Hi all out there this evening! I finally got some luster dust and was experimenting with it this eve. Someone at the shop mentioned they use a spray bottle to mist it on the finished fondant. I tested it on a small section of fresh made MMF and it came out a little blotchy. I always read you dont need much so about how much would you add to 1 tablespoon? about a 1/4 teaspoon? I am probably going to brush it over the whole cake in MMF. I have never done this before...will the vodka make the MMF taste like vodka? Any input would be appreciated...Thanks so much

Hi there, I have never sprayed it before, i heard of it being sprayed with an airbrush though. I usually mix it with either vodka or lemon extract and apply it with a brush. The alcohol evaporated and i have never been able to taste the vodka. The lemon gives it a nice scent. If you have any questions you can always pm me.

HTH

Jenn

So, can you use lemon extract instead of vodka? The closest store that carries hard liquor is 45 min away & I don't drink it so I would hate to buy a bottle to use just for that & have it in my freezer forever. Also, would something like a Zima work or not? Does the lemon extract flavor the fondant or just scent it?

I'm planning on making a bow for the first time & coloring it w/ gold luster dust for a cake this weekend.

Zima would not work as well and might leave your fondant gummy from drying so slow. If you are painting with it, you need to use something with a very high alcohol tolerance so it evaporates quickly and doesnt mess up your fondant. I know, like karmicflower said, you can use lemon extract, but I use vodka. It does not leave a scent or taste behing. It has worked very well for me! Jen

thanks guys....about how much dust to vodka? It should be a liquid not a paste right?

painting an entire cake surface is tricky without getting streaks. if you do it, go one stroke at a time, allow it to fully dry, then add another coat if needed. another idea is to get a NEW CLEAN cake designated blush brush and dip the brush, tap the excess off, then gently dust the cake surface. dry dusting will use far less than painting. IF you do paint, you will need to experiment with the consistency. you can use lemon, orange or mint extract (all around 80-95% alcohol) but they will leave a scent and a flavor. you can use vanilla, but it will tint the paint and it is not as strong (%35). if you try clear vanilla, its a waste because it is imitation and only about %25. i like to use vodka because it is high in content and it evaporates and does NOT leave a flavor. basically what ever you use, should have a very high alcohol content to get a good quality paint. the faster it evaporates, the less likely your fondant will become gooey.
also, it is (in my opinion) better to have the fondant dry before you go dusting or painting. less blotchy.

I say go with the lemon extract, since you shouldn't waste a drive for a bottle of liquor and spend all that money just to paint a cake, if you do decide to get the vodka, most liquor stores carry the small bottles (like the kind you get on airplanes or in mini-bars) which are pretty cheap, usually $2 -$3. If you have any questions on the bows let me know, check out my pic's, i have some bows there, if thats your style i can give you a hand.

Jenn

go with lemon ONLY if it will compliment your cakes flavor. if its vanilla cake and you have a fruit or cream filling, then lemon is a wonderful choice! if it is chocolate cake and ganache, well...you get the point right?

I'd be curious about those of you airbrush it on? We are usually airbrushing our color onto our fondant. If you get it wet after the fact, it bleeds a little. Can you add the luster dust to the color and airbrush them at the same time?

i imagine...? i have heard a few here that are really good at this who say that an airbrush is not intended for luster dusts. i think the reason is that the grains tend to clog it because they are larger.

i know this has been extremely controversial (no i am not trying to sway or recommend or argue...just stating an example)...i have used a preval sprayer a few times for overall coverage of luster dust. one of my cakes in my photos (indian pillow and bible) i painted using a sponge and food coloring..i let it dry then did a spray of luster with the preval sprayer on top. the overspray actually made the colored paint blend better, smoothed it out so it didnt look blotchy or streaky. i loved the result. of course i am sure if you airbrushed color and then airbrushed luster while the color was still wet, it would bleed or pool up and oversaturate the cake and look sloppy, but if you allowed it to dry in between, the results end up nice.

ok- disclosure on my comment about the preval. if you dont know what it is, dont ask me because i dont want to open up a can of worms and start the food safety debate . . again, not recommending it, just giving an example of my experience. lips sealed!

Yes I have used in on MMF, in my photos is baby shower cake with a bug on top and butterflies on wires. Both are MMF and both were done using luster dust brushed on, I dipped my brush in lemon extract 1st....