How To Make Fondant Flowers

Fondant Decor | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Thank you all for the lovely comments on Claudia’s cake. It was so much fun to make. Now I will show you how to make the flowers. I used rolled fondant, but you can also use pastillage/gum paste, which will dry faster and harder. They are used in exactly the same way, but the pastillage/gum paste can be rolled much thinner and will hold up better.

What you will need:

Wilton Pure White Rolled Fondant, 24oz (Wilton is easy to work with, but you DO NOT want to eat it. I only use this if the person I’m making the cake for intends to peel off the fondant. Yes, you just peel the entire layer of fondant off and reveal some delicious icing underneath. I’m suggesting you start with Wilton’s product just because it is so easy to use.) or Gum Paste Mix.

Food Color Soft Gel Paste (Use the gels, not the water based kind you get at the grocery store.)

Food Service Grade Disposable Latex Glove (This will protect your hands from the food coloring.)

Heavy Gauge Clear Vinyl(This is the clear sheet that I roll out the fondant on. Nothing sticks to it and you can lift it up easily and move it around. you can also use a Roll’Pat Pastry Mat, but it is much more expensive.)

Rolling Pin

Spatula

Corn Starch

Ball Tool (This is what you use to give the flowers some dimension, so they are flat)

Cake Decorating Student Kit – Fondant & Gum Paste (A good set that has most of the tools that you will need.)

Fondant Shaping Foam (this allows you to use the ball tool to create dimension to the flowers.)

Flower Former Set (This is what you use to dry the flowers in so they don’t just lie flat.)

101-Piece Tool and Caddy Cake Decorating Set (This is the set that has everything for anything. Only for those of us that need every decorating toy known to man!)

Metallic Luster Dust (For painting the flowers and giving them a great sheen.)

Dragees (They come in all different sizes and colors. The big ones are great for borders, the medium size for finishing flowers and the tiny ones coated the “C” on top of the cake. I wouldn’t eat them as breakfast cereal, but they are edible when consumed in small amounts. They are VERY hard so watch your teeth.)

Planning Fondant Decorations | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

I started with a plan, not that I followed it to the letter, but it helped me figure out shapes, colors and patterns. I then mixed the fondant with the colors to make my flowers.

Rolling Fondant | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Using one packet at a time I rolled out the fondant on the vinyl mat. Keeping the other colors well wrapped in plastic.

Cutting Fondant Shapes | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

For the circles on the cake I used round biscuit/cookie cutters.

Painting Fondant | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Then I painted the circles with non-toxic silver Metallic Luster Dust.

Cutting Fondant Flowers | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Roll out the other colors and use cookie cutters to make the shape flowers that you want.

Shaping Fondant Flowers | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Using a Fondant Shaping Foam and a Ball Tool you will create the shape of the petals.

Shaping Fondant Flowers | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Gently rub the Ball Tool over the petals and they will curl up on their own. If the tool is sticking then dip the ball in corn starch. When the flower is the shape you want lay it in the curved Flower Former to dry.

Fondant Flowers | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Continue with the rest of the fondant/gum paste until all of the shapes are formed. Allow them to dry before assembling the flowers.

Fondant Flowers | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Using royal icing glue the different shaped flowers together to form your own creations. I also used silver and pearl Dragees to add some sparkle in the middle.

Fondant Decor | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

I used rolled balls of fondant and dragees for the border between the two layers of cake. Then I used the royal icing to glue the circles and flowers onto the cake.

Fondant Decor | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

To create the “C” for Claudia I made a cardboard template that I laid out on a sheet of gum paste (because it is stronger and more durable than fondant) and I cut it out with an Xacto Razor Knife. I then painted a thin layer of the royal icing on the “C” and glued on the tiny silver dragees. I let this dry overnight.

Fondant Decor | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

I used lots of Royal icing to attach it to a dowel that would slide into the top of the cake.

Cake Decorated with Fondant Flowers | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

After you have rolled out the fondant, covered your cake layers and stacked the cake then you are ready to use the flowers we just made!

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36 thoughts to “How To Make Fondant Flowers”

  1. Beautiful pictures Zoe and great step-by-step! Thanks for sharing! by the way did the first bread from your book today and it came out great! Just did the master recipe to start off, can’t wait to experiment now!

  2. Hi Clumbsy Cookie,

    So glad you are enjoying the book. I’ll look forward to hearing more about the bread you bake.

    Thanks, Zoë

  3. Thank you so much for the detailed descriptions and photos, Zoe. I just bought the tools to start making fondant flowers, etc., so your examples will really come in handy. Next time, make a friend a cake with gum paste flowers so we can see those too! And BTW, it’s so kind of you (and Jeff) to respond to people’s comments personally. It sets you guys apart from most other successful authors, and undoubtedly builds tremendous loyalty among your readers. Can’t wait for the next book to come out!

