Hi,

I'm fairly new to cake decorating and VERY new to using fondant. This may be a stupid question, but exactly what is the differnce between gumpaste and fondant? And why might someone choose to use one over the other - are they better for different things?

thanks in advance!

Gumpaste hardens....and is usually used to make flowers....molded figures...shoes..etc. It dries quickly.

You can use a 50/50 of gumpaste and fondant if you want a more flexible item and more working time. I use that mixture when making bows for my cakes.

You can also use fondant to make flowers..they will not harden like the gumpaste ones do. It is used to cover cakes..cookies...it has a better taste than gumpaste does. It "hardens" but you can slice through it easily.

Rolled fondant is a cake covering. It is has a "play-dough" like consistency which dries to a porcelain-hard exterior which is soft underneath. It is expected to be eaten. Some modelling and decorative work can be done with it, but it may not "hard" enough without the addition of a hardening agent.

Gumpaste is a modelling compound. It quickly dries very hard. Because of this, and although it is non-toxic in anyway, it is generally not consumed.