How to Make a Rose With a Toothpick for a Cake

Add an elegant touch to your cakes by creating colorful roses.

Gum paste is a pliable, easy-to-shape substance that's great for making edible flowers and other decorations. Gum paste roses are delicate, delicious decorations for birthday or other special-occasion cakes. You can make them 48 to 72 hours in advance to give yourself plenty of time to perfect them and arrange them just right on the cake on the day of the special event. Does this Spark an idea?

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Gum paste
Toothpick
Foam padding
Rolling pin
Fondant or gum paste rose-petal cutter
Fondant ball tool
Tylo glue (gum paste glue)
Cornstarch
5 tablespoons
Wax paper (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  
  Mold a small half-inch-wide piece of gum paste into a cone shape with a rounded wide bottom.
- 2
  
  Grasp the toothpick with one hand and slide the center of the wide bottom of the cone onto the toothpick, pushing it in at least 1/4 inch. Lay the cone down on a piece of wax paper or foam padding to dry.
- 3
  
  Roll out the same color gum paste to about 1/16 inch. Use a fondant or gum paste rose-petal cutter to cut three petals from the fondant.
- 4
  
  Lay each petal down on a piece of foam padding and depress the edges gently with a fondant ball tool to thin them out and make them delicate, like a real rose.
- 5
  
  Apply some gum paste glue (tylo glue) to one side of one of the petals. Wrap the petal around the cone and fan out the top just slightly to make the center petal of the rose. Repeat this process with the remaining two petals, fanning them out at the top just a little bit more to complete the rose bud.
- 6
  
  Cut out four or five more petals. Soften the edges of each petal on the foam padding.
- 7
  
  Sprinkle a little bit of cornstarch on five tablespoons. Place one petal in the bowl part of each tablespoon, allowing each petal to extend slightly over the edge of the top of the spoon. Allow the petals to dry and to take on the curved shape of the spoon.
- 8
  
  Spread a little bit of the tylo glue on the inside of one of the petals. Wrap the bottom half of the petal around the rose bud, allowing the upper half to fan out to make a blooming rose. Repeat this process with each of the petals.
- 9
  
  Continue to cut and form additional petals until the rose reaches your desired size.