Gum Paste and Fondant – Class #3

I can’t believe there is only one class left after this!  I’m having so much fun with this class that time is just flying by.  I signed up for the final course in the series too, Advanced Gum Paste Flowers with Maria.  Of course, now I’m getting ahead of myself… let’s get back to Gum Paste and Fondant and what I learned this week.

Here is what we covered this night from the class lesson plan for this course:

• Gum Paste and Fondant 101
• Bow Loops
• Mum Base, Rose Base
• Carnation Base
• Assembling a Bow
• Tinting Gum Paste and Fondant
• Basic Principles of Floral Cake Design
• Calla Lily
• Rosebud and Rose
• Carnation
• Calyxes and Leaves
• Assembling the Calla Lily
• Daisy
• Mum
• Covering a Cake Board with Fondant
• Elements of Fondant Cake Design
• Creating Geometric Designs Using Cut-Outs, Overlays, and Inlays
• Eyelet, Ruffle, and Ball Borders

These flowers are the most difficult I’ve made to date.  It took several tries for me to get some pretty enough to photograph.  Then there’s the mum, but here I am getting ahead of myself again.

We started with Daisies.  Using the daisy cut-outs takes a lot of time to perfect.  Even with the most precise cutting, you’re going to end up with rough edges that you’ll have to clean up.  Considering you are working with gum paste, it is going to have to be done quickly.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Gum Paste and Fondant
Daisy

The center is the hardest part though.  My first several tries, my center was WAY too large.  I finally got the right size… and then dropped it in my gum glue.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Gum Paste and Fondant
Daisy

I never said I was perfect.

The Mum was the most difficult flower I’ve made to date.  The cut-out is VERY delicate.  I ripped several during the process of ruffling them.  Then you have to wrap each one with overlapping leaves.  It was a time consuming, delicate and slightly frustrating process.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Gum Paste and Fondant
Mum

Well worth the effort, don’t you think?

Finally, we covered our final project cake board with fondant.  I only had rose piping gel in my kit and created an interesting effect underneath my fondant.  I wouldn’t recommend doing it unless you know what kind of effect it makes.  The gel shows through, so you absolutely want to use white or clear in most circumstances.

Next week is my final cake for this class.  I’m still not sure what I’m going to do, although I am going to be making this cake for a particular individual.  Stay tuned next week to find out how it goes. 

Until then… happy decorating!