Hi everyone!
I just made a batch of fondant (extremely difficult for me to do), and it tastes great but whenever I make something from it, it 'squishes' itself down a bit. I made a bunny to go on a cake and when I was finished the bunny looked like someone had stepped on it. It's almost like it's melting but it doesn't completely ruin the shape. You can tell it's a bunny, but it's a very short bunny. Any ideas on how to fix this? It was quite a cold day too so it shouldn't have gotten too warm.

It sounds too soft, which may not give you any problems when you're just covering a cake, but for characters and flowers it can be more of a problem.

I'm not an expert, so I won't assume I know the best way to handle it, but maybe more powdered sugar to stiffen it up? Maybe I'm off base, but I know you'll get more posts from more seasoned fondant users! Good luck!

mmm the squishy bunny..... it sounds like its top heavy!
Make the body first let dry then attach the head....also try adding some tylose into fondant and it will harden quicker or use 50/50 gumpaste and fondant.

HTH

Well, the body squishes before I can even get the head onto it. I would take a picture but my niece ate it. Do you think powdered sugar would help or not? The original recipe was water, (1 part) sugar (3 parts) and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar cooked to soft ball stage.

Also, what is tylose and where does one get it?

It definitely sounds like the fondant is too soft. I'd try kneading in some powdered sugar.

That doesnt sound like a regular fondant recipe. Try a simpler one. Here the one from Colette peters

2 Lb confectioner sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon unflavored granulated gelatin
1/2 light corn syrup
1.5 tablespoons glycerin

No cooking necessary

I had that happen with my fondant figurines until I starting mixing gumpaste. They really need to dry faster in order to maintain their shape. If you can't add gumpaste, then try making the parts separately and attaching them when they've dried a little.

In my course 3 class, when we made bows, we put gumtex into the fondant (not the stuff you cover the cake with, but the stuff to decorate). It's powder and it has the mixing exquivalent on the box. It just makes it dry out a little better. You should be able to get it at any craft store that has cake decorating items...I get most my stuff at JoAnn's since that's where I get the most coupons, but they have that kind of stuff at Micheal's and Hobby Lobby too.

Thank you all for your help, I will see what I can do to make it with the other recipe. Is glycerin something I can get from Wilton?

When coloring any fondant you must bring it back to its regular consistency, the only way to do that is to add cornstartch. This will make the fondant harder and it won't give as much, if you need to add more color, add a little at a time, and if it gets soft make sure you bring it up to its normal consistency with cornstartch and then add more color. This will make the fondant more stable. It may make it harder to roll, but for that, just pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds until not so hard (not gooey) again, cornstartch is the key.

You can get glycerin at Michael's (Wilton...with the cake stuff). Good luck...I'm making some fondant animals tonight and have never done it before. Good luck to us both!

nsouza, could you provide directions to go with the ingredients for the Colette Peter's fondant recipe.

I'm not understanding how the gelatin will become incoporated properly if it's not dissolved in hot water. Or maybe I'm just not "getting it".

Thanks for your help.