I am doing a 2 tier (6"/10") stacked birthday cake, and they want it to say "Happy 40th Birthday *Name*" coming out the top of the cake. I've never done 3d lettering like this, can you guys give me some pointers? Do you use just fondant, or a mixture of fondant/gum paste? How long do they need to harden? And how do I affix them to something to stand up on the cake? Someone hold my hand!

Thanks!!

Hi, I would add a 1/2 teaspoon of CMC/tylose powder to 250g of fondant or 50/50 gumpaste and fondant. It will dry really hard and you have to dry it completely. I would use my sugar shaper/clay gun with the biggest hole disc and do the letters. And to stick them on the cake, I would use Royal Icing.

HTH.

Thank you for the quick response! I don't have a clay gun, so I'm still not sure how to go about doing the letters. I want them to be larger than any letter cookie cutters I have, so that won't work. I guess I'm just short on ideas right now.

Could you try to do some letters free handed and then cut it with a small knife?