I have always used fondant, but the last cake I did I put a bow on the top. It didn't stand up the way that I wanted it to, I used fondant.... Is this the reason why? I have seen a lot of people make flowers out of gumpaste, would this would better to make number to stand up on a cake??

Can anyone send me a link on HOW to make gumpaste flowers??

And can you make your own gumpaste like you can fondant, or is it better to buy it??

Hey Trishalynn,

Fondant doesn't usually dry hard enough for something like a bow. We were taught to mix 50% fondant with 50% gumpaste for bows. Or you could just use all gumpaste for the bow next time.

All gumpaste would be best for a number that you were going to stand upright on top of a cake. Just remember to insert a toothpick or something similar so that you are able to attach it to the top of the cake.

There is a sticky in the "How Do I" section of the forum that has links to tons and tons of free tutorials. You'll find just about everything you need to make flowers there.

I think I saw a recipe for gumpaste somewhere, but I wouldn't attempt it. I always buy mine.

HTH

PS - Where in PA are you from? My husband is originally from Pittsburgh and we head down there all the time.

I really only use actual gum paste for items that must be rolled very thinly and mostly just for competition work these days.

When working on a cake that will be eaten, I'm just as happy to mix some tylose/gum tex/cmc with fondant to create things like bows, plaques, fabric roses, stripes, etc.

Adding one of these powdered "gums" to your fondant (not Duff's, Fondarific, or Choco-pan) will help it to dry faster and to hold it's shape longer when exposed to room air.

I keep a jar of tylose on my counter and use it as I work.

I had an emergency cake to do this weekend and needed the 3/4th round "claws" for a Lego man to be stiff enough to hold up--and not near enough time for them to dry on their own. By adding some tylose to my black fondant, I was able to form them around a metal tube and bake them in a 170F oven for several hours. Can't do that with straight fondant--it'll melt.

HTH
Rae

Well, the light works great when I have say 8-10 hrs.--overnight, but in this case, I had less than 4 hrs.

My electric oven only goes as low as 170F. I can say that it's worked several times for me.
I do it directly on a non-stick cookie sheet or on a piece of parchment with a bit of cornstarch rubbed onto the surface.

Nice to have a trick that works in a pinch!
Rae