How far in advance can i put MMF decorations on the cake without them losing shape and running and smearing all over the cake? I thought I heard somewhere on here that you need to wait until the last minute to put them on the cake. I am making a swimming pool theme cake and am making a diving board and a few other pool toys out of MMF...just wondering if they would lose their shape on BC frosting. Is 24 hours in advance too early?

I don't believe they will run and smear. The thing with any kind of fondant decorations is that if you let them air dry for a day or two before putting them on a buttercream cake, they are not really effected much. The ones that are effected are the really thin ones that haven't air dried enough. 24 hours in advance is going to be fine. It is usually somewhere between 2-4 days where there is an effect and even then, it is really not a running and smearing effect.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Thank you so much!! I have never worked with mmf before and when I had a request for a pool cake with a diving board, I knew I needed to get familiar with it quick! I also know that 7 year olds like to eat all the decorations and regular fondant is ICK! Thanks again...

Hi Jenni,
Well it is all a matter of taste but personally I find that marshmallow fondant tastes pretty much the same as any other rolled fondant, haha! Maybe it is just me, but I find very little difference in taste from one to another.
The thing with fondant decorations is to allow them the time to dry so that they won't be so affected by buttercream. The thicker the less problems too. And if you seal them up on a buttercream iced cake in an airtight plastic container for 2-3 days or longer, well that is when the sliming factor enters into play, particularly with thin things like roses and such.
Anyway, I am certain the children will love them.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I would put them on the same day even if you let them dry out for a really long time the moisture may cause it to flop down....when i made my strawberry house cake I put the house on the night before and was set...but when I woke up the next day...i found my house fell off and broke the bottom base off.....goodthing that it fell back and didnt mess up my design.....I had to put a dowel rod in the back to support it....Oh It wasnt even that long because I usually wait for my daughter goes to sleep before I decorate so I can really focus...so I know I didnt finish until 3am and I had to deliver by noon the next day...(the house was dried out for 3-4 weeks because we were unsure of the party date so I wanted to be ready incase)

hope this helps
-Nancy

Well you need to add a drying and hardening agent to really large items like that. I add about 3 tsp. gum-tex to about 10 ounces of fondant. In some ways that is why I prefer to use regular rolled fondant for items that are larger. The Wilton fondant has some hardening agent in it and with the addition of a bit of gum-tex powder, it holds up beautifully. Just thought I would mention that. Often I do larger items like plates and such and they hold up fine on top of cakes.
The fondant on its own, is not meant for larger items, in fact generaly they were always made out of gumpaste. By adding the gum-tex or mixing with one third of prepared gumpaste, you get a better structure. Either that or make all of your large structures out of gumpaste. You truly need that hardening factor.
But for little decorations like babies and such, they should hold up fine because they are thicker and not standing vertically. Also if you make a really thick heavy small item, say like a toadstool, well you need internal structure like wooden dowelling to support the weight and additional dowelling to attach and anchor the item to the cake.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I made a birthday cake with buttercream icing and used marshmallow fondant for the deocrations recently. I didn't really allow the decorations to dry first (OOPS!) but it worked out fine. I must have been lucky that day! I put them on right after cutting them on the morning of the party. Of course, my icing had crusted over first. No color bled or anything. I really should have waited for the pieces to dry more, mostly because they were floppy when I put them on! I am such a do-it-myself, hands-on learner though! I am not good with reading instructions first! I know now to wait...

i made some mmf teddy bears for a baby shower cake and was wondering how long i could keep them in air tight container, really dont want to do them later.