Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi
I’ve seen some cake makers use quite large quantities of tylose powder o
order in sugarpaste to use it for edible decorations and lettering .Is there a limit to how much should be added so it is palatable and safe to eat .Thankz

Hi Woodysmum

It depends on how strong the paste is to begin with. Softer pastes like Renshaw’s may need a little more. Adding too much will render the paste un useable as it will become too dry and crack.
Generally the ratio is 1 teaspoon kneaded into 250g of paste. Leave to rest for an hour or so to active the gum before using. If using gum tragacanth leave to rest between 12 -24 hours before use.

Climatic conditions will also affect the ratio. If, as it is now, hot and humid, or if it’s wet and humid, increase the ratio slightly until you feel the paste strengthening up. Hope this helps 🙂 X

I wouldn’t recommend eating decorations made with gumpaste, they don’t taste very nice and they’re brittle.

Thanks x