  4. Hi Emilie,

    Oh the fun you will have with all those tools. I suggest you get some fondant or gum paste and just start building lots of flowers. They last a really long time. It is more fun to do it when you don’t have a deadline.

    Jeff and I are thrilled that so many people have taken an interest in the book. We have also learned a lot from the questions and feedback. All of the people who have written in will play a big part in making the next book even better.

    Thanks, Zoë

  5. Hi Bubbles,

    Now that should be a great party. I hope someone is making you the cake of your dreams. Perhaps that cute little pizza maker will help out?

    Enjoy and Happy Birthday!

    Zoë

  6. Wow Zoe!
    What a beautiful blog you have here- you do amazing work. Thanks for coming to visit me at mine and leaving such a nice comment 🙂

  7. Thanks for this. I made a red and white version for a canadian friend for canada day. Your step by step was brilliant.

  8. Hi Zoe!
    LOVE the cake!
    Got a question. What icing would work best to hold candycanes together. I’m trying to make a farris-wheel.
    Thanks so much!
    Stephanie

  9. Hi,

    Fabulous cake, i’ve been inspired to make one for my sister’s 21st.

    How long do you recommend the flowers need to dry before we can stick them on the cake?

    Chath

  10. Hi Chath,

    How fun, your sister will be so thrilled!

    You can make the flowers days, even weeks, ahead of time. The minimum time they need to dry is a few hours, if they are pretty thin.

    Have a great time and let me know how it goes and send pictures!

    Thanks, Zoë

  11. your cake is soo cute!! i have a problem with my fondant. i tried making a zebra striped strawberry cake for my besties b day and it was way cute but the fondant tasted like crap… i used wilton fondant what can i do make it taste good?

  12. Hi Crystalyn,

    thank you! you can try adding some flavored extract to your fondant, but be careful not to add too much or you will change the consistency of the fondant and it will be hard to work with.

    Let me know how it comes out! Zoë

  13. ok im gonna try that. i have another question for ya….is wilton the best premade fondant i can use or is there something better out there? or should i try to make my own?

  14. Hi Crystalyn,

    There are many other products on the market. Wilton is the easiest to work with, but one of the worst tasting! If you intend to eat the fondant, I’d either make your own or find another brand that you like better!

    Thanks, Zoë

  15. Hi zoe
    i like your cake it is really cute. i am a student in patisserie. i am having exam on pastillage so i was serching the showpieces on it and i find yours so i can do some thing like you. little flowers i had never thought about it.
    Thanks i get inspiration from your cake.

  16. I noticed you use a bit of cornstarch. How do you dust it off or what do you use to take it off? The green color is a very nice shade of green! I really like the colors of green and pink.

  17. For Crystalyn try MMF Marshmallow Fondant. My son who hates sweets will eat little pieces of this. I made a MMF covered cake for his bday. Most people at the fondant.

  18. How long will the flowers last and how is the best way to store them? I am doing flowers for 150 cupcakes for a wedding in 5 weeks and would like to get a head start.

  19. Hi Carol,

    Are you using fondant or gum paste? On a wedding cake the caterer takes the flowers off and doesn’t serve them to the guests. On cupcakes people will try to eat them so it is best if they are not too stale. fondant should last in an airtight container for a couple of weeks and gum paste will last for 3-4 weeks once it has set hard.

    Have fun! Zoë

  20. hi zoe
    i think
    After making the cake in a sheet pan, I like to freeze it before I make the Petits fours, even if it’s a quick stay overnight — freezing will tighten the crumb of the cake, making it easier to cut and frost them. (Keep cake in pan and cover with plastic wrap, then foil and freeze or cut cake into large pieces). When I am ready to finish the cake, I remove it from the freezer, trim and fill the cake, prepare the icing and then cut into shapes. I then let the filled cake thaw before icing and decorating. (When filling a cake with jam or a nondairy filling, you can freeze it afterwards. There’s no need to thaw when you take it from the freezer and cut into shapes. However, you need to let the cut cake pieces thaw before you ice and decorate them! that’s better way to bake a cake

  21. Zoe,
    I’m making 50 cupcakes for my nieces bridal shower. Her flowers are daisies. I am making daises to go on the top of each cupcake. I practiced with fondant and they turned out great but after a day, they were still not dry. Also, how do you dry 50 daisies if you only have a couple round flower forms? Wondering if I should use gum paste/fondant combination.

    1. Hi Peggy,

      The trick is getting them thin enough, and they will dry faster. You can put a gentle fan on the flowers, but don’t have it blow directly on them, unless it is very gentle breeze. You can use anything with a curve to dry them. I have put them in ramekins or small bowls or egg cartons.

      Gum paste dries faster than fondant, but again it is important to get them thin enough.

      Enjoy! Zoë

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