7 Best Edible Pearls Of 2024
Cakes have become synonymous with celebratory occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and other happy events. There’s hardly ever a party where you won’t find cake. Would it even be called a party if there’s no cake? We think not.
While there are countless professional bakers out there making absolutely gorgeous cakes for all your occasions, there’s something heartfelt and personal about baking it yourself, especially if it’s for a loved one’s special day.
To make it look extra special, you can decorate it using various things like frosting, piping, and ganache.
We agree that these things require a certain level of skill and not everyone can make a pretty rosette or the perfect glaze on their first attempt.
But worry not! There are many other options that are much easier to use and will make your cake look equally good, such as edible pearls.
What are edible pearls? Edible pearls, also called sugar pearls or candy pearls, are staples for cake decorating. They are basically little balls of sugar that come in a variety of colors and are used to make your baked goodies look even more delectable.
Read on to find out more about edible pearls, how to choose the best ones for your cakes, and our top picks for the 7 best edible pearls!
Buyer’s Guide
Edible pearls are a gorgeous addition to cakes and are hugely popular in the cake decorating business. They are totally safe to eat and have an opalescent sheen to them that adds a certain flair and finesse to your baked treats.
They can be found in different sizes and a plethora of colors, and they look especially good on wedding, anniversary, and birthday cakes.
Although they may seem pretty simple and straightforward, if you’re new to cake decorating, you might get confused as to which edible pearls to use for your cakes.
Some important features to look for when buying edible pearls for your cakes include:
Color
The great thing about edible pearls is that they come in every possible color that you can imagine. Depending on the theme of the cake and the type of look you are aiming for, you can choose out of a wide variety of color options.
Size
Edible pearls come in different sizes, with most starting at 2mm going all the way up to 12mm. You may get all your pearls in one size or get various sizes for a fun look.
Flavor
When using frosting, fondant, or anything edible for cake decoration, it’s important to make sure it tastes good, or else you may risk ruining the entire flavor of your cake.
In the case of pearls, look for edible pearls that not only look good but taste delicious as well.
Quality
As is with everything else, quality matters the most when it comes to edible pearls. Of course, you need to make sure that they are 100% safe to eat and not so hard that you risk chipping a tooth!
Also, you need to make sure that the colors of the pearls don’t bleed onto the cake since this can ruin the entire look.
How To Decorate Cake With Edible Pearls
Since cake decorating is such as creative process, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to what to do and how to do it. The cake is your canvas and you can decorate it to your heart’s desire.
One easy way to use edible pearls to decorate your cakes is to randomly place various sizes of the pearls on and around the cake.
You can also make pretty flowers and put one pearl on the center of each, make layers with pearls of different colors, and fill the insides of the cake with delicious pearls for a nice surprise!
For best results, apply the edible pearls while the icing or frosting is still wet so that they can easily stick to the cake. You can use a handy pearl applicator tool that helps make the process much easier.
Shaped like a syringe, the applicator is made of food-grade material and has a soft silicone tip to avoid damaging the fondant and icing of your cake.
It dramatically reduces the time it takes to place each edible pearl onto the cake and improves accuracy by a huge margin without leaving any marks on the cake or any messy fingers.
You can easily refill a large number of pearls into the applicator via the pop-on lid on the top, making sure none of them fall on the floor during the application.
Check out this 2-pack plastic pearl applicator that can not only be used for decorating cakes but for wedding gowns and other arts and crafts projects as well.
The 7 Best Edible Pearls
Edible pearls are one of the prettiest and easiest to use cake decoration toppings, and they come in a range of colors, sizes, and types. Here are our top 7 picks to help you choose!
| Rank | Product | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wilton White Sugar Pearls | Pearly white and traditional looking |
| 2. | O'Creme Pink Edible Sugar Pearls | Shiny pink pearls perfect for pink-themed parties |
| 3. | Edible Pearl Sugar Sprinkles Silver Candy | Silver pearls in mixed sizes |
| 4. | Wilton Gold Cupcake Decorating Kit | Gold pearls, sprinkles, and baking cups |
| 5. | Unicorn Sprinklefetti | Pink, blue, and purple mix |
| 6. | Halloween Sprinkles | Halloween inspired edible pearls and sprinkles |
| 7. | Rainbow Road Sprinkle Mix | Colorful pearls, sprinkles, and candies |
1. Wilton White Sugar Pearls
A renowned name in the world of cake decorating, Wilton makes various tools, accessories, and toppings to transform your baked goodies into works of art and stand out from the rest.
These shimmering white sugar pearls come in a 5-ounce pack and are great for adding a pearly white traditional finish to your favorite treats.
You can use them individually or mix them up with your favorite sprinkles to create your own mix.
2. O’Creme Pink Edible Sugar Pearls
These pink-colored balls of sugar are the perfect accessory to decorate cakes.
They’re especially a favorite for princess-themed cakes and gender reveal parties.
These shiny little pink pearls come in various sizes ranging from 2mm to 10mm.
They are made with 100% edible, safe, non-toxic sugars, and are nut-free and kosher certified.
3. Edible Pearl Sugar Sprinkles Silver Candy
These silver sugar candies look lovely on cakes and other baked items and can be used as vibrant toppings for any dessert.
With mixed sizing in a single pack, you get to decorate your cake with different-sized pearls without purchasing different packs.
