The collection is organized around five complementary families covering all the needs of a cake design project. Modeling includes sugar paste molds, embossers, sculpting tools, and lace mats — everything that transforms a simple ball of paste into a detailed pattern. Cutting groups cookie cutters in all imaginable shapes, from classic rounds to themed silhouettes (animals, characters, letters, numbers). Structure covers cake drums, cake cards, cake dummies, and support rods for tiered cakes. Fine decoration includes piping nozzles and bags, brushes, stencils, and templates. Finally, professional finishing relies on pastry airbrushes, velvet sprays, mirror glazes, and edible prints to enhance the final look.

Each major brand brings its signature to cake design. Wilton, an American pioneer since 1929, remains the absolute reference for icing nozzles, cookie cutters, and technical bases — most cake designers learned their craft with Wilton. Silikomart dominates the field of signature silicone molds, from contemporary entremets to trompe-l'œil pieces by Cédric Grolet and Dinara Kasko. Pavoni targets the high-end professional segment with its Pavoflex, Tart Project, and Top Range lines. Colour Mill revolutionized the food coloring market with its oil-based technology, perfect for coloring candy melts. FunCakes appeals to Dutch and Belgian cake designers with its extra-fine sugar pastes. PME (British) remains essential for embossers, lettering, and precision modeling tools.

For a child’s birthday cake with sugar paste figurines, the essentials are an embossing plate, two or three themed cookie cutters, a set of matching cupcakes, and a suitable cake board. For a multi-tier layer cake, you’ll need a layer cake mold of the right size, dowels (support rods), a sturdy cake drum, an angled spatula, and a piping bag with tips. For a wedding cake or event tiered cake, professional equipment becomes essential: airbrush, velvet sprays, royal icing, pearly luster, decorative stencils, and calibrated support structures. For decorated cookies (cookie art), a kit with shaped cutters + scribe tool + fine brushes + concentrated food coloring is enough to get started.

What equipment to start cake design?
An ideal cake design starter kit contains: a set of graduated round cookie cutters, a lace plate or embossing mat, a modeling ball, a scribe tool (stylus), a medium angled spatula, a smoothing roller, a cake card, and a cake drum. For ingredients, plan on white sugar paste, gel or powder colorings, and some royal icing for assembling.

What is the difference between sugar paste, fondant, and marzipan?
Sugar paste is a smooth, flexible covering paste ideal for covering cakes. In France, fondant refers to a glazed preparation made from syrup, but in English "fondant" is synonymous with sugar paste. Marzipan contains 25 to 50% ground almonds, is more flavorful, and is mainly used for modeling and traditional covering.

How to avoid cracks in sugar paste?
Cracks usually come from paste that is too dry or rolled too thin. Work your sugar paste by adding a few drops of water or glycerin if needed, roll out to at least 3-4 mm, and smooth the covering immediately with two smoothers. Avoid drafts and temperatures below 20°C during modeling.

Can you use an airbrush without a compressor?
Yes, some airbrushes include a rechargeable mini pump (self-contained), perfect for occasional use or on the go. For regular or professional use, a dedicated compressor remains essential to ensure stable pressure and consistent flow during long sessions.