How I make burgundy gumpaste
I get asked a lot how I make my burgundy gumpaste. So I’m laying it all out for you today! I make my own gumpaste from scratch using the Nicholas Lodge gumpaste recipe. I only use CAI tylose powder which really makes the gumpaste stretchy and smooth to work with.
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These flowers are so beautiful beyond my expectations. The burgundy color is perfect and vibrant. The packaging was so well done and they arrived in perfect condition. Would definitely purchase from this shop again!
Nanette, Sugar Flowers by Kelsie Cakes customer
Since I make gumpaste from scratch, each batch is always a slightly different shade. I really like mixing different flowers together from different batches. I think it makes the flowers more realistic. After all, they aren’t made in a factory. So it makes sense that they shouldn’t all look exactly alike!
So that being said, this isn’t an exact recipe but it is the best starting point for me to make a beautiful burgundy color. Another thing is, I don’t make this gumpaste at night! My kitchen lights make the color look muddy and brown, so I make it on bright sunny days with natural light streaming in 🙂
Starting Steps
To start with, I mix in all the colors with the powdered sugar and egg whites, before the tylose is added in. I start with the Chefmaster powdered colors. I use 2 containers (3 grams) of red and about 1/4 a container each of blue and black. Then I put a big ol’ squeeze (that’s a very precise measurement, of course) of Americolor burgundy gel paste (around a tablespoon?). I just bought the Chefmaster burgundy paste but I haven’t used it yet, but I do like the quality of their other paste colors.
Keep going!
So far, your ‘royal icing’/future gumpaste should look reddish and purply but it’s probably not deep enough yet to be considered burgundy. This is where we get really serious. I add in The Sugar Art elite colors in Stargazer, Ruby, Red Rose, and some Hot Pink. I don’t have exact measurements for these, but I add about 1/4 teaspoon at a time of each color. Then, I let it mix for a little bit and see if the gumpaste is ‘burgundy’ enough yet. If it’s too red or too purple and then I adjust accordingly. If it’s too red I’ll add more stargazer, if it’s too purple I’ll add more hot pink or red rose. Sometimes I’ll even throw in another squeeze of the burgundy paste.
I also make sure to have something burgundy nearby so I can check the color. Usually I use an already made flower. I’ve also printed off a picture or used a fabric color swatch. I don’t make the gumpaste quite as dark as what I want for the final color, because it tends to darken up once it’s set for a bit.
Once I get the color the way I want it, I add in the tylose and finish making the gumpaste as instructed.
Shortcuts
Now, I realize that this is super complicated but I do have a shortcut. Use Satin Ice burgundy fondant and mix tylose powder into it! It is a bit more delicate than from-scratch gumpaste, but you can definitely achieve the color this way!
If you have any questions about my highly scientific coloring method, or anything else about gumpaste or sugar flowers or cake decor, just ask! I’m always happy to help 🙂
2021 Update
Hey there! So I’ve been tweaking my system and trying to get it more consistent. I’m now using Fondust which is super concentrated powdered color and it’s awesome. I’m still adjusting the ratios of colors to use to get the *best* shade of burgundy— not too purple, not too dull, just red enough… I’ll let you know when I’ve perfected it! In the meantime, here’s a quick video of my process:
And if you’re thinking this miiiight be too much work (it’s a lotta elbow grease ) or too messy (I had to break out the bleach after this ) or you just don’t have time for that, I got you covered.
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