I've never taken any kind of classes, so I'm trying to figure it out on my own. I just recently started working with fondant. I love working with it but moisture from my cupcakes make them wilt. So I was told I needed to let the fondant dry and get hard. I did that and they didn't wilt as bad but still wasn't what I was expected. Next, I did half gumpaste and half fondant. They hardened nicely but still softened up on the cupcakes in the container. Should I use just gumpaste? I want them to be hard and not wilt. I give my orders a day or two in advance. The decorations are always on top. 

Are you doing flat disks that will hover on the top or the kind that mold to the contours of the cupcake? For the flat disk ones I always add Tylose to my MMF. it helps them keep their shape. Fondant will get stiff but will still be semi pliable. So when you bite into it, there won't be a crazy crunch. 

what fondant decoration are you making? They will always absorb cupcake moisture. You can place the decoration on top of a candy melt to separate it from the cupcake icing. 

I've done 3d and flat. There must be a way to have them not wilt. 

An alternative is modeling chocolate.  Because it is fat based it will not absorb moisture like fondant

Wow. Modeling chocolate is expensive. What if I used just gumpaste?

I personally wouldn't use gum paste. It's not a great thing to eat. I use it for my sugar flowers and it gets super hard. If you did use it, then I would tell them to take it off the cupcake before eating. These are cupcakes that I made with MMF disks. They were on the cupcakes at least a week and didn't wilt. I just add Tylose to my MMF, which makes the fondant dry hard enough to hold its shape but soft enough to be able to bite through. 

Oh I also let the fondant disks dry overnight before painting them. They do need time to dry. 

I make my own modeling chocolate - very easy!  I often use MMF with cornstarch to help with the drying.  I make them weeks in advance so the are hard.  Disks are fine, but for fine sculpted pieces it can be tricky depending how long they are expected to sit.  If they go in the fridge for any length of time they must remain in a closed cardboard box.

I've been using wilton fondant. Should I use something different? For the disks I've been using all fondant. Including the letters on top. 

Just mix in a little cornstarch in as you're kneading your fondant, make them several days ahead and you'll be fine.  Disks have much less problems than say a figure or 3D flower.

These I used the Wilton fondant mixed with gumpaste.  We made them on Monday and let them sit out until Sunday. I normally place them on top and put them into a plastic container. I I didn't this time because I was afraid they would wilt 

I've been using powdered sugar and crisco

These I did a week ahead with just wilton fondant. I used the powdered sugar and crisco let them sit out for a week and they still looked ok but they did start to wilt. 

These were my first ones and I didn't let him sit out to dry. I didn't know and I woke up to a hot mess. This is the kind of stuff I've been doing. I'm really new at it so they don't look the greatest yet. 

I make fondant decorations at least a week ahead with a little cornstarch and no Crisco if I want them to dry out.  I place them on the cupcakes last minute, not overnight if I can help it.

I've never tried adding cornstarch but it might be worth a try.  I've always used tylose and never had any problems. You can get it at Michael's and with a  coupon it's cheap. Or you can get it online as well. Those look great. It's a learning process. I am new at this as well. Always learning and adapting. I google A LOT. Haha I just like Tylose because I know it works and you don't need to add a lot. I think the ratio is a 1/4 tsp Tylose to 1lb of fondant. I make my own fondant out of marshmallows and add it to that. It really works wonders. The first time I used it was to make MMF roses for a wedding cake and they held up wonderfully. It does take longer to dry than gumpaste, so you do have take that into consideration. 

I use cornstarch because it's CHEAP and you can get it anywhere anytime.

I need to use the tylose and cornstarch then. That seems to be my problem. Normally people need them on Saturday and I make the cupcakes and put them together Thursday to deliver on Friday. I make the decorations a week in advance and let dry. But I mixed it with gumpaste and used powdered sugar and crisco 

I use cornstarch as well. I use homemade MMF and Wilton and haven't had any issues with drying. I put wax paper or parchment paper on a cookie sheet place my fondant decorations in one layer and put aside in a spare room and let them be. I had to use red Wilton fondant for the discs in the picture made them 2 days before the party and they dried just fine.  The purple ribbons I made 3 days in advance and they were dry in 24 hours. I've read that you can put a little cornstarch on the wax paper to help dry them but I've never needed to. 

Do you think my problem was using the powdered sugar and crisco? 

Did you use letter cutters for the letters or free hand them?

I assume you just use the Crisco to lightly grease work surfaces and then dust with powdered sugar? How exactly are you using it?

I use both of those. I don't add crisco to the MMF, but I do use it on my hands and work surface and sometimes i use the powdered sugar as opposed to the crisco. Depends on the weather and if my MMF is too soft or too dry. 

Yes Ohare... me too. I was wondering about the OP since she said she was self taught and having trouble. I wonder how Mrssmith uses it and if that potential mis-use is her problem...?

@mrsmith2 

 I used fondant letter cutters. No way I could free hand all of those the same :) 

I was using the powdered sugar for my hands and the table. Then I read crisco is better. Then started using it as I would the powdered sugar. Maybe I'm using too much. 

@Webake2gether   can you tell me which ones you used? I have the new fondant ones and they are too big for the disks. I also got some funky ones and they are too big too

My fondant is very shiny when I'm done. I'm probably using way too much. 

@mrsmith2 

 They are called decorative cutters mini alphabet. I didn't find a name brand on them but if you like I can snap a pic later. I bought them at my local cake supply. I would try cornstarch it sounds like there is too much moisture in your fondant.