Which do you prefer and why?

For any type of item that needs to be sturdy and stable - gumpaste. For the flowing look that you can cut into - like bow tails coming down the side of a cake - fondant.

I'd like to know that answer too. I'd also like to know how long you can store each and how to store each.

I like both. I think gumpaste makes prettier loop bows. While I love fondant for simple accents. I probably use fondant a lot more. But gumpaste is great when you need something firm.

I haven't use gumpaste yet...but I love working with fondant....
cakegal

I use fondant for covering cakes. I use a mix of 2/3 fondant and 1/3 gumpaste for things like drapes and bows which I need to hold firmer but still need to cut and I use gumpaste for things like flowers which need to set rigid

Miss Baritone,
Do you have any pictures of the cake(s) you made drapes on?

I only have the 1 photo. This is a cake I made for a friends birthday. The cake is covered in fondant. The drapes are a mixture of fondant and gumpaste. The butterfly and small flowers are gumpaste. The large flowers are brush embroidered with royal icing.

That cake is so lovely Miss Baritone. It is so elegant .. Beautiful cake.
Liz

Missbaritone,
very elegant indeed. Why do you mix 1/3 gum paste into the fondant?

It's just what I was taught in class. By adding gumpaste to the fondant, things like the drapes hold firmer and don't droop. They also set in position a bit quicker but still remain pliable enough to cut and eat

lovely cake... I do enjoy doing brush embroidery myself too...

I like to use 'fondant' myself

Grem x

I've only made gumpaste flowers once. After they dried, they were very hard. I read somewhere that although gumpaste is edible, it is used mostly for "looks". I prefer fondant.