How to Make Edible Flowers From Sugar

Edible sugar flowers can add a new dimension to your cake and cupcake decorating. They make simple desserts much more special. Use this method to make edible flowers from sugar that will impress with their simple beauty and elegance. You can adjust the amounts to make as many flowers as you want.

Things You'll Need

• Sugar gum paste
• Sugar fondant
• Food coloring
• Cornstarch
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife
• Cake decorating ball tool
• Paper towels
• Sugar pearl
• Yellow luster dust

Instructions

1. Combine 1 part sugar gum paste and 1 part sugar fondant in a large mixing bowl. Add several drops of food coloring to achieve the desired color and mix thoroughly.

2. Roll the dough out onto a clean, smooth working surface with the rolling pin to about 1/8-inch thickness. Sprinkle a bit of cornstarch on the working surface, rolling pin and dough to prevent sticking.

3. Use a sharp knife to cut out five teardrop shapes, about 1 inch in length. These will be the petals. Use the cake decorating ball tool to thin out the edges of each petal and give them a more natural, flowerlike shape.

4. Spread out a few paper towels on which to form the flowers. Lay the petals slightly overlapping each other to form a flower shape. Attach them to one another using a drop or two of water as an adherent.

5. Tear off several pieces of a paper towel and wad them up. Stick them under the petals to create various folds and dips, like real flower petals. Leave the paper towel pieces in place as the sugar flower dries.

6. Cut out five more flower petals from the rolled-out dough, thin their edges using the ball tool and adhere them to the top of the first layer of petals. Continue to use paper towel pieces under the petals to create realistic curves and dips. Add as many layers of petals as you like, but only in odd numbers.

7. Cut out a small circle from the dough and thin the edges using the ball tool. The size of the circle will depend on how many petals you have attached to your sugar flower. Attach the circle to the center of the flower with a few drops of water to cover up where the petals have been joined. Allow the flower to dry completely. This usually takes 4 to 8 hours.

8. Add the sugar pearl to the center of the small circle. Brush on yellow luster dust around the pearl to resemble pollen. Place the edible sugar flower on top of a cupcake or cake, or enjoy as is.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a small petal cookie cutter, you can use this to cut out petal shapes instead of free-handing with a knife. If a cake decorating ball tool is not available, you can use your fingers or the back of a spoon to thin and shape the edges of each petal.