The Sugar Lane

Hello Sugar Friends

It’s a very cold morning here in Ohio, and when I say cold, I mean cold, lol  I am constantly wishing I was back in Florida enjoying the Ocean.

I thought I would address some of your most asked fondant/gumpaste cake topper and figurine questions. I get lots of questions everyday about my cake toppers and figurines.  You  may have noticed that many of the comments do not have answers or replies from me, but that is not because I am ignoring those posts. When someone posts a comment on one of my posts, I get an email showing the comment and I usually just answer any questions or address the comments directly instead of answering in the comment section because there is not a lot of space to reply and sometimes the question can be a private matter so I feel it is just better to answer the questions I receive directly. I do my best to get back to each of you ask quickly as I can, I understand how frustrating it can be when you are trying to figure something out or try a new technique and you run into issues and need help.

Ok  lets discuss sugar sculptures, as you know this is my favorite subject and the thing I love creating most of all.

I am asked all the time, once you create a fondant/gumpaste figurine how long before it will start decaying, how far  in advance can I create my figures, can I put them in the fridge etc. So these are the things I am going to answer for you.

Here are some of the most asked questions I receive and the answers:

How long in advance can a gumpaste figurine  be made up before an event?

Figurines can be made up ahead of time without any problems. I always make my figurines up ahead of time so that they can set-up properly. I make them up, at the most about a  month ahead.

Can I put a gumpaste figurine or cake topper in the refrigerator?

It is not a good idea to put a figurine that is made with fondant or gumpaste in the refreigerator due to the condensation, it can cause the figurine to fall apart.

Can I use Marshmallow Fondant to make figurines?

You can use marshmallow fondant, however it is a very soft fondant and will sag and may not hold the shape very well so it really is not a great fondant for making figurines but I guess it depends upon what you are making.

How long can I keep a fondant/gumpaste figurine before it starts to decay?

Gumpaste figurines can be kept indefinitely as long as they are properly stored, I have figurines that are now 2 years old.

Why do my gumpaste figurines have large cracks in them once they have set up and dried?

From my experience gumpaste is made to dry very quickly therefore it is best when rolled out very thin such as when creating gumpaste flowers. What happens is when you create a figurine with gumpaste it dries from the inside out and rather quickly. This process causes the inside area of your piece to push outward thus creating cracks and problems in your figurine……. This is the main reason I use a mixture of fondant and gumpaste or the Wilton brand of fondant with tylose powder added to it when creating my figurines and other objects in cake decorating.

What fondant and or gumpaste do you use to create your figurines Donna?

I use Wilton fondant mixed with tylose powder to create my figurines. The Wilton Fondant is nice and durable which makes it great for creating figurines…….(Although I would never cover a cake with the Wilton Fondant due to the taste). At times I also use a 50/50 mixture of commercial fondant and gumpaste to create my figurines.

What should I use to glue my figurines together?

Water works very well to glues arms, legs, head, clothing together.  There is an Edible Glue that you can also use  to glue your figurine pieces together. The recipe  for the edible glue is located at the top of the page just click on the tab that says edible glue.

How should I store Sugar Figurines that I want to keep?

 They should be stored  in a cardboard box or like container with a lid.  (Never store them in the Fridge) Then I keep that container in a cool dry place. If they are exposed to alot of moisture or condensation this can cause them to break down. Because gumpaste and fondant is made mostly of sugar this acts as a preservative and this is what keeps the figurines from molding or rotting.

Can Gumpaste/Fondant Figurines be preserved long term?

 Yes, to preserve Fondant/Gumpaste Figurines, a clear coat can be sprayed on them, I use a clear lacquer spray. This will preserve the figurine and then you can display your piece in a display cabinet or store them away in a closed box.