You actually can’t battle humidity, its more like coping with it. I live in a humid tropical climate (Lagos – a costal city in Nigeria), where relative humidity varies from 84% – 89 % and temperatures of 27 – 37 degress centigrade (temperatures actually hit above 40c in Northern Nigeria). We usually experience 2 batches of pouring raining season in a year (March – July & Sept – Oct). However, with the global warming issue, the raining season is now more intensive & extensive. So how do I cope?………….
Usually omit glycerin from my paste ( my sugarpaste is home made, newly introduced commercial brands e.g Satin icing are way too expensive & available colour range is limited.) In extreme weather, Iuse a blend of flower paste & sugarpaste to cover the cake.
Incorporate CMC – carboxylmethy lcellulose (synthetic version of gum tragacanth) in to my sugarpaste.
Keep my fondant colours as pastel as possible, it will be a disaster if you covered the entire cake with a dark / intense coloured paste – the cake will be sweaty, sticky, decorations keeps sliding off etc. Most gel paste colours contain glycerin – a humectant. These readily absorb moisture from the atmosphere.
Try to create a condusive atmosphere in my workstation – shut window and doors keeps the humid air out.
Keep decorated cakes in the cake box & using dessicants like silica gel to help absorb moisture.
Finally use a warming cupboard to dry out gum paste items e.g flowers, figurines etc.
Raewyn, hope you find this input useful!
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