I can fondant a cake with no problem, no dimples, bulges or tears. I try to do the same on a dummy and what heck! I can see every bumple on the darn styrofoam...and let me tell you there are a TON!

Do I need to roll the fondant thicker? Usually I roll fondant to 1/8"...I know that is thin, but it usually works fine. I have 8 dummies to do for a show in 3 weeks and I can not take these crappy looking bumpy things.

I used wall spackle to fix chips and such, then sanded. Should I spackle the whole thing (like an under icing of BC) or just roll thicker?

I AM a decent decorator, but these cakes do NOT show it. I am so embarrassed. MY DH looks at them and goes "hmm, what's with those? Are they for the show ". Sad thing is I was thinking the same thing!

Please help...I am going to pull out my hair or the tequila bottle one!

Julia

rolling it thicker will not eliminate the problem, just like on a cake the surface needs to be smoothed. Can you buy new, unblemished dummies and start over, how many have you done?

Spackle your dummies with RI to get it perfectly smooth. Let it dry, cover it with fondant over it.
Or use the wall spackle for the whole. It is a nature of the beast that where it counts it is the most problematic.

I normally hot glue my dummies to a cake board and ice them with buttercream or royal icing, then cover them like I would a normal cake. I found that buttercream works better. It allows the fondant to smooth out the areas that are not completely smooth. If you are worried about ants or bugs, once you have finished with them, you can seal them with an acrylic spray to preserve them. I use them in my shows and bakery as displays and have no bugs.

I have done 2....

this green one was with new dummies...

I use mmf btw

Really buttercream under the fondant too? I tried roayl icing once, was a mess. I think I had the consistency wrong and it was all ...gross looking...

I know I am going to have to re do the green one...I guess I could try to put the BC under it...the wall spackeel seemed to work well though. What if I just spackled it, then sanded, then put on the fondant. Maybe I should try it on one first before I go wasting more stuff and time.

I hate to use my BC because it is fairly expensive to make. And I tried using the wilton recipe with crisco last time-YUCK what a horrible consistency that was!

So no on the thicker huh? Darn, I was really hoping (but knowing it wasn't) that was the issue.

Any further ideas?

I use a cheap store brand. Get one that is smooth. It normally cost about a dollar or so. If it is not smooth enough add more powdered sugar. The good thing about store brand is that you can add what you need to get it where you want it. I only do this for dummies though. It taste "HORRIBLE"
Walmart has a decent white icing. I will try to attach one of my dummies with cheap icing underneath. WISH ME LUCK

What is a store brand icing? Like the duncan hines icing in the can but store brand?


I see the attachment did not work...always a pain i know!

When I do dummies I use my fondant almost 1/4 of an inch. I have never had a problem and find it also helps with those pesky sharp corners on square styro. Always use your fondant smoother though, fingerprints are hard to get out.

.Duncan Hines works great. It only cost about $1.10. just don't get the whipped kind. It's too soft. Fill the jars for the stiffiest one.
I hope this helps, if not, I am normally onilne all day and night.

It's important to smooth the top edges of all dummies before covering. I use a nail file, fine grit sand paper, or I press them down with a small rolling pin or by rolling the edge on the countertop.

I sand all of the the surfaces of the dummy, except the bottom. I rub the dummy down with crisco, adding extra bits if there are significant divots out of the styro. I apply a thin coat of fondant (I always cover dummies with Wilton)--the crisco is the "glue". I smooth it well and then rub it down with more crisco. I then apply a 2nd coat of fondant. If the first coat has obvious imperfections, I roll this coat a bit thicker.

I do dummies for competition, so the surfaces have to be pretty perfect. Yes, 2 coats takes extra time, but not much extra product. The results are worth it, if you want an extremely smooth surface.

HTH
Rae

I got my dummies, round edged from T a ylor Fo am. I didn't need to sand, and I used Wilton fondant (just for dummies people!). Rolled about 1/4 inch thick...smooth as a baby's butt! No dimples, no bumps...perfect!

No icing underneath...that is pointless. Rub some piping gell or Crisco on your hands and rub them all over your dummy, to get a nice even thin as possible coat.

You should be good to go!

Ok...so I tried the spackle....did not really work for me...

I bought some wilton fondant (love those coupons) and mixed it halfsies with MMF. Then I redid the 2 I had already done... This time I got out my ruler....what do you know I was rolling it REALLY thin. So I did 1/4 over top and they look much better.

Then I used satin ice choc brown to cover a new one, without anything but a bototm layer of crisco....MUCH better! Not a bump to be seen. I did not add any wilton to this one.

So, I am goin to mix wilton with MMF because i found it easier to roll...(just for dummies). and I am going to use my ruler!

Thank you all for your help!

I think Wilton is some of the easiest to roll all by itself. 1/4 thick, yes, but use that Crisco generously if need be, and it will be the smoothest flattest stuff ever for those dummies!