Fondant Letters & Numbers | Clean, Consistent Cutouts Made Easy

In this tutorial: What You'll Need · Choosing the Right Paste · Rolling and Preparing the Paste · Cutting Embossed Shapes · Cutting Letters · Tips for Clean Results

FMM Tappit Cutters are a must-have for any decorator who wants to add crisp, professional lettering and shapes to cakes. Available in a wide range of styles — block alphabet, funky alphabet, script alphabet, numbers, and themed sets for baby showers, religious celebrations, fashion, and more — these flexible strip cutters make it easy to stamp out perfectly shaped letters and embossed designs. In this tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault walks through the complete process for using Tappit Cutters, from selecting the right paste to tapping out flawless letters and numbers every time.

What You'll Need

• FMM Tappit Cutters — available in alphabet, number, and themed shape sets —
• Mexican paste — Chef Alan's preferred paste for letter and shape cutting —
• Gum paste — an alternative to Mexican paste —
• Fondant — can be mixed 50/50 with gum paste as another option —
• Pasta machine — for rolling paste to a uniform, even thickness —
• Rolling pin — if a pasta machine is not available —
• Cornstarch — for dusting the paste so it moves freely
• White vegetable shortening — for conditioning the paste before rolling

Choosing the Right Paste

↪ Why Fondant Alone Does Not Work (1:24)

Chef Alan emphasizes that standard fondant is too soft and stretchy to work well with Tappit Cutters. Decorators who try fondant often end up with distorted, hard-to-handle letters. If fondant is the only option, kneading in a large amount of powdered sugar until it becomes very firm and rolling it extremely thin may yield some success — but the results will not be as reliable.

↪ Three Better Options (1:47)

Chef Alan recommends three paste options, in order of preference:

1. Mexican paste — holds its shape the best and produces the crispest cuts. Even thin, delicate parts of letters stay intact.
2. Gum paste — a good choice, though it does not hold shape quite as well as Mexican paste.
3. 50/50 gum paste and fondant mix — kneading equal parts fondant and gum paste together produces a firmer product than fondant alone, though it ranks third for shape retention.

Rolling and Preparing the Paste

↪ Knead and Condition (2:18)

Before rolling, Chef Alan kneads the Mexican paste with a small amount of shortening on his hands until it reaches a soft, pliable consistency. The paste should be smooth and easy to work with before it goes through the pasta machine or under a rolling pin.

↪ Roll to the Right Thickness (2:30)

The paste needs to be rolled thin and very even. Chef Alan uses a pasta machine, which produces a more uniform sheet than hand rolling. He starts at approximately a number-5 setting, which creates a sheet with consistent thickness throughout.

↪ Dust with Cornstarch (3:10)

After rolling, Chef Alan dusts both the top and bottom of the paste sheet with cornstarch. This ensures the paste moves freely on the work surface and does not stick to the cutter when tapping out the finished pieces.

Cutting Embossed Shapes

↪ Understanding the Cutter Design (3:15)

Each Tappit Cutter has two functional parts: an outer cutting edge that slices all the way through the paste, and an inner embossing section that presses a design into the surface without cutting through. This dual function is what makes the thickness of the paste so important — it must be thick enough to accept the embossed detail but thin enough for the outer edge to cut cleanly.

↪ Press and Tap (3:40)

Chef Alan places the cutter on the paste and moves it in a circular motion to make sure the outer edge cuts all the way through. He then lifts the cutter and taps it against the board or tabletop — this is the "tappit" method that gives these cutters their name. The cut piece pops right out.

↪ Adjust Thickness if Needed (4:03)

After cutting the first shape, Chef Alan checks the embossed detail. If the design is not crisp enough, the paste was rolled too thin. He folds the paste, runs it through the pasta machine at a thicker setting (number 4 instead of 5), and cuts again. The second attempt produces a much more detailed embossed design.

Cutting Letters

↪ Roll Slightly Thinner for Letters (5:11)

Because letter cutters do not have an embossing element — they simply cut through the paste — Chef Alan rolls the paste slightly thinner than he would for embossed shapes. This makes the letters easier to cut cleanly.

↪ Cut in a Circular Motion (5:55)

Chef Alan places the letter cutter on the dusted paste and presses down while moving in a circular motion against the board. This ensures a clean cut all the way around the letter.

↪ Remove Interior Pieces (6:04)

After flipping the cutter over and tapping out the letter, any interior sections — such as the enclosed space inside a letter like "A" or "P" — can be pushed out with a thumb or fingertip.

↪ Why Mexican Paste Excels for Letters (6:34)

Chef Alan demonstrates with the letter "P" specifically because it is a challenging shape — it is long, has a thin section, and includes an enclosed interior. With Mexican paste, even this complex letter holds its shape perfectly after cutting. Gum paste, by comparison, tends to stretch and distort, requiring decorators to spend time reshaping letters to match the original cutter outline.

Tips for Clean Results

• Use Mexican paste whenever possible for the sharpest, most consistent results.
• Always dust both sides of the rolled paste with cornstarch before cutting.
• Move the cutter in a circular motion when pressing to ensure a complete cut.
• Cut a test piece first and check the embossing depth before committing to a full set.
• Do not be afraid to tap the cutters firmly — they are flexible by design and built to handle the tapping method.
• For letters, roll the paste slightly thinner than for embossed shapes.

This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →