I am planning on making my first cake with cow figures in 2 weeks. How far ahead of time can I make them? Do they dry out or "go bad" after awhile? Also any tips on how to make them would be appreciated. Do you know of any books out there that would help? Thanks so much.

You can make gum paste figure months ahead. Just keep them out of bright light. You'll want to package them carefully so they don't break. And, yes, they certainly do dry out, that's a good thing.

I won't make them more than a few months ahead of time - they can get dusty if not stored properly and the dust doesn't always want to come off. As long as they stay dry, they will last for years.

I've already made a gumpaste figure for my daughter's birthday cake. Her birthday isn't until October...so I've done it two months in advance.

They last a very long time!

Thanks to each of you! I guess I will get started on making my cows! Also, do any of you know of any good books to help learn how to mold figures? Thank you.

Take a look at this site, the cows are adorable.

http://www.pastrywiz.com/cakes/cowcakefinal.htm

That's just what I need! Thank you very much!

My pleasure, I look forward to seeing your cake design.