Will your whole cake be covered in fondant, then the cutouts, or will the cutouts go on a buttercream cake? If the cake is fondant covered, you can put the cutouts on right away. On buttercream, you may have to get more experienced decorators to help you. In my own limited experience, fondant pieces on buttercream tend to soak up the moisture from the BC and get very soft and wet-looking.(especially if left on overnight). I would put them on closer to the time of delivery.
The whole cake will be covered in fondant. My question is really can I make the fondant cutouts hours or days ahead or do I have to put them on right away?
The only problem I've had with making them ahead is that they firm up and if you've had them laying flat, then try to put them on the round side of the cake, they make crack when you try to bend them. Does that make sense? I'm talking about flat coutouts, not 3D figures. You could surely do them a few hours ahead and cover them with plastic wrap to help them stay soft and flexible. Days ahead, you may have a problem.
AI agree with dawnybird, its not as much of an issue if the cake is square too (if you have a nice flat cake also) but with round cakes you will probably get cracking. If I know I have to make a lot of difficult things I usually put grease proof over a covered dummy and lay them to dry on there if I really have to, that way they still have a curve to them
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