Non Edible Items On Cakes...

Decorating By Mullinmama Updated 30 Aug 2011 , 10:15pm by TexasSugar

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Mullinmama Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 6:44pm
post #1 of 7

I recently had a friend come to me with a 3D cake. She asked me to fix it because it was not what she wanted for her husbands 40th surprise. She originally asked me to do the cake but I had already committed to a wedding cake and was to deliver that cake just before the party for her husband and I don't have the space for two large cakes. Anyway, the cake was AWFUL!! This person used non edible glue and GLITTER on the modeling chocolate of this cake. Never once told her that nothing on this cake was not edible. Would you ever put non edible glue and glitter on your cake and if so would you tell the client what was edible and wasn't?

6 replies
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TexasSugar Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 6:48pm
post #2 of 7

Nope, I will not use glitter or even the disco dusts on my cakes. I can't figure out why anyone would think to put non edible glue on a cake.

I have used non-toxic petal/luster dusts on parts of the cake, but now have reduced that to just parts of the cake that probably won't be eat.

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Cakeuhlicious Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 7:18pm
post #3 of 7

Well THAT is icky. But realistically people put non-edible items on cakes all the time. As TexasSugar said, I always advise not to eat the decorations if anything has touched them that is classified as non-edible, even if non-toxic, like dust. Sometimes I recommend they not eat them in general...because I just don't think dried gumpaste tastes very good. :-p

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TexasSugar Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 9:28pm
post #4 of 7

While people may put non-edibles on cakes all the time, that doesn't exactly make it right or okay. When there are edible options I think people should use them.

I couldn't imagine the idea of using Elmer's glue on a cake, even though it's non toxic. I'm not even a fan of the disco dust because it is really just extra ground up glitter/plastic.

Have I ever put non edibles or non toxic items on a cake? Yes. I think everyone probably has at some point, in the learning process. One would assume that items sold as cake products would be actually edible rather than just non toxic.

In reality, once we add wires to gum paste for flowers, they are no longer edible. And we can hope the people that eat our cakes will listen and not eat something when suggested, but we can't always be sure of that. Will they warn everyone at their part not to eat the glittery starred decorations pasted around the side of the cakes. (as an example.)

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JGMB Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 9:56pm
post #5 of 7

At the risk of looking really stupid, am I to understand that luster dust isn't edible? I never knew that and have painted it onto cakes before . . . icon_redface.gif I just assumed that if they sell it at cake stores, it must be food-safe.

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kakeladi Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 9:56pm
post #6 of 7

How do you know it was non-edible glue? And 'regular' glitter not disco dust or the edible kind? Those things are non-toxic but doesn't mean one should use on food!
Of course one should strive to make as much as possible from edible material but there can be exceptions.
That stated, I'm w/Texas about using disco dust!
Have I ever put something on a cake that was not edible? I sure have! icon_sad.gif When I was new - one inparticular that I remember is jabbing bare stemmed iris flowers (along w/some other kinds) into the cake. I didn't know better. Only much later did I learn iris is one flower that the sap can be poisionious ;( icon_sad.gif I'm hoping the person it was for knew that & didn't serve that part of the cake!

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TexasSugar Posted 30 Aug 2011 , 10:15pm
post #7 of 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGMB

At the risk of looking really stupid, am I to understand that luster dust isn't edible?




Most of the dusts are non toxic. Non toxic and edible are not the same thing.

I generally use Elmer's glue as an example. It is non toxic, which means that it shouldn't hurt anyone if eat (think little kids) but it isn't really made or meant to be eaten.

Small amounts of the dust really shouldn't hurt anyone, but they are not meant to be eaten. I'd be nice of the manufactures would make that more clear.

There are some dusts out there that are completely edible. Wilton's dusts are FDA approved. There is also a brand called Crystal Colors.

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