Please give me some advice. I have a cake due in two days. I am trying to cover the bottom tier tonight with fondant and I am failing!!!
The fondant is Pettitince ?SP brand and I have never used it before. I spent a long time coloring it hot pink - 7 pounds of it no less. It is super soft and terribly sticky. So I added in powdered sugar - lots of it, a little at a time. I must have added 4 cups or more already. I also tried adding crisco - just a little and that seemed to make it worse so I went back to adding sugar. It is soooooo soft it pulls apart if I look at it wrong.
The bottom tier is a 6 inch high 10 inch square cake dummy. I put a little water on it. The fondant continues to stick to my hands, work surface and rolling pin. But when I attempt to put it on the dummy it rips all apart and falls right off. I have tried it 5 times already. Everytime it sticks to the work table, then to me then to the pin.. I get it unstuck and rework it with more sugar and try again. Get it to roll out ok (not pretty, just ok) and try to get it on the dummy and off it goes!!!! I still have to cover a 6 in hig 8 in square real cake, stack them and then decorate. I am running out of time and now I am crying....
Please tell me how I can fix this major problem.... tia
Oh, boy, are you having a night! Big hug for you.
I wish I could answer, but I've never used Pettinice. But since you've already got so much time spent on this, would it benefit you at all to whip up some marshmallow fondant? I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear, and I hope someone else has a good answer for you, but maybe you would have better luck with the mmf.
At any rate, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, and let us know how it turns out, ok?
whew, take a deep breath! might i suggest that you step away for awhile, just to relax? clean up the kitchen, have some coffee, read a chapter in a book, what ever... then start OVER (yeah, i know that sucks) with new fondant. I would suggest that you sand the edges and corners down a little so they are slightly rounded (on the dummy) so the fondnat wont crack away as easily. it sounds like the fondant was way overworked and i think you are likely to save more time starting over. for the dummy, you may want to make mmf or buy wiltons. do you have an airbrush?
i would also say it would be better to start on the REAL cakes so that you KNOW that it will be done since that is what you really need. i am so sorry, this stinks, i know. but sometimes taking a step back really helps. maybe even leave the house to get some fresh air or a frappachino 
If I were in your shoes, I'd take a ball of the fondant and try adding some cornstarch to it. If you have success getting it to not be so sticky and if you can roll it and have it stay in shape when you pick it up, then you can do the same to the rest of the lot. You'll need to be careful that you don't add too much--it will dry out the fondant too much.
HTH
Rae
I think you need to add more crisco. I know you said you tried to add a little, but you really need to work a good bit of crisco into it to get it not so sticky. Be sure to cover your work surface in crisco and powdered sugar. I have not used this brand before, but the extra crisco has worked for me in several other brands.
I used to work with Pettinice in a bakery and when we would color it deeply its like it would get too warm or too worked. If you leave it alone for several hours or overnight, it should be MUCH better. HTH
Don't give up!! At least you figured this out with resting time to spare!
I'm so sorry! I was where you are a month ago with the cake that almost killed me. 
I was using Fluff fondant and it was soooo sticky and aweful. I tried to make it work.. I added sugar, and gumtex, and crisco.. and it was still aweful, but i used it cuz i had it. For the top tiers, i used regular old marshmallow fondant and it turned out so much better. I ended up recovering the first cake with marshmallow fondant too. It was so awful.. but at least now I know I'm never ever using Fluff fondant again.
Try gumtex and if that doesn't work 
, I think you should just dump and either buy the gross fondant (cuz at least we know its pretty!) or make some marshmallow fondant. The marshmallow fondant is good tasting and good looking.
Lots of luck!!
The bottom tier is a 6 inch high 10 inch square cake dummy. I put a little water on it. The fondant continues to stick to my hands, work surface and rolling pin. But when I attempt to put it on the dummy it rips all apart and falls right off. I have tried it 5 times already.
another thing...skip the water, and use buttercream. you will have more cushion. squares really are much harder to cover than rounds, to add to the fact, a six inch high cake complicates it a bit. its not impossible, just a bit harder, and IT CAN BE DONE ! hang in there!!!!
when you start over with new fondant, rub a little crisco on your hands, roller and the work surface rather than kneeding alot in to the fondant. it wont stick.
another thing, if you make mmf, you can add the color and flavorings to the melted marshmallows, stir it in, THEN kneed in the sugar. less work. less hassle, less guess.
good luck! 
