Hi, I'm new here as well as new to cake baking. What is the difference between fondant and gum paste? I am making a cake for my son's first birthday and I am trying to get together all of the tips and tricks before doing so. What is fondant used for and what is gum paste used for?

Fondant is for eating, gumpaste is not. Fondant is used to cover a cake, and to make some details. Gumpaste is used for details that need extra stability or stiffness, or for flowers because it can be worked much thinner. You might use gumpaste to make handles on a purse cake, or mix it with fondant to make figures.

Gumpaste is technically edible, but it doesn't have any flavor except sweet, and it dries rock hard.

Exactly what Texas_Rose said.

thanks!!