Hello my new friends of CC

I am looking to make a figurine for a cake toper on a fondant covered cake. I have never attempted this and I am very unsure what the best medium to use is? Is sugar paste the same as gumpaste? What about pastillage? What is the best type of food coloring to use? I was told that sponge cake was best to use? I would prefer to have more flavor in my cake than that..

Any thoughts or tutorials or helpful hints for a newbe would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance

~Christine

hi, and welcome. i always use half gum paste and half fondant(sugarpaste) you can buy ready made gum paste or just add tylose powder to your sugarpaste to strengthen it.make sure you use white vegetable fat ie Trex or Crisco to keep it from crackin(rub some in the palms of your hands and surface). i usually do a pound cake or butter madeira cake as it holds well. i hope this helps.

I make quite a lot of figurines and always use fondant with gum tragacanth powder mixed in for strength. About 1tsp per 500g fondant. Just be sure to wrap the fondant up and let it rest for a few hours after mixing the powder in.

Use gel food colouring rather than the watery stuff sold in supermarkets. Or you can use powdered food colour.

Personally I wouldn't decorate sponge cake, something firmer would be better.