I love decorating with what I call "cake jewelry:" jewelry charms hanging on wire, or balls of fondant on wire. The problem is, I am having a difficult time figuring out the best gauge wire to use. SHould I be using jewelry wire as I have been? Or is there floral wire? Every time I stick the wire decoration in the cake it seems to heavy, unstable, etc. I would love advice and tips from those of you that use cake jewelry so wonderfully! I see it on cakes here often.

Thanks!!!

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm doing a cake this week and was planning on doing the wire with fondant balls on the end. I use floral wire. Im using either 26 or 24 gauge. (dont have it on hand right now.) It seems to hold up ok- I did a test run last night and had to make my balls a little smaller, because the wires were leaning a bit. I would also really like to know what everyone else uses. Sorry I'm not much help.

Yes there is floral wire which comes in some lovely colours not just green, so that enhances the decoration. I just bought a beautiful pink and a blue one. Floral wire also comes in different guages, most common for cakes is 26 guage but if you are doing something heavy you could go for 28 or 30.

imarpet
Just as an example - i have posted this link below to a page from Lindys Cakes in the UK.
Scroll down the page and read what it says about the different wires and what she uses them for - Lindy is certainly an expert of all things wires - and what hangs of them..
Some of the coloured wires are so pretty.

If this link doesn't show up - then google this, but without the gaps
http:// www. lindys cakes .co. uk / OnlineShop -Wires. htm

http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/OnlineShop-Wires.htm

Bluehue

I use coffee straws (cut to length) insert in cake then insert the wire in the coffee straw and it keeps the wire from tearing into your cake and the wire from touching your cake as well. HTH

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the great responses! That link posted to the lindy site is AMAZING! Thank you! And I have been using the jewelry wire and it is so heavy that it isn't staying in the cake well: I think the coffee straw idea is DEFINITELY worth a try!!! I would love to buy Lindy's dvd on Cake Jewelry Gems. I think I will google it! Isn't cake jewelry just STUNNING? Thanks again, everyone.

I think I read somewhere that the wire is not supposed to be inserted directly into the cake. Is this correct? I have also read about dipping the wires in chocolate to coat the wires. Is this satisfactory, will it cover the wire sufficiently enough.

You are right that the wires should not touch the cake, they need to either be inserted into flower picks or straws. You get them to stick by piping a small amount of royal icing in the straw or pick and then put the wires in. Not sure about the chocolate thing, I have never done it, maybe someone else can answer that.

i use 18 guage florists wire peper coatedf which allows you to insert straight into the cake. 18 gusage is strong enough for really long spokes wit large gumpaste things on it like stars hearts lage balls or a series of balls etc. for small er items like beads and jewels you can use 20 or 22 guage