Succulent and cacti planter

Created by Neetha Syam from Buttercream Petals Cake Art School, this project could make for an amazing gift to say thanks to Dad. Follow the tutorial below - originally featured in May/ June's Cake Decorating Heaven - and you'll be creating the perfect edible planter in no time at all.

For the cake:

• Loaf cake covered with chocolate buttercream

To decorate:

• Green buttercream (Wilton dark green and tint of Wilton Black)
• Orange buttercream (Wilton Orange and tint of Wilton Black)
• White buttercream (I used Sugarflair superwhite)
• Blue buttercream (I used Wilton Royal blue and tint of Wilton Black)
• Wilton gel colours

Equipment:

• Piping bags
• Scissors
• Nozzles: Wilton 352, 81 and French nozzles in various shapes
• Flower nail
• Greaseproof paper

Green and orange succulent

1. Take a flower nail and stick a piece of square greaseproof paper on top of it using some buttercream.
2. Prepare a piping bag with the Wilton 352 nozzle and fill with half green buttercream and half orange buttercream.
3. Pipe a circle the size of the succulent you'd like and fill it with a thin layer of buttercream.
4. Now position the nozzle at a 30-degree angle and apply firm pressure to release a good amount of buttercream, which will form the base of a leaf-shaped petal, then gently pull away, decreasing the pressure to create a neat tapered end.
5. Carry on piping leaf-shaped petals around the circle.
6. Repeat the process for more inward layers, changing the angle from 30 degrees to more perpendicular as you pipe the petals in the middle.

Blue succulent

1. Take a flower nail and stick a piece of square greaseproof paper on top of it with some buttercream.
2. Prepare a piping bag with the Wilton 81 nozzle and fill it with blue buttercream.
3. Pipe a circle the size of the succulent you’d like to pipe and fill it with a thin layer of buttercream. Now position the nozzle at a 30-degree angle and apply firm pressure to release a good amount of buttercream, which will form the base of a U-shaped petal, gently pulling away while decreasing pressure to create a neat tapered end.
4. Carry on piping U-shaped petals around the circle.
5. Repeat the process for more inward layers, changing the angle from 30 degrees to more perpendicular as you pipe the petals in the middle.

Cactus

1. Take a flower nail and stick a piece of square greaseproof paper on top of it with some buttercream.
2. Prepare a piping bag with a small sized Wilton French nozzle and fill it with green buttercream.
3. Pipe a circle the size of the cacti you’d like to pipe and fill it with a thin layer of buttercream. Now position the nozzle perpendicular and apply firm pressure to pipe 2.5cm (1in) tall cone shapes.

Finish off the cake

1. Arrange the piped blooms on a tray and leave it in the freezer for 10 minutes or until firm to touch.
2. Cover a loaf cake with chocolate buttercream and fill the top with crispy chocolate cereal to resemble small pebbles.
3. Arrange the frozen blooms on top of cakes using a pair of scissors, then fill the gaps with small piped cacti.
4. Prepare a piping bag with a large Wilton French nozzle and fill it with green buttercream, white buttercream and green/ orange buttercream. Position the nozzle perpendicular and apply firm pressure to pipe 2.5-3cm (1-1½in) tall cone shapes.
5. Fill a piping bag with white buttercream, then cut a small hole at the end and pipe small dots on the cacti.