Can anyone help me out with this? I see cakes where people have made figures out of fondant, or at least parts for the cake.

I'm making an under-water themed cake this weekend with fish-themed cake pops, but I'd really like to make some coral, kelp, shells out of fondant to put on the sheet cake itself. Do I just use my normal MMF recipe? I feel like mine is soft enough that it doesn't hold its shape well. Am I just not adding enough powdered sugar?

Also, what are your recommendations as far as timing? Better to make the figures a day or two ahead of time before putting them on the cake?

Thanks for your help!

For 3D figures and flowers, I do use my leftover MMF. What I do is mix it with Wilton gumpaste. I buy it at Michael's or AC Moore using their 40/50% off coupons. The more gum paste you add the faster it till dry.

If you really want to use MMF, make the figures at least a week in advance if they're going to stand up from the cake. You need to dry them with some support, like on flower formers, to get them to hold the shape you want.

I would make the shells from white chocolate, they sell molds for sea shells at Michaels and Hobby Lobby (hobby lobby carries a smaller-sized shell mold set). You can paint the inside of the molds with some stripes of brown and tan, or dust the finished shells with some pearl dust.

I use fondant and mix a little Gum-Tex in with it. I have a cake with shells and coral in my photos and also a scuba diver. When I make my shells, I marble the gray with the white or marble light brown with the white fondant to make realistic sea shells.

I make mine with 50% mmf and 50% Satin Ice gumpaste. You usually can get Wilton though at your local Walmart. I like Satin Ice better though, and it's cheaper. Wilton is $8-$9 for a pound at WM. I order Satin Ice and get it delivered to my door at $25 for 5lbs. Plus it comes in a nice bucket for easy storage.