You’ve been wanting to create something for a while now and the inspiration has come. The idea has formed, percolated through the brain cells and finally you have decided. You can see it in your mind’s eye; your confectionary masterpiece. Swirls of colourful marble effect, hand-crafted toppers arranged delicately on the top and cascading down the sides. A wondrously decorated delight, with which you will entice family and friends (hopefully, soon!) into consuming many slices of. You turn on the computer, fingers leaping to the keys in anticipation and excitement about finding your ingredients. You innocently type in ‘paste for decorating cakes’. Ah! There it is, flower paste! Oh, wait. There’s also sugar paste. Hmm. Gumpaste too. And fondant!
Gulp!!
The excitement starts turning into a slight sense of overwhelm. Questions start circling and you become increasingly aware that a little more investigating may be required. What are these different pastes? What are they all used for?! Fear not, we are here to help! Read on to find out the differences in the different pastes available for cake decorating.
What pastes are out there?
The three types of pastes generally used in cake decorating are:
Flower Paste, also known as gum paste in the US.
Sugar Paste, sometimes known as fondant.
Modelling Paste, known as, er, modelling paste.
Flower Paste:
Fun fact - A Piece of Cake was the first place in the UK to create and sell flower paste that previously only existed as gum paste in the US. Norma Laver and Jenny Walker, the former owners of A Piece of Cake, were keen to try to create a medium that would allow people to make sugar flowers. They used a recipe provided by good friend Tombi Peck, who was teaching classes on sugar flowers at the time. However, Jenny and Norma made a mistake with some of the ingredients and low and behold, the A Piece of Cake Flower Paste was born! What a happy accident that was!
Have a look here at our range of flower pastes, recipe going strong since 1985! Need some colour to jazz up your paste? Have a look at our range of gels, dusts, pastes and pens here.
Pro tip: Since flower paste dries quickly and will dry hard, when working with flower paste it is best to tuck away any bits you aren’t using at the time to keep it pliable and useable! Either pop the bits in a ziplock bag or wrap in a damp cloth while using. Paste gone the other way and is over-sticky? Just use some cornflour!
Sugar Paste:
Pro tip: try adding a small amount of Tylo powder to sugar paste to make your sugar paste act more like your own version of flower paste!
Modelling Paste:
You could probably all this meet-in-the-middle modelling paste, as that is exactly what it is! A combination of sugar and flower paste mean this medium is great for making models and figures with more detail like flower paste, but can still be eaten, like sugar paste. Modelling paste is not quite as stretchy and pliable as sugar paste and has a slightly longer drying time, making it ideal for more complex forming of models and figures. If you are looking to make some models that you want to be able to chomp into, this is the paste for you! Have a look at the Culpitt, Saracino and Squires modelling pastes we stock here.
Pro tip: Want to make your own? Simply mix some flower paste with some sugar paste to make your own, or add some Tylo!
So there you have it, we hope you are perplexed about pastes no more and that this has helped you decide exactly what paste it is you are after! Whether it be flowing flower paste florals, funky-effect fondants or modelling paste masterpieces, there is a paste out there for you and we can help you get your hands on some!
Has this inspired you to have a go?! Don’t forget to share your creations on social media, tag us and use the hashtag #APieceOfCakeThame for a chance to be featured!