In cake decorating, there are many different variants of pastes that can be used. The paste you will use will have to depend on the project you are working. For example, if you want to decorate your cake with delicate flowers, you use gum paste. If you want to cover your cake with icing, you use fondant. But perhaps you have grown tired of decorating your cake with flowers and wish to try out something else. Perhaps you want to venture into something more creative, like sugary figurines based on pop culture or cartoon characters.
The good news is, cake decorating pastes are very versatile that you can even use a combination of the different pastes to achieve your desired results! If you want to create decorative toppings for your cake, then you need to use a modeling paste. It is the ideal paste to use for cake figures and decorations because it holds up the shape well, and will remain dry yet soft enough to eat.
Although there are a lot of ready-made modeling pastes in the market, you can actually make modeling paste from scratch. There are actually many modeling paste recipes that you can use–you just need to choose the one in which you feel the most comfortable to work with! Here are the most common recipes for making modeling paste from scratch:
Modeling Paste Recipe #1
You can use sugar paste as a modeling paste. All you have to do is add a thickener to the paste in order to make it more pliable and easier to shape into figures. Adding Tylose powder or CMC powder into the sugar paste mix will do the trick!
What You Will Need:
- 500 grams of sugar paste
- 1 – 2 teaspoons of Tylose powder or CMC powder or tragacanth gum
What You Have to Do:
Knead the Tylose powder or CMC powder into your sugar paste. Click here [insert link for sugar paste recipe] for the recipe on how to do sugar paste. This will make the sugar paste firm and easy to work with during the modeling process. It will also make the mixture dry faster. Take note that paste made with Tylose and CMC powder can be used right away. On the other hand, a mixture that has tragacanth gum in it has to be set for 24 hours. So if you’re pressed for time, better use the Tylose powder or the CMC powder.
Sugar paste will immediately thicken as soon as the gum powder is added, so you need to work quickly. The amount of Tylose or CMC powder you use will depend on how firm your sugar paste is. If you are not going to use everything, store in an airtight container and put it on the refrigerator. Tip: do this modeling paste from scratch ahead of time, preferably the night before, allowing the mixture to set, and making it easier for you to model your cake!
Modeling Paste Recipe #2
What You Will Need:
- sugar paste
- gum paste
What You Have to Do:
Using a 50:50 ratio, combine and knead the two pastes together. Using sugar paste alone will not work as it is too soft for the modeling process. It will crack, sag, and will lose its shape over time. Adding a stronger paste, such as gum paste will strengthen the sugar paste. By using gum paste mixed with sugar paste, you get the best of both worlds: you can retain the rigidity of the gum paste but you also get the softness of the sugar paste. The result? You can make decorative cake toppings that won’t collapse because of their weight.
Note that when you knead two pastes together that have different textures and consistencies, it might take awhile for them to become a cohesive whole. Just keep on kneading until you achieve a smooth modeling paste from scratch.
If you are planning to make decorative flowers, why not try gumpaste? Here’s a quick recipe for making gumpaste right in your own kitchen.