They are wheat-free and gluten-friendly; however, they may contain eggs, dairy, and dairy products, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
4. Wilton Gold Cupcake Decorating Kit
This Wilton cupcake decorating kit includes gold sugar pearls, gold pearlized sugar sprinkles, and 24 standard gold baking cups.
These gold edible pearls and sprinkles can also be used to decorate cakes, cookies, and other baked items!
This beautiful decorating kit has gold cupcake liners that are foil-lined, helping you make cupcakes that glimmer and glow.
Additionally, the pearls and sprinkles give your gold-themed goodies the perfect finishing touches!
5. Unicorn Sprinklefetti
We bet you haven’t seen pearls and sprinkles cuter than this unicorn-inspired sprinklefetti mix.
A combination of pink, blue, and purple, this cake decorating mix has edible pearls of various sizes.
This batch also has cute little sprinkles alongside small pieces of candy that taste like Willy Wonka’s Nerds!
Available in a 6.5-ounce reusable stand-up pouch, all items in the sprinkle medley are gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free.
6. Halloween Sprinkles
These cake decorations are perfect for Halloween and monster-themed parties!
Super colorful and fun, the sprinkles and edible pearls don’t just look amazing but also taste great.
This batch is a spooky mix of all the colors of Halloween with cute little monster eyes for your cakes and cupcakes.
The larger pearls also have a nice surprise in them and are filled with chocolate!
7. Rainbow Road Sprinkle Mix
Can’t decide on one color for your edible pearls? Don’t worry, because you won’t have to!
This rainbow road sprinkle mix is the ultimate colorful cake decoration topping.
It has all the colors you can possibly think of—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, and purple!
Featuring a bright medley of rainbow sprinkles, edible pearls, and yummy candy, these toppings are ideal for birthdays and other celebratory occasions.
Other Cake Decoration Toppings
The world of cake decoration is so vast and there’s so much you can do and use to make your baked goods even more irresistible.
Other than edible pearls and sprinkles, what else can you use to decorate your cakes? Here are a few super easy and absolutely gorgeous cake decoration topping ideas that we’re sure you’ll love to give a try!
Edible Flowers
Does it ever get prettier than flowers? We think not. If you’re not all that artsy and can’t for the life of you make a flower out of frosting or buttercream, don’t fret; simply use edible flowers.
Pick a mix of edible flowers, such as marigolds and pansies, and set them on top of your cake for a simple yet classy look. You can take it up a notch by pairing them with your favorite edible pearls from the list above.
Fresh Fruit
Cakes and fresh fruit go hand in hand like good cheese and wine. You may layer them on top of the cake or press them along the sides.
Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are a few of the all-time favorites.
You may pick any of your favorite fruit or whatever is in season – such as mangoes, peaches, or plums – and add not only a nice visual touch but freshness to the taste as well.
Candies
Cake and candies? Is this heaven? Well, if you’re like us and have a massive sweet tooth, you’ll absolutely love this idea!
Take some of your favorite rock candy and stick it to the top of the cake to make it shine and sparkle. Alternatively, you can stick a rainbow lollipop along with other types of candy, edible pearls, and sprinkles for a showstopping display.
Ganache
For an elegant look and an indulgent taste, topping your cake with ganache is the way to go. You may go for the classic chocolate ganache or opt for variations such as caramel or coffee-flavored ganache.
Prepare your topping and begin drizzling it on the center of the cake. Allow it to spread and use a spatula to move it towards the edge, after which it will start to drip down at its own pace.
Related Questions
Now that you know all about edible pearls and how to choose the best ones for your cakes, here are a few additional questions we thought you might have.
Can you decorate cupcakes with edible pearls?
Of course, you can! Not only can you decorate cakes and cupcakes with edible pearls but also cookies, ice cream, cake pops, pies, and all sorts of desserts you can think of.
Can you bake edible pearls?
Since edible pearls are made with sugar, there is a possibility of them changing color, melting, or even burning in the oven. Therefore, it is best to not bake them and simply use them as decoration after the cake is ready and cooled.
For the best results, try to stick the pearls to the frosting while it is still wet so that they easily stick onto the cake and do not fall off.
What is the best way to stick edible pearls on a dessert?
The best way to stick edible pearls on a cake, cupcake, or cookie is by icing the baked goods and applying the pearls to them whilst the icing is still wet.
If you do not wish to put icing on your cake, you can use the icing as glue on the pearls to make sure they adhere to the cake. Alternatively, you may use edible glue to make the pearls stick.
For the best application, we recommend using a pearl applicator tool which does have a bit of a learning curve, but when you get the hang of it, it can help you save a lot of time trying to stick each pearl by hand.
Can you make edible pearls at home?
Yes, you can make edible pearls at home. Although there are so many great options available out there, sometimes you need special customizations and just want to be able to make your own.
It is a pretty easy process that involves just a handful of steps.
The first step is to make some basic fondant and roll it out evenly to ensure all your edible pearls are the same size.
Next, cut some circles out of the fondant using a large piping tip. Roll the little circles into perfect little balls so that they look like tiny pearls.
Once they are dry, transfer them into a dish and roll them around in some luster dust using a soft brush. Make sure they are well covered with the dust and have the required shine that is synonymous with store-bought edible pearls.
Keep them in a plastic container with a moisture-absorbing product to ensure they stay nice and dry for when you decide to use them.
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