AHello, I have made fondant(Wilton) flip flops in neon colors to be put on cupcakes with a buttercream (shortening based) swirl for Saturday. My question is if the cupcakes are picked around ten in the morning and the party is at one.. Would the toppers (no tylose) survive without melting? I have already made the flip flops and I am panicking as the thought just came to my mind. Would you maybe suggest a tiny gum paste disc right under the flipflop to prevent from bleeding colors g? I will be packing them in cardboard boxes and will be putting the flip flops maybe around 9:00 ish.

Suggestions and advise would be greatly appreciated.

AI imagine they will keep the food inside the house before the party, so they should be fine.

A

From what I understood, they are having the party at another location away from home and the cupcakes would be outside by the pool area. She did ask me about the frosting being okay in the heat.. I plan to lndydebbi's shortening based BC which has stood the test of Florida heat. I just realized that there are toppers as well..

AI did fondant toppers on top of a buttercream swirl for an outdoor party last summer. They melted. If I were you I would definitely play it safe and do a gumpaste disc under the fondant topper.

AI did fondant toppers on top of a buttercream swirl for an outdoor party last summer. They melted. If I were you I would definitely play it safe and do a gumpaste disc under the fondant topper.

:( I thought so. Now I know originally I suggested about the gum paste disc.. But now thinking..that will only help for the colors to not bleed into the frosting? I am confused.. How to go about it? Start from scratch and make it from 50/50 gum paste fondant? Would that work? I won't be able to do all gp as I don't have the right colors.. Maybe just fondant with lotsa tylose powder??

AI am really not sure if putting a gum paste disc underneath will help to prevent the melting topper or not; I suspect it will depend in part on the heat and humidity. The only way I know that works for me for sure to keep toppers form melting is to cover the cupcake in fondant and apply the topper to that. Oh, one other thing I have done successfully (but this is a lot more work) is to make sugar cookies and decorate them with royal icing and/or fondant and put them on top of the buttercream.

ASorry, re-reading my comment, it sounds a bit condescending. Not my intention!

I've heard great things about IndyDebs BC, I'm not sure what's in it but if your worried about your BC use hi-ratio shortening. Gumpaste dries harder, so it should hold up better then fondant in the heat, if your worried you can remake them with a mixture or tylose (I honestly don't know if one is better then the other, I try to stay away from Gumpaste when I can-I don't like the taste so I always add tylose when I can).

I don't know think I've ever had issues with fondant melting though.

I may be wrong, but my understanding of it was that it was the fondant absorbing moisture from the buttercream that made the fondant "melt", so the gumpaste disc would help as it provides a barrier between the fondant and the buttercream.  Anyone else know more about it?
 

A

Oh, so its not like the heat will make it melt and lose its shape? It's the absorbing the moisture from bc? I will experiment putting a spare topper in direct sunlight for a few hours tomorrow and see what it does.. maybe I may make a test batch of cupcakes and bc too, time permitting... will let you know.

A

Not worried about the bc. It has stood its tests.. its the pure fondant toppers with no tylose and no gumpaste mixed..

Too bad you already made the flip flops because I would recommend putting 40-50% gum paste to fondant and , make the toppers and let them dry for a good week.  I have seen fondant toppers melt in our bakery due to heat when on cupcakes.  Between the humidity, heat, and icing I would think those flip flops will melt.  Just maybe the gumpaste disk will work.  Good luck and let us know what happens

A

I think I will re-do just to be on the safe side. It's 40 pairs of flip flops... Not a very big deal... I just don't want them melting away during the party, just because I didn't do my research beforehand. Now.. I have the neon pink, purple, green, yellow, Orange fondant colors by Wilton. Should i just add gumpaste to it or use tylose in the fondant. Add gumpaste will change the color and make it lighter? I do have the americolor electric colors that I haven't used them yet..

Let me know as o would like to start tonight so its enough time to dry by Saturday morning.

Also, since I am at it, let me ask another question.. what is a more popular swirl for a cupcake to have a topper? I was thinking either a rossette or 1M/2D swirl.. its Hawaiian theme with flipflops.

AIt will change the color a bit. You could also set the toppers in a different box lined with parchment and have them add right before the party. I like a simple round swirl so the focus will be on your toppers-but that's a personal preference

AThankyou everyone for your advise and suggestions.. She absolutely loved the cupcakes and said colors match exactly too. She sent me pics from the party as well.. glad they help up well, both bc and toppers I will try posting pictures later.. don't know how to do it from my phone