What is the best tool for lettering with gumpaste/fondant? All of the ones I have seen look like they would be impossible to use well, but I want something because my handwriting is definitely not the best. Thanks!!

I have some cutters from FMM and Orchard products...you roll either flower or modelling paste thinly and press the cutter hard, scrub it about a bit, then lift the cutter up and give it a flick...out comes your perfect letter...nudge it into shape if it has moved and leave to dry a bit to help handling..then just either add edible glue or water to the back to stick on your cake. I am useless at free hand too. This is easy and looks very professional. The cutter looks like a long ruler...so it flickes easily!

Welcome to cc Megabot and Moondance!

These are funky tappits. They are sold at www.globalsugarart.com. I use corn starch and I roll my gumpaste and or 50/50 gum/fon really thin, let rest about 10-15 min. dip my letters in corn starch, tap off excess and press the letters firmly all over then tap on the counter and they pop right out. Sometimes they break but just make sure you dip the letter in corn starch real good and tap off excess

.http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1704403.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1704403.html

I had to post the link again. Forgot to mention that even though they are rolled thin, they really are easy to handle and put on cake.

Another thing that I just did for a cake on Fri. and again last night on a wedding cake (for a fondant monogram on the front of the top tier) is to use my clay extruder to extrude a strand of fondant (I use satin ice) and then lay a piece of wax paper overtop of a printed out letter/word that I want to copy and lay the rope of fondant over it following the curves of the letters. Let it sit for 30 minutes and it's hard enough to pick up rather easily with a spatula/hand and slide onto your cake or stick to the side of your cake with a little water brushed on the back.

They give a little more dimension as well because they're not perfectly flat.


here is a cake with a 5 on it, done with way.......only I did follow a pattern, just winged it and I had to roll the rope by hand because I didn't have an extruder but you get the point!1 lol

Mamawrobin, when I ordered I asked about the proma code telling them I'm a member of cc and I was told there was no code.

I called about an hour before the deadline to ship out that day (really needed them by a certain time) so I didn't have time to come here and ask about it.

I ordered the uppercase (numbers comes with it) and the lowercase letters. The item total was $23.02, $3.17 tax and $10.11 standard shipping for a total of $36.30 They're in upstate NY and I'm in NYC I ordered on Tues. and was told I should get it Fri. but it came on Thurs.

Khalstead, I love that cake and the number is nice. I need a clay extruder; my Michaels doesn't sell Makins Professional... they sell another brand so I'm hesitant.

Mamawrobin, I hope you didn't order yet. I want to tell you to call in your order. I tried doing it online and it kept rejecting my card (had me thinking I was putting in wrong info, did it 3 times). I originally placed the order on Thurs. called the bank on Fri. (they're the ones who told me that the order was placed 3 times and it was rejected the third time for insufficient funds). By the time I was able to call the company to tell them about the issue it was Tues. (Mon. was a holiday). The bank had cleared up the problem by then so I placed the phone order and it rejected it again; but the customer service rep pushed the order through anyway. I called the bank after this to tell them about the rejection problem and we verified all the info and it was accurate. So I don't no what was going on that day.

Just wanted you to know this in case you needed these by a certain time. HTH

Thanks for the info Yummy. I really appreciate it. I will call on Monday and order rather than risk having the same issues as you. I plan on ordering the same as you. I want both upper and lower case...they are just too cute. Can't believe I don't have them already.

BTW...My Michael's doesn't carry the Makins Ultimate Clay Extruder either...I bought mine at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon. It cost me $12.49. You may want to check there.

Yep, got myclay extruder at hobby lobby too. I want one that does more fondant at one time - Hubby is working hard at thinking what he can construct to do it for me. One day when I have enough time I'm going to talk to a machinest in town. see what he can do. I do like the screw concept, makes it even and not relying on my own hand pressure, but need to fiqure out how to make that with a larger barrell.

I use the tappits because my writing is crap. I picked up a tip here about using them because mine were always sticking or not coming out. I roll out my fondant and then I lay a piece of syran over and then push my cutter to cut the letter. Works great everytime!

I love the Funky letter tappits!
Our own Tonedna( Edna) has a youtube on how to use them..just in case you have any problems!

Heres her youtube link!

