I have just gotten my feet wet with the use of fondant for decorating cookies, and I keep seeing articles about gumpaste. Could someone help me understand what the differences are and the pros and cons? Is there already a forum or archive of info about this? Thank you for your help.

JMO, the difference is, gumpaste though edible, it is not eatable (palatable, sp?). fondant is both edible & eatable, esp if you've chanced upon yourself michele foster's fondant.

I'm fairly new at this too, but what I've figured out is gumpaste is good for stuff that you want to dry really hard. The flowers I made with gum paste dry to almost like a porcelain finish. I have read that when making models and such, you need a little bit stronger stuff than fondant. The fondant will dry on the outside somewhat, but be soft in the middle and you could still pick it up and eat if you wanted.

Here is some information< I hope this can help you

And welcome to CC, we are like a family you will love this site, and believe me it is addictive. , but you will enjoy it.

I use this three recipes and they are amazing, I love it I hope you like them

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-3663-Michele-Fosters-Delicious-Fondant.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipes_id-add_box-3183.html

Here you will find delicious recipes and Nicholas L fondant (I loooove it) for flowers and figures

http://www.designmeacake.com/id27.html


For Buttercream I love this one it is so yummy!!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-6992-Indydebis-Crisco-Based-Buttercream-Icing.html


And here is this link with more information about the acronyms on CC

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-2926.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about buttercream

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-1353.html

I hope this can help you and Welcome to CC again