I see some recipes say sugar paste and some say gum paste. Is there a difference?

Sugar paste is the same thing as rolled fondant. :0)

Actually, sugar paste is the same thing as gum paste (not fondant), and seems to be the preferred term in the UK, Australia, and Europe. If gum paste (aka sugar paste) is mixed 50/50 with fondant its referred to as Mexican paste.

Hope that helps

No 03FLSTF, wildflowers is correct. Sugar Paste is our rolled fondant. the UK calls our gum paste, flower paste. A 50/50 mix is known as modeling paste in the UK, I guess it could also be mexican paste, but I'm not familiar with the recipe.

This link kinda helps... http://slice-heaven.com/store/show/TTT-WTD
But, I'm still unsure about the details. It seems to me that different people and different countries call things by different names. Kinda like how American cookies are biscuits in the UK, but biscuits are something entirely different in America. It's enough to make your head spin.

wildflowers and sweetflowers are correct.
In the UK, Australia and South Africa fondant is called sugarpaste.
Our flower paste is called gumpaste in the US.
50/50 mix is also called modelling paste

AFAIK mexican paste is not as strechy as gumpaste.

ok, I'm so confused. How do you do a 50/50 mix and would that be the best to form these waves on this cake?
OK I'm so confused. I need to make a stiff fondant to make these waves:
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I'm going to confuse you even more by saying, to me, the white part of the waves looks like royal.

Forgot to add, thats an awesome cake. Do you know who made it?

That is one awesome cake!

That is one very cool cake. Wouldn't that be fun to do at Christmas time, but use green gumpaste/fondant and make it like a Christmas tree with white tips on the branches?

I like it this way too, very much!

That is really pretty. For the stiffened fondant, you can use 50/50 paste, which is half gumpaste half fondant (or half flowerpaste half sugarpaste if you are in the UK, or aust, etc). But I would just use some tylose in my fondant (or CMC) those are products which also produce a modeling paste. You'll have to prop the fondant up until it dries though Then it does indeed look like the decorator went over the edges with royal and brushed it. . Love the look.

Thanks for all of the input re: gum paste vs. sugar paste. I was feeling like a doofus and decided to research again. It appears that the terms may mean different things to different people. The key difference between the two is that fondant doesnt contain an agent such as gum tragacanth.

The important thing is to understand which material to use depending on the application. E.g., gum paste can be rolled extremely thin, like the petal of a flower, and dries hard. Fondant will also dry eventually, but cannot be rolled as thin as gum paste, and doesnt tolerate stretching and ruffling nearly as well (e.g., ball tool around the outer edge of a flower petal). Fondant is often used to cover a cakes surface and for borders. When applied over an iced cake (usually butter cream) the fondant will remain pliable.

These sites state gum paste and sugar paste are the same:
http://www.sugarpaste.com/
http://www.baking911.com/decorating/cakes_gumpaste.htm
http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/gumpaste/gp-doughs.htm
http://www.gingerbread-house-heaven.com/edible-clay.html
http://anothercupofsugar.blogspot.com/2009/01/fondant-vs-gum-paste.html
http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/is_sugar_paste_the_same_as_fondant

These sites either suggest or state that sugar paste and fondant are the same:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_paste
http://www.fmmsugarcraft.com/pages/flower-paste.php
http://thesugarlane.com/2008/10/15/answers-to-your-most-asked-gumpastefondant-questions/
http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-gumpaste-and-vs-fondant/
http://www.pastrywiz.com/wedding/wedding11.htm

Similar diverse information was expressed on this thread in 2008:
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6154828&sid=2de353c2825d6b2c179d3ec1ae2f0626

Yes, there is a lot of mis-information on the internet. I go by my books and 20 years experience in which I've seen the recipes for sugar paste and they are just like our US fondant recipes (long before you could buy ready made fondant in the US) . However, it is possible in some other country, that sugarpaste is made like our gumpaste, you just never know. Best thing is to go with what you want to use it for and what effect you want.

OMG I'm so confused by all of this. I'm new to this and I look at fondant as being the main item that wraps the cake and tastes a lot better then the sugar/gum/modeling paste. The fondant recipes that I've found show that it has marshmallows in it etc., and the sugar/gum/modeling paste seems to be a more stiff with less flavor? At least that's what I'm gathering.

Thanks everyone for their advice....sweetflowers - I think adding the tylose to the marshmallow fondant will give me what I need. Stiffness & tasty (I hope). This is my project for the weekend. Wish me luck

Sounds like you have it right. It is confusing, but the main thing is to know what you need and then pick the right product for it. Although commercial bought sugarpaste (rolled fondant) does have some gum in it, they are not the same amounts and not interchangeable with gumpaste for everything.

I know it's too late now, but good luck, I love this cake and can't wait to see how yours comes out.

very good thank you you were the only one to explain it simply and well