How to Store and Transport Fondant Figures Without Damage

Hours of work on a fondant figure can disappear in twenty minutes of bad transport. Figures are fragile — sensitive to heat, humidity and vibration — and small details such as fingers, ears or flowers are more vulnerable still. This is a practical guide to getting a figure from the moment it is finished to the moment it reaches the client, intact.

Temperature: fondant likes the middle ground

The ideal storage temperature for fondant figures is between 18°C and 22°C. Above 25°C fondant softens. Below 10°C — in a fridge — condensation becomes the problem: take a cold figure into a warm room and moisture collects on the surface, the fondant turns shiny and tacky, and colours can bleed.

Should fondant figures go in the fridge?

In most cases, no. Fondant does not cope well with a fridge because of condensation. Keep the figure at room temperature, in a closed box, out of direct sunlight.

Humidity: the quiet enemy

Fondant draws moisture out of the air and turns sticky, glossy, and can even “sweat” on the surface. It is especially vulnerable in kitchens where food is being cooked, near a sink, or in damp rooms. Keep the figure in a closed box, somewhere dry.

Packing: the first line of defence

A box with a rigid base is non-negotiable — never transport a figure unprotected. Mark the box clearly as fragile, and leave enough room that the figure cannot shift inside it. Delicate parts — arms, ears, flowers, thin ornaments — are best supported with a soft material.

Transport: more than “put it in a box”

Transport is the most critical moment. The basic rules, learned the hard way:

• A rigid-based box is essential — the figure must not move inside the box while the car is moving.
• The car floor, behind the passenger or driver seat, is the steadiest spot — flatter than the boot and less exposed to sun.
• Air conditioning: cool, not freezing. Run it and cool the interior before you load the figure.
• Do not carry a figure over a fast, uneven stretch of road without support — vibration alone will damage fine detail.

Protecting the fine detail

Hands, fingers, ears and floral detail are the most fragile part of any figure. Wherever possible we make these elements so they can travel separately and be assembled on the cake itself, or at the client's. Where that is not an option, they are propped with thin sticks or soft padding inside the box so nothing touches the walls.

How long a figure can wait before it is used

Kept at the right temperature and away from humidity, a fondant figure can sit for weeks in perfect condition before it goes onto the cake — one of the real advantages of working in fondant.