I have never worked with that particular one. But I suggest that you try using cornstarch instead of powdered sugar & just keep using crisco on your hands and where you are working with it. I wish I could be of more help, but have not had this problem myself, so I am just trying to think of logical ways to help you. Don't cry.
NO MORE CRISCO OR SUGAR!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with the cornstarch, but only after you walk away for an hour or so . . . youve worked with it too much right now. I had that happen last month and it was a disaster because I didn't step away when I should have.
Deep breath, back off, sit down with a glass of wine and go back to it with a cool head.
oh and another comment, I ended up losing so much time with "the cake that almost killed me" that I ended up putting white fondant on it, and painting it with a mixture of alcohol and color paste using a new pastry brush. My friend actually said she liked the shiny painted look better.
thanks for the help so far everyone.
I did finally put it in a bag and walked away for a while. (to come to CC of course)
I will try letting it rest a while and then I'll try the crisco and cornstarch.
I just purchased 20 pounds of this stuff (and paid way too much for it). But the woman that I bought it from said a lot of people really like working with it, and they were out of satin ice. And I have 2 very large and detailed fondant cakes due this weekend. I am going to loose money on this one... yet again. It's just so frustrating.
I'll take anymore advice anyone wants to give too.
Thanks again ya'll!
KatieTaylor is right--NO MORE SUGAR OR CRISCO--you'll just soften it beyond repair. If the cornstarch works on the small amount, add some to the large amount and let it sit for awhile--you and the fondant need a little rest.
Also, make sure that the upper edges of your dummy have been sanded down so that they don't tear the fondant when you apply it. You can use an emery board or even roll it down with a rolling pin. Spritz the dummy with water and if it seems too wet, wipe it with a paper towel so that it's just damp.
Rae
wow ya'll are fast...
ok, so no more crisco or powdered sugar. I'll try the cornstarch later after a bit of a rest.
If that doesn't work I will try the mmf tomorrow (I've never tried it) or just go buy the wilton - if I can find enough of it.
and I'll sand down the edges and use buttercream instead of water...
I feel better now that I have "talked" to ya'll. Thanks
oh and another comment, I ended up losing so much time with "the cake that almost killed me" that I ended up putting white fondant on it, and painting it with a mixture of alcohol and color paste using a new pastry brush. My friend actually said she liked the shiny painted look better.
i was going to suggest that as well. sometimes working so much color into the fondant itself really can change the texture. i painted the pillow cake in my photos with straight food color and a make up sponge and liked the results.
i think its seriously overworked with sugar, crisco, warmth etc. try the cornstarch like rae suggested- that sounds more logical at this point...if it doesnt work, cut your loss and start out fresh. again, sorry!
I have worked with Pettinice and it's very similiar to Satinice. Make sure you are using a fondant mat or if you don't have one freezer paper works too. Like everyone said, take a break and start again. You do need to soften the edges on your dummy cake and remember with square cakes to do the corners first. Hugs to you...I've been there too!
Jacqui
i havent made mmf in a long time since i now use satin ice, but i remember always reading that it is best to allow several hours to overnight for it to rest before rolling it out. just a thought, so that you plan your time accordingly if you decide to make it.
(((((((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))))))))
lilbits - - - NOOOOOOOOOO, no more crisco, no more powder sugar. And no more water.
Are you folks reading her thread???????? It is the water that is ruining her fondant. It should have been fine with a little powder suger to stiffen it up and crisco to make it pliable..........But you added water.........no water. Let the Pettinice rest. Come back to it tomorrow then if it is still sticky, use your fingers to kneed in some powdered sugar but don't dump a cup. Use the crisco only on your hands and the work surface not the fondant itself. (But the crisco advice is only in this case - not true for other times.)
