Making stunning gumpaste roses is easy once you know how. I use gumpaste; however fondant can also be used to create these roses. Color the gumpaste or fondant with gel paste food color to create a beautiful palate of colors for your cake decorations.
The method below uses no cutters or flower tools except for a fondant rolling pin; however even the rolling pin is not necessary as the gumpaste or fondant can simply be flattened with your fingers.
General Gumpaste Tips:
- Gumpaste dries out quickly; always keep unused pieces covered tightly in plastic or in a plastic bag.
- Dust the rolling surface sparingly with cornstarch to keep the gumpaste from sticking, if necessary. You don’t want to use too much as the cornstarch will dry out the gumpaste. If the gumpaste is not sticking then skip this step.
- Before using gumpaste, knead until soft and pliable, roll into a ball, then roll out on a smooth hard surface such as a marble pastry board, or simply press flat between your fingers.
- Storing: When completely dry, the roses will keep almost indefinitely as long as they don’t come into contact with moisture. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature. Tip: set the roses on a paper towel inside the container to absorb any moisture that may occur.
Gumpaste Roses
Preparation:
Before starting the roses I completed the following:
- Gumpaste: I purchased pre-made gumpaste for these roses. I have also made my own gumpaste for previous projects using Wilton GumTex using the recipe shown on the GumTex can. So either use premade gumpaste or make your own, whatever you’re comfortable with.
- Colors: I tinted small amounts of gumpaste in various shades using AmeriColor Soft gel paste food colors.
Supplies I used:
Gumpaste (Wilton Gumpaste)
Food Coloring (AmeriColor Soft gel paste food colors)
marble pastry board
vegetable shortening (for your hands)
Fondant Rolling Pin
Luster Dust and Edible Glitter for decoration
Directions:
- Knead a small amount of gumpaste, about the size of a walnut, in your hands so it becomes soft and pliable. If necessary rub a tiny bit of vegetable shortening on your hands so the gumpaste does not stick to your hands.
- Once the gumpaste is softened and pliable, break off a tiny bit, about the size of a peanut, and roll into a ball. Tip: always keep the portion of gumpaste you’re not using wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or place in a small plastic bag to keep from drying out.
- Flatten the ball very thin with your fingers or roll out with a small fondant rolling pin on a clean rolling surface into a rectangular oval shape. Tip: If using a rolling pin dust the rolling surface with a very small amount of cornstarch to keep the gumpaste from sticking to the surface if necessary.
- After the ball is flattened, use your thumb and forefinger to gently smooth one of the long sides of the rectangular oval to thin out the edge, keeping the opposite side slightly thicker. Tip: It’s easier to thin out the edge if you have a very small bit of vegetable shortening on your fingers. Now roll up the oval into a cone shape with the thinner edge on top to form the inner rose bud. The thicker edge will be the base of the rose.
- To make the petals flatten a peanut size portion of gumpaste into a circle, then thin one edge of the circle as you did in step 4. Wrap the first petal around the inner rose bud, with the thinned edge on top and keeping the top of the petal about the same height as the bud. Attach by gently pressing together at the base of the flower. Depending on the amount of gumpaste you are using the first petal may or may not completely encircle the bud, either way is good.
- Wrap the second petal, placing the second petal to overlap the first petal at the halfway point, and attach by gently pressing together at the base of the flower. Tip: You can gently unfurl each petal at the top a bit if you want to make the rose look like it’s starting to open.
- Wrap the third petal, placing the third petal to overlap the second petal at the halfway point, and attach by gently pressing together at the base of the flower.
- Continue to build up the flower with additional petals. Each petal should overlap the previous one about halfway. I used approximately ten petals for each rose, but you can use more or less depending on what you like. Tip: for smaller roses I used 2 or 3 petals and also placed 3 or 4 small green leaf shapes to resemble a just-opening flower bud.
- Place the finished rose face up to dry thoroughly. Tip: An empty egg carton works well to place the finished roses. You can also use a bit of plastic wrap in the egg carton to help support the roses as they are drying.
- If desired, brush a bit of edible luster dust or glitter on the rose edges.