Step by step photo guide to decorating novelty cakes

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Fondant rose step-by-step tutorial

A couple of months back I did a 3 separated tier rose cake for a customer. Due to budget, I'd only planned to scatter a few roses here and there to tie the cake together... but I got so caught up with them that I covered it in them. 

So many people asked me how I'd made the roses that it seemed obvious to dedicate a post to it...



YOU'RE GONNA NEED...

-Fondant (or gumpaste)
-Rolling Pin
-Foam Board
-Petal cutter
-Ball modelling tool

-water & modelling stick (optional)






STEP 1


Roll out your fondant until it is just a couple of millimetres thick (as shown in the picture below). Your fondant is what you are going to be making your petals out of, but don't worry about rolling it paper thin as your tools  will help you do this later.



STEP 2
Using your ball tool, rub around the edges of your cut out. The fondant will start to thin out and curl up slightly. It's important to start with the edges as they will be harder to do if you curl the centre up first.

STEP 3
Once you have worked your way around the edge, rub the ball in a circular motion in the centre of the petal and work out. The fondant will naturally curl up into the shape of a petal...

Continue to do this until you have the number of petals needed (I used about 12 to make the size of rose featured in the final piece picture). Don't worry if a few of your petals tear... nature isn't perfect, so you don't have to be.


STEP 4
Take a new piece of fondant and roll into a ball about the size of a marble...

...Using your index finger and thumb, roll the fondant so that it is thinner at one end. This piece will be the centre of your rose on which you will build your petals round.
 STEP 5
Take your first petal (withe the curl facing in) and wrap it reasonably tight around the centre ball piece. Ensure that the top of the petal sits slightly higher than the tip of it. Don't worry about any excess at the bottom, this should just roll off, as the base will be covered be the next petals.

STEP 6

Add the next petal on the opposite side, at the same height...

...From here you can start building the petals on top of each other from any side you like, just keep it reasonably even. If you find that the petals are not holding one another naturally, you can add a tiny slick of water to bottom of them to get them to hold.
STEP 7
Once you feel the middle petals are heavy enough (I usually find after about 5 or 6), start applying random petals with the curve facing outwards. This will bulk your rose up and give it a more natural shape. Don't do this with all of the petals going forward though, as this will look odd...

...Build up your rose until you are happy with it's size and shape. You can use the pointed tool to manipulate the direction of your petals whilst building it up.

I piled my cake high with red and white roses.... :)










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