Use something else to adhere the fondant to the dummy....try using an egg white wash applied with a paint brush.
I have made some very dark colors and when this happens you get mud.........you need to work slowly with it and let it rest in between.
oh my - well I won't have overnigt to let it sit. I could try to make it early in the am and let it sit most of the day - I would just be worried that if it didn't work I would be out of time to try something else. I guess I'll go hunting for wilton tomorrow. (If this doesn't work after I let it sit a while.)
side note - melysa - I just looked at your photos and your work is beautiful!! I wanted to save so many to my faves. And I do like working with satin ice normally. I was bummed when I saw the supply store was out.
tiptop - I wondered about the water.... but I had read on cc to put water on the dummies to adhere the fondant. I'll try the egg white - or what about the piping gel? I also read somewhere to cover the dummy in a little piping gel to make the fondant stick.
and tiptop - oh my gosh at your photos! There are way too many talented people on this site.
Thanks for the offer to pm. I might take you up on that. I'll see how the stuff is doing in just a little while.
It's midnight here and hubby wants me to go to bed. No way! I've got cake issues!
What do you think about covering the cake in two separate pieces, ie wrapping a band around the sides and putting a round on the top and crimping them together or piping a decorative border? Not the ideal but just something to think about.
I had a similar experience with red fondant and I really believe it was the amount of color I had to use that caused the problem.
I've worked with Pettinice and IMO its one of the stiffer fondants out there. I actually use FondX because it is softer and easier for me. I admire you kneading out that big of a chunk of Pettinice!!! That would have done my wrists in for a week!
I agree with the others (although its late) that its probably all the water that did it in. I've never done a cake dummy but if I had to, I assume I'd ice it like the other cakes and then refrigerate it like the other cakes so it would be firm, and easy to press and smooth the fondant on the surface.
The criscio will make it even softer. I add Crisco when I am usung my sugar craft gun. If I am making very dark colors I make these days in advance. They have a chance to dry out you can say.
I use piping gel now for all my dummies. I coat them and let them dry until I can touch them and they are not sticky. I coat them again and roll out my fondant. I then apply the fondant. The Piping gel cannot be sticky dry. It needs to be wet to allow the fodant to move. HTH!
Sorry, but I don't read that water was being added to the fondant--the water was being put on the dummy to adhere the fondant. The cornstarch will counteract that small addition of h2o if the fondant has been re-kneaded.
I always use water on dummies because if you need to shift the fondant, or take it off all together, you can just re-knead it (add some CS if necessary), re-roll, and you're good. If you've used anything else--piping gel, gum glue, or buttercream--you have basically ruined that batch of fondant.
I'm not speaking out of some dark place, here. I learned this from reputable teachers (Colette Peters, Wendy Kromer, etc.) and have never had any problems covering dummies this way. Obviously, the key to a good result is to not overdo the water. The dummy only needs to be barely damp in order to get the fondant to stick well.
Rae
Just curious though... when you fondant a real cake, you are doing it on icing, and you can't really redo it (although I find kneading small amounts of icing back into fondant doesn't hurt it a bit) so why should it be different on a dummy? (I might just be ignorant, having never done a dummy...no pun intended?).
I guess if you are striving for perfection for a contest you'd want to be able to redo it...but if its for the bottom tier of a wedding cake I'd probably just ice it and do it like all the other tiers.
That's what I get for being self taught maybe, haha.
When I put fondant on a buttercream cake, if there are bits with small amounts of buttercream on them (without cake crumbs), I'll knead it back in. Too much buttercream, though, kneaded in can lead to big problems.
As for putting buttercream on a dummy, I see no real purpose. It's time consuming and it can decrease the useful life of the dummy because the buttercream can go rancid and the whole lot will then smell. And, as I said, if you don't get it right and you need to re-do the fondant application, you have to start over with all new fondant. Why risk it if no one will see it, know it, or eat it? It's just extra work--which no one really needs......
Rae
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