How to Make Premade Cake Decorations

Turn a square or round cake into a gift box with an edible bow.

Transform an ordinary cake into something extraordinary with some simple, edible cake decorations. You can turn a simple square cake into a decorative gift box with a fondant bow at the top for an extra special birthday cake and let the guest of honor enjoy the tasty bow afterwards. Cover a round cake with a mass of gumpaste roses in different colors for a beautiful spring or summertime cake that is perfect for any occasion.

Things You'll Need

• Fondant
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife
• Rotary cutter
• Tissue paper
• Wax paper
• Buttercream icing
• Gumpaste
• Toothpick
• Rose petal cutter
• Fondant ball tool
• Tylo glue

Instructions

Fondant Gift Box Bow

1. Lay the package of fondant on a lightly floured surface and roll it until it reaches a thickness of about 1/8-inch. Use a sharp knife or rotary cutter to cut strips from the fondant that measure 6 inches long by 1 inch wide. Make 11 strips in total.

2. Shape one strip into a loop and pinch the ends together. Slide a piece of scrunched of tissue paper in the center of the loop and lay the loop on a piece of wax paper to dry for 24 hours. Repeat with each of the loops.

3. Lay six of the loops in a circle on top of your cake or a small plastic cake circle. The loops resemble a six-petal flower.

4. Spread some buttercream icing on the pinched end of four more loops. Lay the loops on top of the first layer of loops, with the buttercream side facing downward.

5. Spoon some icing into the center of the loop and place the remaining loop pinched-side-down in the center of the loop.

Gumpaste Rose

1. Form a 1/2-inch piece of the gumpaste into a ball and the mold the ball into a cone shape. Slide the wide end of the cone shape onto a toothpick.

2. Roll out the remaining gumpaste to a thickness of about 1/16-inch. Use the rose petal cutter to cut shapes from the gumpaste. You will need at least 10 petals for a rosebud or a minimum of 25 petals for a full-size flower.

3. Lay three of the petal shapes on a piece of foam padding and use the ball tool to thin out the edges of each petal. Press gently in an outward motion against the edges of the petals. Spread the tylo glue all over one of the petals and wrap it around the cone shape on the toothpick. Repeat for the other two petals.

4. Thin out about seven more petals on the foam padding and spread the tylo glue on the bottom half of one petal. Wrap the petal around the small gumpaste bud, letting the top of the petal angle slightly away from the center. Repeat to wrap the remaining five petals around the center. Let the gumpaste dry for 24 hours if you are making rosebuds. For blossoming roses, continue to the next step.

5. Thin out the remainder of the petals. Spread the glue on the bottom third of one petal and wrap it around the rosebud, allowing the top of the petal to angle away from the center even more. Repeat with the remaining petals to complete the rose and let the rose dry for 24 hours.

References

• "Cakes to Dream On: A Master Class in Decorating"; Colette Peters
• "Sugar Flowers for Cake Decorating"; Claire Webb