Hi, I'm doing a wedding cake for tomorrow (!!!) and need a fondant plaque for the top tier that resembles a big scrabble tile. I realize it should have been made days ago to harden, but this was a last minute request (family cake). How is the best way to do this? Could I mount the fondant on a piece of cardboard or something to help it stand up? What would I use to adhere it, and will this even work? Any ideas or suggestions would be GREAT!! Thanks so much!!!

Make it right now with some Tylose powder. Dry it on top of a piece of foam or a pile of cornstarch. It should be stiff enough by tomorrow. If not, yeah your cardboard would work too.

I mean, knead tylose into your fondant.

How much tylose? Can I buy it at Michael's or Hobby Lobby? I'm at work right now, so won't be home until about 5:30. The wedding is tomorrow at 1:30. Is that still enough time? Thanks so much for your help!

Oh...not sure if that's enough time. I can't tell you how much, it's a "by sight" thing with me. I have not ever seen that at any store, I order it online.

As far as I know Tylose is not available at Michael's or HH;(
Make it out of candy melts. If it needs to be white get white melts; outline w/slightly thickened (cooled a bit OR add *JUST 1 drop* of water to about 1 Tablespoon of candy) Flood the outline w/slightly warmed melted (white) chocolate.

Oh, you can use Wilton's gumpaste mix powder (OR GumTex - not sure if they are one in the same - might be) as a sub for Tylose. I just dip my fondant into the powder and knead it in until I can feel the fondant getting stiffer.

If you have gumpaste or want to buy a package of the premade gumpaste, that is what I would use.

You can use store-bought hard cookie (or make some but you are short of time) covered with RI or white candy melts.

TexasSugar, I was just thinking I should just buy some premade gumpaste and make it from that. Does that dry pretty quickly? This is not getting pressed against the cake, but needs to stand up on the top tier, so has to be hard enough to not bend or flex. I've used it once before, but can't remember how long it took to dry.

If you do it tonight, it will be pretty hard tomorrow.

Thanks!!

Could you cover a piece of cardboard or foam core to give it stability?

And I'm from KY, too!

I may have to do that if the gumpaste doesn't dry in time! What part of Ky are you in?

The gumpaste should dry over night, as long as you don't leave it super thick. I like to put it on some cornstarch to help. You can also, put it under a lamp, the heat helps, just don't put it super close.

I really like Wilton's pre-made gum paste. It's always dried fast and hard for me...even last minute things!

I'm in Springfield, right down the BG from Lex.

I made this plaque... http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2127470 (monogram on the top tier) the morning of this wedding.

I had another one made but dropped it and it broke in a zillion pieces when I went to pit it on the cake before heading out the door. I quickly tinted some gum paste pink, piped my royal monogram on it as fast as I could, and left it alone. It was the very last thing I put on the cake, it wasn't as stiff as I would have liked but it was rigid enough when I set it up on site and I attached it with royal icing. It was just fine. Total drying time, about 4 hours.

Put it in the oven overnight with just the oven light on. It should be fine.