I LOVE my collection of dusts… they make cakes ah-mazing! I paint with dusts on parts of nearly every cake I make to add dimension, depth or shine. There are a few varieties of dusts, each with different properties that will produce different effects. These are the different dusts I use (and did I mention LOVE):
Luster dust comes in many different colors and adds sparkle, shine, and a little color tint. You can brush it on dry or dilute with a little vodka to smoothly paint on. The vodka dries clear, leaving you with shimmery awesomeness.
Petal dust has a matte finish and is often used to decorate gum paste flowers because the matte appearance yields a natural look. But I mostly use petal dust to add shadow, aging and color depth. Sometimes I will air brush over it for deeper results.
Pearl dust leaves a sparkly, pearlescent finish with just a touch of color. I use it much the same way I use luster dust, but it’s a bit more translucent and leaves less color behind.
Disco dust is pretty much edible glitter, rather than powder. It packs a huge sparkle punch! Use it anytime you want your cake to really SPARKLE!
Behold! My dust collection.
I suppose you could buy these over the internet. But I buy mine at my local cake store and just love handling all the little jars, admiring the different sheens. For a special project, I highly recommend seeing them in person. Add a few tiny paint brushes and have some fun!
Tip: When painting leaves or flowers, I use several shades of the same color family. It adds so much more depth!
I sculpted this sorting hat from modeling chocolate. Just look at the before & after and the difference a little black petal dust made!
If the hat wasn’t enough to convince you, just look at these petals! Once the petals set overnight, I painted them with dusts the next day. Boom!