Cake Decorating Classes

Cake Decorating Tips: Working with Gum Paste

Gum paste can be molded into beautiful, almost real-looking flowers, animals, cartoon figures and more, in a wide selection of colors. Not particularly flavorful, these decorations are valued for their beauty and artistry. Their durability is also a benefit—allowing cakes to be left out on display. After a celebration, choice decorations are often saved as mementos.

Obtaining or Making Gum Paste

Gum paste is made out of confectioner’s sugar, water, corn syrup and gum tragacanth (“Gum-Tex” is an example brand). You can make it, but most people prefer to buy it ready-made at a craft or baking supply store. Of course, serious enthusiasts and professionals will insist on making their own batch for the ultimate in workability.

You can also purchase gum paste flowers at a bakery or baking supply store. Incorporate these into your cake design; or if you’re interested in making your own decorations, use them as a guide for your first attempts.

Making Flowers and Figures

Working with gum paste is not for beginners. It takes practice, patience and an interest in working with fine details. Popular gum paste flowers include:

• Daisies,
• Roses,
• Calla Lilies,
• Orchids, and
• Carnations.

Consider the detail involved in making one of these flowers—you need to cut and attach individual petals, shape and curve the petals into a natural shape; and attach stamens, stems, and leaves.

Gum paste is great for children’s party cakes. You can make fantasy cartoon characters and animals. While gum paste flowers are light and delicate, as are the real flowers they imitate, gum paste figures can be round and comical.

Tools for Working with Gum Paste

If you are thinking about working with gum paste, you will have to assemble a few tools such as:

• Cutters
• Shaping tools—dog bone, ball, veining, shell, and umbrella tools
• Foam cutting surface
• Heavy-gauge wire
• Small brushes for applying adhesive and petal dust
• Modeling stick for ruffling petals and leaves.

You may wish to accumulate tools gradually or invest in a basic tool kit. Before you purchase a kit, think about the types of projects you are most interested in and find out what tools you will need.

More Cake Decorating Tips

The most important cake decorating tip for beginners working with gum paste is to keep it well-wrapped when not in use so it doesn’t dry out. Following are some more introductory tips:

• To color untinted gum paste, apply a small dab of color gel or paste with a toothpick—knead in small amounts of color until you achieve the tint you are looking for.
• When flowers dry, sprinkle them with colored petal dust to make them look more realistic.
• An adhesive commonly used to hold gum paste decorations together is pasteurized egg whites.

How to Find More Gum Paste Cake Decorating Tips

If you are serious about wanting to work with gum paste, you will make the most progress if you find a cake decorating course that specializes in this topic. Cake decorating books and written instructions are useful for getting started and inspired. However, following written instructions is much more difficult than practicing under the guidance of a teacher. In a course you will also benefit from the questions and ideas that other students present. Good luck in your exploration of gum paste art!

Image source: Flickr