I just signed up for the Fondant and Gumpaste course. The Michael's employee gave me a syllabus but I am positive it's the wrong thing. It doesn't look like the ones from the first two classes. It just says Gumpaste Flowers on it and doesn't even mention bringing gumpaste or fondant to class. I googled the correct syllabus and I think I found it. Does this look correct?

http://cakeclassesnmore.com/Documents/gumpaste%20and%20fondant.pdf

Does it really say to bring thick spaghetti? Is it really necessary?

I teach the wilton class at michaels in tennessee and the syllabus you posted is the right one and yes you will need the spaghetti or some teeth picks you will need them for the mum, rose base so when you make the rose and mum in lesson 2 and 3. I hope this help

Your link and list of supplies looks correct - but I'm working from memory. The thick spaghetti will be used to stick into the ball of your flower base made from fondant/gum paste. The spaghetti has the same affect as the wire stems you see on many flowers on cakes. I remember sticking the pasta into the ball and then sticking the spagetti into an unside down styrofoam cup so that it would stand upright and dry.

If you can find the fondant/gum paste book on the shelf at Hobby Lobby or Michael's, you can look at page 7 or 8 (I think) and see that the spaghetti is dipped in gum paste glue and then inserted into a ball shape for a flower base.

I had to smile when you questioned the spaghetti! I had the same thought: "Spaghetti? Really? Boy, somebody really made a serious typographical error on this one!"

Good luck and enjoy your class!

Thanks for the replies.

I'll see if I can come up with a substitute. I'm gluten free and while I do have gluten free spaghetti it tends to break pretty easily. It's not quite as sturdy as the regular stuff.

Hmm, I don't think I can even find thick spaghetti, just the regular thin stuff. Do you think I could just use toothpicks for this?

I'm in the class now and I just used some 20 gauge wire I already had.

I think the spaghetti is just used for ease, cost and safety. I'm sure if you explain your dietary issues, the instructor would be fine with you using something similar - maybe some wire designed for cake decorating - they sell it on the baking aisle at Hobby Lobby and Michaels.

You can totally use toothpicks, this is what Wilton did in the last Course 3 for the roses. I think they went with the noodles so that it's an edible thing being stuck in the cake.

Thanks for all the help, toothpicks it is! I'm going to call the store today and let them know they're handing out the wrong syllabus.

They aren't handing out the wrong one. That is the correct one, same one I use for my students.

I also suggest to my students that they can use coffee stirrers. I personally have found that many times spaghetti breaks when the students use it, it can also "cook" from the moisture in the cake if left in there for a little while.