I'm using chocolate fondant right now and it is tearing like crazy eavy time I try to lift it up to cover the cake. I'm freakin' out because it's for my son's birthday tomorrow and he'll be disapointed if he doesn't have his x-box cake. How do I fix this???
If it's MMF I'd try adding about a tablespoon of shortening to it and knead it in well. It helps with the elasticity. Also, I've found with MMF that it needs to be a bit on the thicker side to avoid tearing. As much as I like MMF, the tearing issue is one of the reasons I don't use it as much. Oh....I almost forgot...the more you knead fondant the more elastic it is and it will tear less. I would knead it for at least 5 full minutes.
last time I had this problem, the fix was to work in more crisco -- a little bit at a time....and knead the livin' daylights out of it.
then to transfer from counter to cake...rolled around the rolling pin and unrolled it over the cake.
the stuck to mat trick works too. --- method depends upon size of cake....really big I do the pin, small the mat.
If you're working in a hot room it may stretch too much and tear, or maybe you've rolled it out a little thinly.
Start over and try not to roll it less than 1/4 inch thick, and also try to get about the right amount to cover your cake with just an inch or so extra, this will help with the tearing, as the excess fondant pulls and stretches and makes weak points which cause tears.
ok, I'm going back for attemp #4. I'll kneed the crisco in it to it and beat the smack out of it! 
I'm covering a 9x13 with extra large sides. I unfortunantly am working with only a large kitchen island that's been crisco'd to death. I'm investing in large sheets of plastic as soon as I can.
I think I must have done something wrong when mixing the choc. mmf yesterday, the consitstancy is nothing like regular mmf. I've kneeded it for 8 minutes and added more crisco to it. (my lil' stick arms are hurting) and it is still tearing as soon as I pick up one corner, like almost breaking off into small chunks! 
Is there anything else I can do? OR should I just keep kneeding it and adding lots more crisco.
are you sure you put enough liquid (water or flavoring) in it?
maybe a TBS or so of water would help (cocoa powder is very "dry") might even need more.
want it pliable but not sticky.
and then there is the zap in micro to soften -- but not sure that would work if it is crumbly dry.
I actually just had this same problem with regular mmf...I have no clue why it happened...thank God I only was needing it for accents, there is no way I coulda covered a whole cake with it....it just was tearing too easily. I did end up using a whole lot more crisco than normal and I had to microwave it a few times. I hope it turns out for ya!
OK the piece of 
choc. mmf is still tearing but not as badly as before. I put in a little more crisco- 2 tsp. water and a little more powdered sugar. This cake is awful, but I have no choice now and can't turn back. I'm patching it together like a quilt---an ugly brownish/black quilt with lots of rips, tears and ripples. It looks like an old piece of beat up luggage more than an x-box 
first time making choc. mmf and my LAST time! This is sooooo going into the disaster thread 
It won't even smooth out, just rips while on the cake with the lightest touch. I hate to say this but this cake is on life support right now.... I just don't know if I can pull the plug yet. Oh did I forget to tell you that you can see a ever so slight bulge from the filling 
I'm going to the store tomorrow to buy (*gasp*) wilton pre-made black fondant. IF they have any. If not, then the cake is getting just basic buttercream slapped on it or it goes to the trash. More than likely the trash. I have some choc. chip cookie dough so I guess I could make a cookie cake, I'd probably mess that up too. I'm so upset but all I'm doing is laughing right now.
Well I finished the cake but the choc. fondant didn't turn out so I just made regular mmf and the last 20 seconds added a handful of milk chocolate chips to it and then black piping gel. UGGGGG!! I worked for a LONG time trying to get that chocolate fondant to work. I ended up pulling my patch job off the cake and it came off in little chunks I'm so glad I didn't keep it on the cake and that I changed it out. I decorated the whole cake in the amount of time I was struggling with the choc. fondant and my quilt work there with no decorations! I wasted a lot of time trying to get it to work. Oh well, lesson learned. I managed to save the cake though and not put my fist through it. I'll post the pics tonight.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%