O.k. I bought some gumpaste mix (Wilton brand) and the wilton gumpaste flower making kit. Before I start playing with it I wanted to see if any of ya'll might have any tips or hints.

I just bought that too, along with the Wilton gumpaste! I made the first flowers, the apple blossoms last night- they took a while to do, but were lots of fun! A little bit of it I rolled a bit too thin and they were harder to work with- I guess my tip would be to get it really thin, but not paper thin. Overall, I was very happy with how they turned out. I'd be interested in any tips as well.

Here's a BUMP!

Bump!

Did you mix it with fondant or just the straight gumpaste? Is the gumpaste edible and if so do you add a flavoring? Please let me know. Thanks!

Gumpaste is considered edible. It dries hard, but you can still crunch it if you want to. Many flowers are built on wires, those would not be considered edible.

For example, If you make leaves as a decoration, without wires, you could add flavoring to enhance the flavor. They mostly taste like sugar.

You can mix gumpaste with fondant, they call it 50/50. This is normall used for larger things that need time to work with them, such as drapes or ruffles. they dry faster and a bit stronger than fondant alone.

If the gumpaste is sticky, a tiny bit of sifted cornstarch can help. If you use a bit of shortening on your fingers to soften the gumpaste it can help shape petals.

It just takes practice.

Thanks so much JoAnn for the help!

My 2 year old thinks the gum paste flowers are "yummy yummy"

The gumpaste mix is easy. Here are a few of my tips

1) Make it
2) Wrap in PRESS n SEAL
3) PUt in a ziplock, suck out the air (I use my mouth)
4) Let rest 24 hours
5) Take out a chunk. Kneed in more powdered sugar. If it is sticky, big trouble
6) Get a piece of press n seal
7) grease your surface, roll out the gumpaste 3 times (flip sides)
Pick up and place on the press n seal
9) Roll out again thinner
10) Cut the shapes
11) Fold over the press n seal so they don't get dried out
12) Put cornstarch on your foam. I find I have to reapply every 3 petals. Some people do a mix of cornstarch and p.sugar so it doesn't dry out the gumpaste, but I like it to dry it out. It dries it out just enough that it makes it easy to work with, but not dried out looking!
13) Do your petal, make sure the press n seal is sealed.
14) Go back into your press n seal "packet" and grab the next petal.

Hope that was helpful!

Can you only use gumpaste for flat things, like flowers, or can it be used for other shapes also, like balls or people or animals?

You can use gumpaste for modeling figures. 50/50 is sometimes easier because it gives you more time for shaping the figure. however, it does take longer to dry.

Im new to this site but iv'e been doing cake decorating professionally for years now. In my opinion when you are making flowers, leaves or pretty much any decoration you need to be using a mixture of gumpaste and fondant. Most people tend to use 50/50 but iv'e found that 3:1 works best. Thats 3 parts fondant to 1 part gumpaste. The reason being that the gumpaste give it stability but plenty of "hardening" but the fondant gives it the elasticity you need to get it super thin for life like florals. I also used to use Wilton brand but after taking a Fantasy Sugar and Art class from Marco Antonio Lopez Sanches and Sonia Escobar from South America, I will only make my own from now on. I have the recipee if you interested! Plus its super cheap and tons better in my opinion. Hope I helped some.

