Gumpaste

Author: Sarah Miller

Editor: Megan Ritz

“Royal icing with backbone”

Photo Credit: Unknown.

Gumpaste, A.K.A. Sugarpaste starts with Royal Icing and a special gumming agent is added to turn it into a sugary dough.

It is molded or rolled out and cut into shapes, like play-doh.

Rolling out a fresh batch of Gumpaste

Sugar flowers are the most popular gumpaste decorations, but its talents don't stop there. Monograms, bows, numbers, curlies and flat characters or shapes are all made from gumpaste. Gumpaste dries hard, so we can use it for decorations that need to hold their shape and stick up out of the top of a cake.

While it is edible, it's not really for eating. Thin pieces like bows and curlies are fun to eat. Kiddos especially love getting to eat curlies covered in glitter. Sculpted figurines have wires in them to help hold their structure. Numbers and stars may be glued onto a stick or wire so they don’t fall over. Flower petals may be built on wires to hold the petals together more naturally. Sometimes there are inedible elements for structural support. When you pick up your cake we can let you know if there’s anything that is better just to look at.

When we need something to stand up on a cake, fondant won't work. It is heavy & it stays soft. Gumpaste hardens as it dries and holds its structure, allowing us to create some truly awesome add ons to your cakes!

One ingredient takes Royal Icing and turns it into Gumpaste. Click here to find out the difference!