I agreed to do a cake for a friend on short notice. She wanted something with pink flamingos on it. Of course I wasn't thinking when I decided to make the flamingos out of MMF along with various other decorations, because I am now not sure my birds will be dry enough. My plan was to have them standing, using fondant covered lolipop sticks for there legs. I made them yesterday morning and I will bake and start to decorate the cake tonight. My friend will pick it up sometime tomorrow, I'm still not sure when, so the latest I could put them on would probably be tommorow morning. Is there any way I can dry them faster?I really want them standing but if they aren't dry I guess they will have to be sitting on the cake. Does anyone have suggestions ?
Jeez I don't know since they're already made. Maybe put them under a fan? In my experience MMF takes longer to dry than regular fondant. Whatever you do, don't put them in the oven on the lowest setting. Don't ask me how i know! I've also heard a food dehydrator works, but not many people have those...
If you have one of those desk lamps that clamp onto the desk with the bendy neck (you can get them cheap at Wal-Mart) that will work as a heat lamp. Just make sure you don't get the bulb too close to the fondant or the fondant will get too hot and go soft.
I have "proofed" stuff in the oven. If you don't have a PROOF setting, it's the lowest setting on your oven. Other options. Use a hair dryer on low, or place in front of a fan.
Good luck!! I did some butterflies a while ago, and they dried overnight just sitting out.
Angie
I've used the "light on in the oven" trick also, went from fresh daisies to dried and ready to put on the cake in about 16 hours.
Since you can't do that, how about putting them on a heating pad turned on low? I would think that would do about the same thing, helping them to stay warm, and they might dry even faster because there will be air circulation (unlike being closed up in the oven).
The other tip I have is to put the cutouts on a layer or two of paper towels, rather than right on a cookie sheet. This way they can dry out from the underside also, instead of just from the top.
If I were doing this, I'd put 2 layers of paper towels on a metal cookie sheet, put the cutouts on top of that, and sit the whole thing on the heating pad.
hth, let us know what you end up doing and how it works!
Laura.
Are they really big? Are you in a humid climate?
I was in a dry climate when I made my bathtub cake. I just left the little faucet on it's side on a paper towel for about 5 hours and it was hard enough to add.
If you are in a dry climate right now they should be ok overnight.
Thanks everyone for your ideas! I am to afraid to put them around any kind of heat. I did that once and lets just say it ended with me in tears. I will try the fan idea. I am mainly worried about the long neck and being able to hold up when I put the legs on them.They are still a little soft but hopefully by tomorrow morning they will be okay. Thanks again!
I know gumpaste dries faster if you put it on foam. The holes in it let the air circulate. I went to the hardware store and bought the sheets of foam you use in your cooling vents. or the stuff you shove in the window around the window AC units.
Unfortunately I can't offer any help, but I would like to know how long it will take for either MMF or fondant to dry - I'm making a hawaiian themed cake, and going to try the flip flop cakes, so will be using fondant to make the straps, palm leaves & perhaps some people. How early in the week should I start? Want it to be done for sat. night (Sun AM shower). Also, for the colouring, do you colour the fondant after, or mix the colour in before?
thanks & sorry for buddying up on your post!
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