CMC, tylose & edible glue

CMC and tylose powder make fondant and flower paste firmer, so they dry faster, figures stand up straight and sugar flowers keep their delicate edges. You will also find edible glue here for joining fondant pieces neatly, plus gum arabic and glycerine. Small helpers that belong in every cake decorator's kit.

What is in this category?

• CMC powder in 14 g and 40 g and FunCakes CMC-Tylose powder 60 g: knead it into fondant or flower paste when modelling figures, bows or flowers.
• Edible glue in four versions: with brush (22 g), in a tube, as a pen and in a 50 g size. Arms, heads, leaves and letters made of fondant stay firmly in place.
• Gum arabic 20 g: a binder and glaze that holds sugar decorations together and gives them a subtle shine.
• Glycerine 120 g: keeps pastes supple when they turn dry and start to crack.

Tips from our bakery

• Start small: knead the CMC in gradually and follow the instructions on the pack. Too much powder makes the paste brittle.
• Let it rest: wrap the fondant airtight after kneading and give it some time so the powder works evenly.
• Apply glue very thinly: a touch is enough. Too much glue makes pieces slide and leaves shiny marks. The pen suits fine details, the brush larger areas.
• Store dry: figures made with CMC dry best in the open air; the fridge is too humid.

You will find the paste itself under Fondant & Flower Paste, and for wafer-thin petals in our flower paste range. Learn how to turn paste into a rose on our sugar flowers course in Adliswil.

Frequently asked questions

Are CMC and tylose the same thing?

In cake decorating the two terms are used interchangeably. Both powders firm up fondant and flower paste and help them dry faster.

Do I need CMC if I use flower paste?

Flower paste is already made to set firm for delicate flowers. You mainly need CMC to stabilise ordinary fondant for figures or bows.

How much fondant do I need for my cake?

Our fondant calculator in How much fondant do you need for a cake? works it out for you.