Gum Paste Roses Cake Tutorial
Today, I'm going to show you how to make gum paste roses in this cake decorating video tutorial!
These add such a touch of elegance and although they look difficult to master, I think that you'll find them to be one of the simpler flowers to learn.
When our site first began, I created a rose tutorial which will be replaced by this one. While some of the techniques are the same, I've adjusted my method over the years in favor of a much simpler, less rigid, and therefore less stressful approach.
However, the final outcome of this simpler method is every bit as elegant (and in my opinion, more elegant) than my past roses!
I'll demonstrate creating the roses using three different methods-- it's always good to have options! ;0)
1) Using a set of petal cutters
2) Using a couple of round cutters
3) Using a 5 petal rose/blossom cutter (JEM easy rose cutter)
I'll also demonstrate combing our white-chocolate ganache frosted tiers, and also how to attach your roses and a few filler flowers/leaves to your cake. I hope that you enjoy the tutorial!
Table of Contents
We have divided our Video into Two Parts:
PART ONE: Learn to create roses using the petal cutters and round cutters. I also demonstrate creating and wiring leaves, applying petal and pearl dusts.
PART TWO: The second half of our video focuses on the third method of building a rose-- with a 5 petal leaf cutter. I'll also demonstrate frosting/combing our ganached cake, & finally applying the roses, leaves, etc. to our cake for a stunning (if I do say so myself) design ;0) --
Materials for Gum Paste Roses:
I made three tiers of cake: 8 inch, 6inch, 4 inch
Frost or cover your tiers as desired. I used white chocolate ganache (3:1 ratio chocolate to heavy cream). I used 2,220g chocolate (I used White Ghirardelli Chips) to 740 g heavy whipping cream (or 78 oz chocolate to 25 oz cream)
Satin Ice Gum Paste (or your gum paste of choice.)
Your cutters of choice (I demonstrate with petal cutters, round cutters, and a 5 petal JEM easy rose cutter)
Ball Tool
Cel Pad aff. link (The yellow pad you'll see in the video)
Cel Board-aff link (This board has grooves to make wiring your leaves and petals easier)
Foam Pad (optional. Mine was Wilton)
Cup/bowl with foil to use a former (or flower former of your choice)
Styrofoam
20 gauge and 22 gauge floral wire
Floral Tape
Sugar/Tylose Glue (or your glue of choice)
Paint brushes and Petal Dusts (My dusts are: Watermelon, Moss Green, Buttercup, and Super Pearl Dust)
Cones for your centers (either plastic/store bought or gum paste)
Kitchen Rack for drying your roses
Cake Comb(s) - Optional--I used a Wilton set.
...and then everything else...A cake board for each tier to rest on, bubble tea straws or supports to support the tiers--(I used 4 bubble tea straws within the 8" tier, and 4 within the 6"), and pedestal or base of your choice.
** Whenever possible, work days in advance. As you saw in our tutorial, our gum paste dried very quickly but in some locations it will take several days for your flowers to firm up. It's best to work at least a few days in advance to be on the safe side...especially if you are new to making gum paste flowers and are not sure of the dry time to expect. Dry your flowers (and store any leftovers) out of direct sunlight or fluorescent lights to prevent fading. Also, store your flowers in a container that can breathe (like a bakery box for instance)
Enjoy the Tutorial!
Absolutely beautiful!! You've also given me the confidence to try making the roses too! Your tutorials are the best! Thank you so much, once again, Melissa & BeBe!
Thank you so much for doing this video! The cake is beautiful. I'm so intimidated by gumpaste flowers, but I think I can actually do this! You're demonstration is probably the easiest I've seen. Can't wait to go practice! =)
Oh, my goodness. Your, not you're. (I changed my mind about what I was going to say, but forgot to change the spelling) *sigh*
Thanks so much "Guppy Love" & Luanne!! So glad that you liked it. @Luanne I never would have even noticed, haha ;0)
Thank you Melissa! You have taken the fear of making roses away. I can't wait to try this. Have you ever made dark red gum paste roses? I wondered how that would come out. Also, I'd love to see how to do a gum paste peony. You are the best!
Thanks so much, Sandy! I'm happy to hear it! I have not made red roses (at least not on camera) but I did make red gum paste poinsettias using pre-colored red Satin Ice fondant with tylose powder kneaded into it. Trying to tint white gum paste red would just be really difficult and so whenever I have to make red bows or realistic flowers, I "create" gum paste with my fondant & tylose. I go by feel...you'll notice as you knead the tylose into it that it becomes a bit more elastic. However, approx 1 rounded tablespoon tylose per pound of fondant is a good place to start.
Here's a link to our gum paste flowers if you're interested in our others!! We actually have a closed peony video that we made years ago among them... I would love to make an open peony also though. Hope this helps!
Stunning,absolutely stunning! What kind of cake pairs well with white chocolate ganache ?
Hi Ellen, I think lots of cake flavors would be good with white ganache..........carrot, red velvet, spice, lemon, white, chocolate
Gorgeous, thanks x
Hi ladies! This is quite a masterpiece! Simply gorgeous! Pls help me: I have a wedding cake due July 19th for 150 ppl. I have started making my flowers. I will be doing a cascade of flowers down side similar to the look in Wiltons advanced gumpaste class look. The bride does not want fondant. Im worried when I put my larger flowers (lily's) into buttercream, it will not be enough support. Is ganache best? Can your buttercream go under the ganache or should ganache be used as frosting by itself? I plan to stack the cake at the reception (to avoid travel mishaps) and attach the flowers there as well. Can I get away with adding the leaves directly on the cake like your video? Or should I attach each leaf to a floral wire? This is my first big event. Any tips to help me succeed with really be appreciated. Im so nervous!!! Oh, thr cake will be your sour cream recipe and the frosting is your buttercream as well. Thanks Melissa and Be Be!!!
What brand of gumpaste did you use?
@Tammy-- I use Satin Ice brand gum paste ;0) -
@Terri--
There's no worry in frosting your cake with crusting buttercream and attaching your flowers...especially since they will be added shortly before the wedding. Yes, you can add leaves here and there just as I do in the video, using a little buttercream as your glue. I've done it many times with buttercream--You'll want to make them nice and thin!
There is more than one way to go about your cascade. Will there be roses and other filler flowers also, or just mainly the lilies? The lilies should be fairly lightweight although the petals are long. I would push the wire anchor into a thin stir straw and you'll want the length long enough that it stays put. I add a little frosting to the back of the flower also for additional "glue". It really shouldn't be an issue. The flowers do a good job of supporting each other. If you are doing one long cascade, I would work from the bottom up, with any heavier flowers supported by the cake base or the top of the tier beneath. Smaller flowers I often find I don't need to anchor as long as they are supported by flowers beneath and they are "glued" to the cake with additional frosting.
You may like to wire & tape (floral tape) several leaves/stems and smaller flowers together too--this will make for a fuller cascade but you won't have to make so many holes in the cake in the process. Some decorators use flower picks also for this, but I usually stick to straws for my barrier/anchor. Please let us know if you have any more questions!!