24 Karat Gold Luster Dust

Dry brushing gives gold luster dust a soft, pearlescent glow and catches raised edges and textures. Dip a clean, dry, soft brush such as our fan application brush into the dust, tap off the excess, and sweep it lightly over fondant, gum paste, set royal icing, or molded chocolate. For a solid, mirror-like gold, turn the dust into paint instead. Stir clear, food-grade alcohol or lemon extract into the powder a drop or two at a time until it reaches the consistency of thick cream, then brush it on in thin coats, letting each one tack up for a minute or two before the next. On dark fondant, one or two coats is often enough.

Skip the water. The dust does not dissolve in it, and water can leave fondant sticky. Gold also looks different depending on the surface beneath it: it reads as bright gold on a dark base and softer and more champagne-like on white, so test it on a spare piece first. For more on both methods, read our guide to using edible glitter dust.

Gold paint is a classic way to finish a ganache drip. Let the ganache set firm in the refrigerator first, then paint over each drip and add a second coat for fuller coverage. Dust or paint through a stencil for crisp gold patterns on fondant, paint the tops of macarons, or dust chocolate curls for a glittering topper. Gold stands out boldly against black and emerald and glows warmly on cream and white. For a quick treat, bake a batch of our homemade vanilla cupcakes, swirl on buttercream, let it crust, and finish each one with a brush of gold. Gold and rose gold luster dust together make a warm gradient on a tiered cake.