Beginner Basics
Beginner Videos
Fondant
Used to cover a cake
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Fondant is also called Sugar Paste is used to cover a cake.
Fondant stays soft and never really dries, therefore it remains chewy and you can bite through it without any problem. It works great for non-weight bearing cake decorations.
Gum Paste
Used to make cake decorations
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Gum Paste is also called Modeling Paste, Flower Paste, or Petal Paste is used to create cake toppers and cake decorations.
Gum Paste will dry and harden quickly. This stiffness, gives additional strength when making 3D free standing cake decorations. Gum Paste can also be rolled thin and will still hold it shape more precisely when making delicate items like flowers.
Gum-Tex Powder
Used to strengthen Fondant
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Gum-Tex is also called Tylose powder, CMC powder, Gum Tragacanth, or Gum Arabic is a powder that can be added to Fondant to strengthen it.
Adding this powder makes Fondant dry similar to Gum Paste, therefore it will hold its shape and support itself when making decorations.
Gel Food Coloring
Make the color you want
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Gel Food Coloring is what I like to use because they give a true color. I find the liquid food coloring requires you to add much more coloring which ends up softening the Fondant or Gum Paste.
Here you will find the exact items I use my in videos
See the handful of basic tools I actually use.
See the consumable items I use like food coloring, cake plates, and stacking systems.
See my pans & mixer.
The important thing to understand is if you make free standing cake decorations with Fondant alone they will lack the strength that Gum Paste has, therefore they may droop as they settle.