A Few Questions About Fondant And Other Things. :)
Decorating By madhousewife Updated 20 Apr 2010 , 1:19am by madhousewife
I hope this is easier than making 4-5 different topics. Thanks ahead for any help!!
1. Is tylose what I add to the fondant or gumpaste to make it dry harder? I tried just making some leaves out of gumpaste a few weeks ago for a cake and they sat out for days and still "wilted".
2. What is the wire that is normally used to attach things to the cake and where can I buy it?
3.How would I attach a RKT head to a cake body on say a dog?
I think that is it. 
I was just put in charge of the cake for my dad's 50th and needed to clear a few things up from my last cake venture. Thanks again!! 
Tylose is kneaded into fondant to make it more like gumpaste, or it's an ingredient in gumpaste recipes. I use Nicholas Lodge's recipe and it works well for the humid climate I live in.
The wire that people use on cakes is just floral wire. You can buy it at the craft store. It's not safe to stick directly into a cake, use a straw or coffee stir trimmed to the height of the tier and stick the wire in that instead.
Depending on the shape of the head you want to attach, make a hole in the bottom of the head and use a dowel inserted in the cake. If it's going to be at an angle you may need to screw the dowel onto a wooden base and put the cake and head onto that dowel.
Since Texas answered your questions I won't but I would like to know what kind of gumpaste you used? I usually use Wilton gumpaste and that stuff dries so fast that I have to be careful when I'm using it not to let it dry before I'm finished with my project.
1. Is tylose what I add to the fondant or gumpaste to make it dry harder? I tried just making some leaves out of gumpaste a few weeks ago for a cake and they sat out for days and still "wilted".
I live in GA, which is an extremely humid place. However, gumpaste flowers and leaves have always dried within 24 hours for me, many times in a few hours if it is something small. If they sat out for days w/o drying, you are probably not rolling the gumpaste thin enough. It should be rolled almost see-through.
3.How would I attach a RKT head to a cake body on say a dog?
In addition to the dowel, use icing or melted chocolate to help glue it in place.
Nick Lodge's recipe will dry pretty fast, even rolled thicker (like for shoes). I've tried Satin Ice gumpaste and it just didn't dry the same way for me.
I've ordered tylose so that I can try Nick Lodge's gumpaste. I couldn't find tylose anywhere locally so I had to order online. I never have any problem with my gumpaste drying really fast. Even thicker pieces.
It's fairly inexpensive to make too...the $4 jar of tylose is enough for two batches.
This is why I love this site! You all are so wonderful and helpful!!
The gumpaste I used previously was Bakel's brand. I grabbed it at my local cake supply shop. It didn't dry at all and just wilted. There are pictures of the cake in my photos where they are just flopping over.
I'll get some tylose this week. I am pretty sure the bigger cake shop carries it.
Is there a preference for gumpaste versus fondant for things that need to be sturdy or do they produce the same results mostly?
Thank you all again! 
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