What's In A Name?

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A friend of mine asked me the other day about some stuff she had bought to put on cupcakes for her daughter's birthday.
She had bought a container of luster dust. I had explained to her as to why luster dust wouldn't do what she was expecting it to do and it got me thinking...all these dusts and glitters that are available can get quite confusing, so I wanted to show a little breakdown of the most common 'sparklers' for baking.

                                                       Luster Dust                                                    

Luster dust looks almost matte by itself. It is very fine powder made up of Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Carmine, Mica. It is most commonly used on fondant and gum paste and should add a bright sheen to it. Luster dust should be mixed with vodka before applying, as the alcohol will help it set and dry fast. It should not be sprinkled on because it will not create a glittery or shimmery effect that way.

                                                    Edible Glitter

Edible glitter is made up of gum arabic and water. It is made in thin layers and flaked off. This glitter almost looks like confetti or fake snow. The upside to this product is that it can be used on sugar free products, since there is no sugar in it, and it is completely edible. The down side is the texture. It's really filmy and
really kind of ruins the taste of things, in my opinion, especially if there is a lot, like in the picture above.

                                                    Disco Dust

Ahhhhh, disco dust, how I heart you. My dad will surely tell you what a glitter purest I am. When I was little, I would leave trails of glitter wherever I'd go. My poor dad would have to find out when the guys at work would tell him about the glitter on his face. I should tell you that disco dust, like luster dust and any of the other 'dusts', is not edible. HOWEVER, it IS non-toxic, so that's good enough for me!!! ;) Don't worry, nothing will happen to you if you eat this. Maybe if you ate a whole bowl of it, but a little on a cupcake will just make your insides sparkly. Disco dust adds a gorgeous pop of color and sparkle to cupcakes, cookies, and cakes. A little goes a long way, so use sparingly!


Well, that's my take on different 'sparklers'. I hope this helped! If anyone has any questions about anything, I'd love to answer them! My e-mail is PreciousCargoBakery@yahoo.com. See you guys later!!!

Love, Kailee