Gumpaste is a whole art unto itself. If you think cake decorating involves a lot of tools, wait until you get hooked on gumpaste! It is addicting. I am self taught, so here are some tips I have found that have helped me. When you first start you use more gumpaste than you need. My first attempts were very ungainly. Think small!! I use a glue that consists of meringue powder and water to attach petals. A pasta machine really helps to roll the gumpaste thin. You want to be able to see through it for some of the flowers, like the rose. Instead of using the foam pad that comes with the Wilton kit, try using a mouse pad. it works really well. I have purchased a lot of books on gumpaste flowers, but I keep going back to the book by Scott Clark Woolley, Cakes by Design. I like his instructions and his pictures are wonderful. There are thousands of products online for gumpaste, but you can find things around the house to prop your flowers until they dry. Egg cartons, empty paper towel holders, cotton balls and batting, etc. You will start looking at your throw aways in a whole different light! I have used real rose leaves for veining. The wire you can buy at Michaels or a craft store is not what you want to use. I find an assortment of wire in 22, 24 and 26 guages, white and green to fill most of my requirements. You can find this online. Petal dust or non-toxic chalk is a must. The Wilton book does not go into the coloring of the flowers much, but that is what makes them look realistic. I like to steam my flowers to set the color and give them a nice sheen. It really makes them come alive. There is also a confectioners glaze that is available but I have never tried it. If you decide to steam, be sure to do it fast or the gumpaste will melt. I use Nicholas Lodge's recipe and I really like it. It is so easy to make and lasts forever. It is whiter in color than the Wilton gumpaste. It uses tylose rather than the gum arabic. Again, I have to get that online. I hope these tips help. Have fun, it is a very rewarding craft.

I use a small bit of fondant mixed in water for my flower glue. I got that tip from Diane Simmons.
My first rose out of gumpaste looked awful. I had made it in my wilton class and my instructor was in a hurry so I really did not have time to really work it out. I went home that weekend and made my 38 flowers for my cake and many of my roses looked real. The thinner you can get it the more life like they look. I even had some of mine with the edges looking ragged like they do in real life. I did not use ps or cornstarch to roll my gumpaste out. I use crisco...does not stick and keeps the gumpaste pliable. I have my cake from course 3 in the wedding cake gallery here.

So that's why I've got a room full of all sorts of things that I do and will use for cake decorating. Nothing is thrown away and be sure there will be a use for it, maybe not tomorrow but one day. All my flowers etc are gumpaste and looking on this site I would really love to learn buttercream and all that you can do with it. Haven't plucked up the courage to have a go yet but there have been very helpful members who have shared their advice with me.

fantasy_art,

I would like that recipe too please!

antasy_art,

I would like that recipe as well. Can't wait to try it!

Can I have the recipe too? Thanks!

Would you mind posting it in the recipe section? I bet there are lots of decorators that would love to try it.


Cindy

Bump!

fantasy_art,

I would like that recipe too please!

Can I please have the recipe? If it is not much trouble for you can you share your recipe Thank You so much in advance

Frankyia
[email protected]

In my website is Nicholas lodge Gumpaste Recipe. Look in the recipe section..
Edna
www.designmeacake.com

I also just got the Wilton gumpaste flower set and started working with it yesterday. I'm finding it pretty fun but I'm not real impressed with the Wilton instruction book. My rose didn't really look like a rose but in reading this thread it appears I probably didn't get my leaves thin enough. Thanks to all of you for the ideas/insight.

And now, fantasy_art, you can't tease us like that--we need your recipe, please. I would much prefer making my own gumpaste. Please post the recipe for us. Thanks

Thank you Peterlori, fantasyart, everyone! I got up the courage to make a batch of gumpaste last night. Yikes but the Wilton is NASTY compared to the home-made!

I am trying to make a golf glove. So recommend 3-1 w/the fondant? Same goes for MMF? Also, does anyone know where I can find templates? I tried on-line to find one for a glove. since I don't sew...gosh...its hard for me to come up with something that doesn't look like a horror movie prop!

Or can anyone recommend a good book for gumpaste figures? I don't have a ton of ca$h to spend on a book, but will splurge if I can get a good recommend one!

Thanks for the recipe and guidance, Edna. By the way, I just love your cakes.

fantasy_art,

Please post recipe.

Thanks

Vicki

I just watched your 6 part video on gumpaste roses, Edna, and am so impressed. You made this look so easy.

Thanks so very much for sharing.

Is all a matter of practice!
Edna