TLDR
Silicone moulds create professional-looking cake decorations in minutes. Press fondant, chocolate, or gumpaste into the mould, let it set, then flex the mould to release a perfectly shaped piece. The key is using the right material, preventing sticking with cornstarch or icing sugar, and giving your decoration enough time to firm before demoulding.
What Are Silicone Moulds?
Silicone moulds are flexible, food-safe tools that let you press or pour an edible material into a shaped cavity, then peel the mould away to reveal a clean, detailed decoration. Because silicone is naturally non-stick and bendable, it releases intricate shapes that rigid plastic or metal moulds simply cannot.
In cake decorating, silicone moulds fall into two broad categories:
Decoration moulds — designed for fondant, sugarpaste, gumpaste, chocolate, or isomalt. These create small toppers, borders, flowers, figures, and textural elements to finish a cake.
Baking moulds — used instead of metal tins or muffin trays for baking cakes, muffins, and individual desserts directly in the oven.
This guide focuses on decoration moulds, since they cause the most confusion and deliver the biggest leap in cake decorating results.
What You Need Before You Start
- A silicone decoration mould in your chosen design
- Fondant or sugarpaste in your desired colour
- Cornstarch or pure icing sugar for dusting
- A soft brush or your fingertips
- A small palette knife or toothpick for fine details
- Optional: gel food colouring to tint the fondant
Step-by-Step: Fondant Moulds for Cake Decorations
Step 1 — Prepare Your Fondant
Knead your fondant until it is smooth, pliable, and warm from your hands. If it feels tacky, lightly dust your hands with cornstarch. If it feels stiff or cracking, knead in a tiny amount of vegetable shortening.
This is also the stage to add colour. Gel food colours produce bold, consistent results — add a small amount, knead it through completely, then build up the shade gradually. The food colouring range at Baking Pleasures includes gel colours in an extensive palette to match any cake theme.
Step 2 — Dust the Mould
Lightly dust the mould cavity with cornstarch or pure icing sugar using a soft brush, then tap out any excess. Too much dusting fills in fine details and leaves a powdery residue on the surface of the finished decoration.
For deep or intricately detailed moulds, do not skip this step. The fine powder layer creates a barrier between the fondant and the silicone, making release much cleaner.
Step 3 — Fill and Press
Pinch off a piece of fondant slightly larger than the mould cavity. Press it firmly into the mould, working from the centre outward to push the paste into all the fine details. Run your thumb across the back to flatten it, then trim the excess flush with the edge of the mould using a palette knife.
The fondant must be firm enough to hold its shape when released. If it is very soft or the room is warm, place the filled mould in the freezer for five to ten minutes before demoulding.
Step 4 — Release the Decoration
Flex the mould gently in several directions to loosen the fondant from the edges. Then press from the back and slowly peel the mould away from the decoration — do not pull the decoration out; let the silicone come away from it instead. Set the finished piece on a foam pad or smooth tray to dry fully before placing on the cake.
Solving Common Problems
Decoration tears on release: The fondant is too soft. Chill the filled mould in the freezer for an extra five minutes before trying again.
Fine details are not showing: The fondant is either too dry (knead in a tiny drop of water) or the mould cavity was not pressed firmly enough. Use your thumb to really work the paste into every corner of the design.
White powder on the finished piece: Too much cornstarch was used. Brush the surface gently with a clean dry brush. As the piece dries over the next hour, the powdery look usually disappears.
Fondant keeps sticking no matter what: Check the quality of your sugarpaste. A paste that is too sticky will stick regardless of technique. Quality fondant and sugarpaste behaves consistently and releases cleanly.
Using Silicone Moulds with Chocolate and Candy Melts
Chocolate moulds work differently to fondant moulds. Pour or pipe melted chocolate or Candy Melts directly into the cavity, tap the mould firmly on the bench to burst any air bubbles, and refrigerate until the chocolate has fully set and contracted slightly from the sides.
Do not rush the release — chocolate that is still setting will crack or break when flexed. Once fully contracted, flex the silicone and the pieces pop out cleanly. Silicone is far more forgiving here than rigid plastic moulds.
3D Silicone Moulds
Two-part 3D moulds create fully dimensional decorations — teddy bears, animals, shoes, and more. Fill each half separately, allow the fondant to reach a leather-hard consistency, then press the two halves together. Seal the join with a small amount of edible glue or water and smooth it with a damp fingertip.
Adding Multiple Colours to One Mould
For designs with distinct sections — a flower with different petal and centre colours, for example — use a small brush to fill individual cells of the mould with coloured fondant before filling the rest. Work carefully and allow each colour to sit for a moment before adding the next.
Care and Cleaning
Wash silicone moulds in warm soapy water and air-dry completely before storing. Avoid abrasive scrubbers that scratch the cavity surface. Most silicone moulds are dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing preserves fine details for longer. Never use sharp knives inside the cavity — a toothpick used carefully is fine for detail work.
Shop Silicone Moulds at Baking Pleasures
Baking Pleasures stocks a wide range of silicone cake decorating moulds in-store at Tweed Heads and online with Australia-wide delivery — from simple beginner shapes to intricate lace mats and 3D figures. Pair them with quality fondant and sugarpaste for the best results every time.