Melting Fondant

by Hani
(Singapore)

Hi, Melting fondant is a problem for me when decorating my cakes. Does it have to do with the surrounding temperature? Is fondant cake suitable for tropical climates? What should I do to stop this from happening every time I try to use fondant to cover my cakes?

Hi Hani,

Fondant is very sensitive to the humidity in the air so it is my best guess that this is the problem. You need a dry cool place to decorate and store your cake once it is covered with the fondant.

Are you refrigerating them afterward? That can be a problem as well. The fondant will absorb the moisture in the fridge and start to get gooey and the colors will run from the decorations. (I have had this happen.)

An air conditioner in a small room in the house is my best solution to preventing melting fondant. That is what I do here in the summer when the humidity is high, otherwise I use the cool basement and keep the cakes in boxes.

Here is a similar question from another reader in the Caribbean on high humidity.
I hope this helps you out!

What do I use to cover the Wedding cake?

by Cindy
(South Africa, Gauten, Pretoria)

I live in South Africa, I have a Wedding cake to make in March. I don't know what to use to cover this cake. Here we have Petinice, do I have to mix it with CMC powder then cover the cake or can I only use the Petinice, and with what icing do ice before covering the cake.

Regards Cindy

Hi Cindy, Petinice is fondant, what I do when using fondant is cover the cake with buttercream first and then use the fondant over that. I don't use any additional powders.

Are you concerned about heat?

If so, I recommend filling the cake with a buttercream or something that will be safe in the heat for a limited time. Keep the cakes nice and cold in the fridge until you are ready to put the fondant on.

Once you do that you will have to leave the cake out of the cooler. Store your cakes in a cool spot, I use the cellar, boxed up and covered of course.

You can either put your cakes together, decorate and box them for delivery, or put them together and decorate at the venue.

Hope that helps.

Comments

South Africa humidity
by: laurasaay

Hi,
I live in Durban and I also battle with the humidity. You shouldn't be too bad with your humidity, but I have found that I mustn't use too much butter in my butter cream icing as it tends to melt, and also to avoid extreme temperatures like air-con to humidity as my cakes start to sweat!
Hope this helps

fondant and refrigerator?

by silmara
(port saint lucie, fl, usa)

Hi, I would like to know what will happen with my fondant. I put in the refrigerator, now I'm afraid to take it out, please help!

Hi Silmara, Your fondant cake will most likely be a little gooey and shiny. It should dry off though after a few hours. Don't worry too much.

Even if it stays shiny it still looks ok. generally I do not refrigerate fondant cakes because I like the matte finish. Being in Florida you may have to deal with high humidity issues. Here are a few posts from other readers on humidity and fondant.

Bake and decorate in high humidity