Just another idea - I always do my lettering in royal. I use my Word program to come up with the font and size I want for the message first. This is useful also because I can print it out and put it on my cake pan to give me a rough idea of how well it will fit before frosting is involved!

Then I print it out, (sometimes I add a space between the letters to give me more room when I pipe them.)

Just put your print out on the counter, cover with wax paper ( I usually tape the wax paper into place) and "trace" with royal.

My handwriting sucks too, but I can follow lines for piping - and that's all printing letters is LOL.

I usually pipe it two or three times to have extra for breakage. They are easy to peel and stick on later with royal or buttercream - depending on what you are sticking them on to.

It's cheap and you can control the size and font better than a stamp. Here's a pic with my royal piped letters.

wow Carla those look great! LOVE the Bible cake

Mamaqrobin, you are so welcome. I know what you mean about the letters they are too cute. I just ordered mine the day after Memorial day.

You have time to check here about the promo code before you place your order on Mon. Like I said, I didn't have time to come here when I placed my order.

CakesbyCarla, I love your cakes. I love my funky tappits I think they are very girly and nice for little boys, but I will definetely use your tip when I need to do letters that is more masculine.

McDonald, I too know about that tip and the first time I tried my tappits I was actually decorating a cake that was due that day; I had about 2 1/2 hrs to finish the cake . I just knew I was going to waste a lot of time trying to get them out. But my first few letters gave me no problems. Then a few after that started breaking. I got my plastic wrap and tried but it really wasn't working (had never tried before and didn't have time to take my time). Went back to the tappits and I was lucky. The second cake I did with the tappits I had a little more time for eras but it worked out. Tomorrow while I'm sitting here watching tv I'll try it again with plastic.

Mamawrobin and Chellebyerly, I have no Dollar Tree, Joanns, Hobby Lobby nowhere near me ( I know, how sad and lonely for me). There's an A.C. Moore in NJ (I'm in NYC, NJ is the next state over). I don't have a car; but I do go there every once in a blue moon when I decide to take the bus to that mall. There is two Michaels near me and they just got here like 4 mons. ago.

Carla..thanks for the tip. Your cakes look great. LOVE that Bible cake. Very neat work Yummy...are the tappits "user friendly" I do plan on checking out Edna's tutorial on those, thanks fiddlesticks for that info.

Yummy..sorry to hear that you don't have a Hobby Lobby near you.
I hope that your Michael's has more to offer than mine does. Our Hobby Lobby is very well stocked with cake supplies and Michael's carry very little in comparison. I did notice the other day that my local Wal-Mart has expanded the Wilton aisle. Now if they will put glycerin on the shelf I'll be set. I have to drive 50 miles to get glycerin. :

You probably missed my last post. I thought I would have problems after reading that others were. I watched Tonednas tutorial on you tube way before I purchased them; it was great. She used crisco on her mat to roll out her gumpaste, check out her video at www.youtube.com Tonednas funky tappits tutorial. I used cornstarch. I really didn't have the problems I was expecting (they were minor, read my last post please). It's good to know that there are three alternatives to using tappits.

Wow! so many great tips! I've got the tappits in 'script' font. When they get stuck I use a soft paint brush to push them thru. But i've never though of using syran, thanks mcdonald! I'm sure that'll work better than the paint brush.
KHalstead thanks for that great tip, placing strands of fondant on printed font! lol I never would've thought of that!
I've also ordered the funky tappits from Global Sugar Art (last week) I can't seem to find them anywhere in Australia! cant wait to get them!

My Michaels sell glycerin. They also have the wilton daisy and fondant cutter sets fort for $2.97; at my cake supply store they're $4.99. Can you guess where I'm buying them from this week?

Wow! they're at least double that over here! I'm sure I paid nearly $10 for mine....

I order from Global Sugar Art all the time online...have never had an issue. I usually do my ordering late at night, so calling is never convenient. They are fast and easy - one of the best places I order from.

It used to be that if you entered their site by clicking on their ad here on CC, a 10% discount was automatically applied for being a member. I don't know if that's still the case or not, but it's worth a try!

Thanks.

Carla what a great idea! There are so many fonts out there...now I now how to get them on my cakes!

I do have the Funky Tappits (upper & lower w/ numbers) and I love them!! I followed Edna's tutorial and they worked great the first time I used them. But they are a little fragile so you have to handle gently.