Sorry to hijack this thread but I would like to make a small graduation cap out of fondant or gumpaste (or should it be a fondant/gumpaste mix?). So my questions are what do you use as a mold so the fondant or gumpaste will dry in that shape? Do you also make the mortarboard (flat part on top--I think that is what it is called) out of a gumpaste/fondant mix or is that easier to do in fondant? Should I put a thin piece of cardboard in that? I apologize for all the questions but I have to do this for a cake next week and am starting to stress about it now. 
TIA
Sheryl
I have done graduation caps 2 ways.
Cap base - I use the wilton mini ball pan or the wilton sports ball pan (1/2), depending on the size of the cap you want. trim a little off the back so it is flat and can better support the mortarboard. ice and cover in fondant, if desired.
Mortarboard - The first time I tried it I rolled out thick black fondant, cut a square for the mortarboard. Let dry. The other times, I have covered a cardboard square in fondant. Make sure the fondant covers enough of the bottom that you won't see cardboard when looking at the cake. I would do either way quite ahead of time. You could mix the fondant with Tylose or Gum Tex to make it dry faster/harder. Once dry, place on cap base (which should already be where you want it on the cake). You may need to use water (if fondant on fondant) or icing to help adhere it.
Tassel - I use a clay extruder and a tip that has lots of small holes. This will make lots of small snakes. Once you have it 2.5 times the length of your desired tassel, cut fondant. I take two or so of the snakes out, fold the rest in half around those two you just took out. Take a flat wide piece of fondant to wrap around all the snakes near the top to hold them all together and look like a tassel. Those two snakes that are the tassel hanger can be twisted together.
I then place the tassel on the mortarboard and arrange the tassel hanger and put a button of fondant in the center of the mortarboard.
Good luck! Here are my cakes with tassels:
http://www.idreaminsugar.com/?page_id=3&g2_itemId=293
http://www.idreaminsugar.com/?page_id=3&g2_itemId=572
http://www.idreaminsugar.com/?page_id=3&g2_itemId=533
Kris
I covered a slightly rounded six inch cake with fondant for the cap. Then I covered a piece of cardboard with fondant for the mortarboard. I used a thin dowel to attach the mortarboard to the cap. I rolled threads of fondant really thin for the tassel and attached the tassel with a small button of fondant 
I made mine a little bigger, so I could torte and fill it. I used a large Pyrex bowl that measured 7" at the base.
For the mortar board I also used 50/50 gum paste/fondant. I made sure I put a hole dead center before it dried, so that I could put a skewer in it. For the tassel I used an extruder and more 50/50 gum paste/fondant and let it dry. Then used chocolate to glue everything in place.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2029182
I agree with mom2owen. I too have used mm fondant w/tylose to cover a piece of carboard. Used a skewer to attach with a small button on fondant to cover the skewer. I too used the half ball for the cap.
You can also mix gumpaste with the fondant if you dont have tylose. I just use a couple of pinches of tylose for a medium size ball of fondant.
Had to share this, as Im making a Graduation cake for friday...Ive never made one...so I did find this:
Using a 6" cake, round....cut at an angle
and then use a card board, cover it in BC, RI, Fondant or whatever you'd like and dowel into the cake....it will give it the angle you need....Hope this helps...it did me, and now to work on more ideas for this cake....
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