Gumpaste Snowflakes | Elegant Winter Cake Decorations
Chef Alan TetreaultIn this tutorial: What You'll Need · Rolling and Cutting the Paste · Making 3D Snowflakes with a Toothpick · Finishing with Pearl Dust and Gelatin Flakes · Using Snowflakes on Cakes and Cupcakes
Gumpaste snowflakes are one of the quickest ways to turn a plain cake or batch of cupcakes into a stunning winter or holiday display. In this tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault of Global Sugar Art demonstrates how to use PME snowflake plunger cutters to produce crisp, detailed snowflakes – and how to take them a step further by building three-dimensional versions that stand upright on a toothpick pick.
What You'll Need
- PME Snowflake Plunger Cutters — set includes multiple sizes · shop
- Gum paste, fondant, or a 50/50 mix — a half-and-half blend of fondant and gum paste works well; use all gum paste or Mexican paste if you want the snowflakes to dry hard · shop
- Rolling pin — or a pasta machine for even thickness · shop
- Cornstarch — for dusting the board and preventing sticking
- Cel pad (sponge pad) — allows air flow so snowflakes dry faster · shop
- Water brush — for moistening paste when assembling 3D snowflakes · shop
- Toothpicks — for building three-dimensional snowflake picks
- Pearl dust — for a shimmery finish · shop
- Clear gelatin flakes — for a sparkly, snowy finish · shop
- Silver dragées (optional) — for added decoration on cupcakes · shop
Rolling and Cutting the Paste
- Take a small piece of your paste mixture and dust the board with cornstarch to prevent sticking.
- Roll the paste out very thin — a pasta machine works well for getting an even, consistent thickness.
- Dust the top of the rolled paste with a light puff of cornstarch as well, so neither surface sticks.
- Place the plunger cutter on top of the paste and press down firmly.
- Rock the cutter in a circular motion to get a clean cut all the way around.
- Run your thumb across the back of the cutter to make sure every detail has cut through cleanly.
- Press the plunger to pop the snowflake out.
💡 Tip: Lay finished snowflakes on a cel pad (sponge pad) to dry. Air passes through the pad and helps the snowflakes dry much faster than on a solid surface.
Repeat with different cutter sizes to create a variety of snowflakes.
Making 3D Snowflakes with a Toothpick
This technique turns two flat snowflakes into a single three-dimensional decoration that can stand upright as a cake or cupcake pick.
- Cut two snowflakes of the same size.
- Turn one snowflake upside down.
- Using a water brush, lightly wet the back of the snowflake — just enough for adhesion, not soaking wet.
- Lay a toothpick along the center, aligned with one of the snowflake's branches.
- Place the second snowflake on top, aligning all the branches so they match up.
- Gently press the two layers together.
💡 Tip: Don't use too much water — excess moisture will dissolve the fine details. A light touch with the water brush is all you need.
Once dry, the doubled snowflake is sturdy enough to use as a pick on cakes, cupcakes, or gingerbread houses.
Finishing with Pearl Dust and Gelatin Flakes
Chef Alan demonstrates two finishing options:
↪ Pearl Dust
Brush pearl dust directly onto the snowflake for a subtle shimmer. This brings out the surface detail and gives each snowflake a soft, elegant glow.
↪ Clear Gelatin Flakes
- Lightly wet the surface of the snowflake with a water brush.
- Sprinkle clear gelatin flakes over the wet surface.
The flakes catch the light and create a sparkly, snowy effect — perfect for winter-themed designs.
Using Snowflakes on Cakes and Cupcakes
Chef Alan shows several ways to use the finished snowflakes:
- Flat on a cake — Press snowflakes directly onto the side of a fondant-covered cake. Chef Alan's demo cake features a Christmas tree design with snowflakes applied around the sides.
- As standing picks — Insert the toothpick end of a 3D snowflake into a cake or cupcake for an upright decoration. The PME Snowman plunger cutter works the same way and pairs nicely with the snowflakes.
- On cupcakes — Push 3D snowflakes into cupcakes as toppers. Chef Alan finishes his cupcake snowflakes with gelatin glitter and a few silver dragées on top.
- On gingerbread houses — Snowflakes make a quick, impressive decoration for holiday gingerbread displays.
This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →
