Gumpaste Roses

For those of you who look at beautiful cakes with sugar flowers and think, "I'll never be able to do that," it's time to THINK AGAIN!  Sugar roses are easier than you think.  This was my first time making them, and I was amazed (and a little proud) of how nicely they turned out, not to mention that they're the perfect accessory to my communion cake.

What You Need:

- Gum paste

- Floral wire

- Green floral tape

- Petal cutters (various sizes)

- Soft pore-less sponge (I used a clean make-up sponge, but a large kitchen sponge would be better if you can find one.  Think magic eraser but without the chemicals on it) 

Step by Step:

1.  Start out by wrapping your floral wire in floral tape.  Wrap it thicker on the top.

2.  Next, roll a small ball of gum paste, and create a cone shape at the top.

3.  Roll out the gum paste, and use your petal cutter to cut out the first layer of petals.



4.  Place the petal on your sponge and use your round petal tool to round out the outer part of each petal by lightly pushing down and rubbing the edge.

5.  Pierce a hole through the center and thread your floral wire piece through the hole.  Attach each petal with a paint brush and egg whites.  Alternate the pattern by using the petals across from each other instead of the ones next to each other.

6.  Repeat this step several times until you achieve the look and size that you want.  If you are making larger roses, start with a smaller petal cutter and increase the size with each layer.

7.  Hang each rose upside down to dry.  I placed a wire rack on the counter and let if hang off the edge a little for easy drying.

8.  Allow the flowers to dry for 1-2 days before using.  If you are pressed for time, you can get away with using them after a few hours, but the more time they have to dry the better.

Happy Flower Making!

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