Silicone fondant and cake decorating molds are practical for accelerating the decorating process and producing more precise and intricate shapes than you can produce by hand.
Many of the frequently asked questions regarding using cake forms will be addressed in this guide.
Can you eat silicone molds?
Consumable silicone is not all silicone. Certain silicones include dangerous substances that shouldn’t be swallowed. The majority of silicones used in construction, including some used in polymer clay and other craft molds, are not marked for use in food.
Make sure the molds are food-safe before using them with fondant, chocolate, gumpaste, or any other edible material.
Although the manufacturers of silicone caulk have said that their products are NOT designed to be used as food molds, I have seen videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to build molds out of the material.
Companies that sell polymer clay molds have also said that their products should not be used with fondant or gumpaste because they are not labeled for food usage.
It’s not hard to locate molds that have been approved for use with food, so it’s always safer to utilize silicone food molds than to take a chance.
Even while it can seem that there is no justification for using a silicone mold that is not food grade, some silicones include substances that should not be consumed.
When there are so many options that are safe for consumption, there is no reason to take the chance.
What distinguishes silicone molds from plastic molds?
The ability to withstand heat is the main differentiator between silicone and hard plastic molds.
Hard plastic molds may or may not be able to endure temperatures of up to 395 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even while the plastic molds can withstand higher temperatures, when loaded with hot sugar, they may deform.
Until recently, the only type of molds available for cake decoration were made of hard plastic.
These were primarily used for hard candy and chocolate, but you had to be careful about the temperature of what you poured into them because they might melt. Isomalt was used by me to melt a few breakable plastic molds.
Because silicone molds don’t have perfectly flat surfaces, using them over hard plastic has its drawbacks. Hard plastic gives spilled sugar a smoother surface and a more translucent appearance because it is fully flat.
Sugar that has been spilled may appear foggy due to silicone molds. Don’t worry unless you’re generating transparent sugar bits; this is obviously not a problem for materials like chocolate, fondant, or gumpaste.
Hard plastic molds also have the drawback of being completely rigid, making them unsuitable for products with undercuts.
You can flex silicone to remove the molded component because it is flexible. If the molded items have edges, a silicone gumdrop mold will likely make them release more easily.
Since hard plastic has a tendency to stick to molded components, you might need to grease the mold first before adding sugar to prevent sticking.
Where do silicone molds come from?
Typically, a technique that combines one element with a catalyst that causes the silicone to cure is used to manufacture silicone molds. Silicone can be purchased as a liquid or putty.
Uncured silicone is utilized to cover the item being used to form the mold; as the silicone dries, the item may be removed and the mold is produced.
Liquid silicones typically harden into a supple, gelatin-like texture. These work best with products that have deep undercuts, such ornate flowers.
Since liquid silicones take longer to cure, they can be used to create molds from soft materials and larger goods. Silicone liquids are poured onto the object to be molded.
Like poured silicones, putty silicones work in two steps and often set up more quickly.
Compared to liquid silicones, they cure to a stiffer texture that is more solid and less wiggly.
They are preferable for smaller things with fewer undercuts due to the quicker cure period, while goods with many undercuts may be challenging to remove due to the harder texture.
All “raw” silicone mold materials are sensitizers, and if they are in your environment for a long enough time, you might become sensitive to them.
When handling liquid silicones, it is best to wear an N-95 mask or a respirator to prevent inhaling fumes and gloves to prevent skin contact with the liquid silicones.
How long can you use silicone fondant molds?
Food-safe silicone fondant molds can be destroyed if handled improperly, but they will last for years if used properly.
Stretching them too far might result in them splitting or cracking, which is the most frequent cause of fondant mold damage.1
How are silicone molds supposed to be cleaned?
Cleaning silicone molds is simple. Simply wash them with water and a little dish soap, pat them dry, then let them completely air dry.
They can also be placed on the dishwasher’s top shelf, however this is rarely necessary. Silicone molds shouldn’t be cleaned with chemical cleaners.
