Baking a cake is as critical as MCing an event. Every cake decorator wants to go beyond perfection to please a customer with a beautiful cake that is shiny and sparkly to make someone’s event.
That brings us to a common question a lot of cake decorators ask today: can you use vodka with luster dust?
Well, can you? Is it safe? Will it really enhance the appearance of the cake I bake?
These are some of the questions that we are going to address today.
Luster Dust? What Is All That About?
Okay, some of you may be new to the term luster dust, and that’s completely okay. So, if this is true in your case, here’s a small definition.
Luster dust is nothing but an edible form of decorating powder commonly used in bakeries for items like cakes and other goodies for the magical way in which it can make a cake more attractive in the box, taking the presentation to the next level.
That said, here’s the next big secret.
Adding alcohol to luster dust can again take your work to the next level, and the alcohol a lot of cake decorators prefer here is vodka (and not without reason), mainly for the kind of color that it adds and the sparkle that it provides, enhancing the appearance of the cake that is finally before you.
But Can I Use Luster Dust? Is It Safe?
Now the question here is, can you use vodka with luster dust? Is it a safe thing to do?
To begin with, let’s answer the big question. Luster dust is edible. In other words, it can be consumed as it is safe to eat.
Yet, there’s a catch.
So, before you buy luster dust for the cake you want to decorate at home, make sure that you have a good look at the packet to see what it has to safe, for not all luster dust is edible, and non-edible luster dust can in fact, be very toxic, and you wouldn’t want to be known for spreading health issues at your party.
So, do not pick the packet unless you see the marking that mentions your luster dust as food grade. In that case, you can go ahead and buy it.
Why And How May I Use Luster Dust? Tell Me
Luster dust goes best when mixed with drinks that come with high alcohol content, vodka being one among them.
The reason behind this? Well, the higher the alcohol content, the lesser the chances of the ice melting and creating a shoddy appearance, spoiling the look of your cake.
And we know that as a cake decorator working well into the night before a big event, you wouldn’t want this to happen. And this is the reason why vodka is your safest bet.
Yet, know that with every cake technique, there is a way to go about this. Sure, you may make mistakes the first time. You will end up goofing up with some things that you did.
You may add a little too much alcohol to your first-time excitement (we had to give you a warning, didn’t we) and make a number of creative mistakes on the way.
But then, just like any other day, remember that every mistake you make with every cake that you bake is learning, leading you to perfection along the way.
And then, one day, you come up with the perfect combination of vodka and luster dust to decorate all your bakery items and cakes.
But then, no one likes to make mistakes, and so for those of you who are rubbing your hands together as you try this the first time, here are a few pointers we have for you. We hope this helps.
Don’t Be In A Hurry
To make sure that the luster dust you use works wonders on your icing and your cake, you first need to make sure that the surface is dry.
“A little moist may be good” “Well, it’s almost dry.”
Don’t convince yourself with these above sentences, or you are going to spoil your cake, and chances are you will never be experimenting with luster dust again.
Be it fondant, gum paste, or royal icing that you are using it on. Make sure that it is all dry, completely dry.
Do It Right
Again, don’t opt for what is easy. Make an effort to do it right. You know what we mean, right?
So, if you are standing there with a container and a spoon, thinking that you will be able to master the art of sprinkling it the right way, think again.
Get the right container from which to spray. We know that most of you cake decorators out there would be piously following this, but just saying.
Choose the Colors Wisely
We know it’s the first time, and you are all excited, but make sure that you plan well. Don’t get excited with all the colors and glitter that you see.
Take some time to plan ahead and visualize so that, in the end, all will go well.
Yes, you can mix colors, you can have more than one color, and you can have a colorful cake with all the seven shades of the rainbow, but not right away. Start small, especially now that it is your first time.
Okay?
Enjoy What You Do
Most importantly, do remember to enjoy what you are doing. That said, we hope you are not using this vodka and luster dust on a recent order for which you are working.
Make sure that you get enough trials with cakes you bake in your free time, for this is when you can truly enjoy what you are doing, confidently trying out different things and experimenting.
For if it goes wrong, who cares. You can always laugh it off together with your family as you devour pieces of the flopped cake to promise them a better one the next time instead.
