles ahead of time, you could wrap them in press and seal wrap to keep them soft until you need them. Putting them on before the cake crusts is fine, or if you need it to crust in order to smooth it (I do), then brushing the backs of the bottles with water and then putting them on the crusted buttercream would work.

I would make the curly letter as soon as possible if you're just using fondant. If you're using gumpaste, make it at least two days in advance.

Ooooppsss..sorry for the additional posts. Computer was acting crazy...uuuggghhh

Thanks for your replies. I'm doing the cake today. I made MMF and added tylose for the monogram. I made it yesterday so that it would dry, so I used BOTH your suggestions.

Debbye27, I'm making the milk bottles, the circles, and the 1's with cookie cutters. I wrote the baker of the cake in the first cake and she finally got back to me. The fondant was 1/4" thick.

Thanks again! I gotta get back in the kitchen!

Laurel