Bring any plain cake to life with a collection of glorious sugarpaste dahlias!
Learn how to create this spectacular wedding cake with FMM Sugarcraft's special edition dahlia cutter set.
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More Than A Dahlia Cake
Bring any plain cake to life with a glorious sugarpaste dahlia! Learn how to create this spectacular wedding cake with a special edition dahlia cutter set!
Brought to you by FMM Sugarcraft
You will need
For the cake
- 4 tiers: 10 x 13cm (4 x 5in), 15 x 13cm (6 x 5in), 20 x 13cm (8 x 5in) and 23 x 13cm (9 x 5in) cakes, ready for covering
To decorate
- flower paste: yellow, deep pink, light pink, orange, lime green, white
- sugarpaste: white and grey
- FMM dab-a-dust (if required)
- water & paintbrush (edible glue if you prefer)
- edible dust: pink, green, yellow
Equipment
- FMM More Than a Dahlia Set
- FMM Vein and Flute Tool
- FMM Geometrics Set (3rd largest circle only)
- FMM ball tool
- FMM firm foam former pad
- non-stick mat and non-stick rolling pin
- cel pin
- tylo powder
- 30cm (12in) cake board
- cake dowels
- white ribbon, plus orange trim if desired
- paintbrush
Instructions
Top Tips:
1
Roll out the paste to 5mm (1¼in) thick. Use water to secure each layer/petal.
2
Make a 2cm (¾in) round ball to use as a bud in the same colour as the centre of the flower being made (make 24 hours in advance). Secure a wire through the bud. Alternatively, you can use a styrofoam/polystyrene ball covered with the same colour flower paste as the centre of the flower you are creating. You can use this immediately.
3
Prepare all flowers 48 hours in advance.
4
Flowers are darker in the centre; adjust the colour of your paste as the layers are added.
Make the all-in-one dahlia
1
Prepare all flowers 48 hours in advanceCut out 2 orange shapes using cutter No.1. Place on a foam pad. Turn over and sweep over the edges with a ball tool, half on the edge of the petal and half on the foam pad. Cut each petal into 2 using scissors.
2
Wet the bud with water and insert the wire of the bud through the back of the shape. Attach the petals around the bud. Repeat this process with the second shape.
3
Add a small amount of white paste to the orange paste. Cut out another 2 shapes using cutter No.1, turn over and sweep over the edges with a ball tool, half on the petal and half on the foam pad. Turn each petal over and, using the FMM Flute and Vein tool, emboss lines to look like veining on the petals. Each petal on a dahlia has a definitive line down the centre. Create this on each petal using a large cel pin. Apply a small amount of pressure, drawing into the centre of the flower. The petal will change shape when you do this. Place them in a former (fruit tray) to semi dry.
4
Repeat the above steps for cutters No.2 and No.3; don’t forget to add white paste each time so the outer layers are lighter.
5
Push the wire of the bud through the centre of the cut out shape 1 and secure with water. Attach the second one, making sure the petals sit in between the first layer. Hang the flower upside down on a drying stand. Repeat this process for the larger outer shapes. Allow the flower to dry completely.
6
Once dry, the flower can be dusted with edible dust. The centre of the flower is dusted with green and the petals are dusted with pink. Steam the flower over a pan of boiling water, taking care not to burn your hands.
Make the advanced dahlia
1
Cut out 2 shapes using cutter No.1 and the yellow and dark pink colours. Place on a foam pad. Turn over and sweep over the edges with a ball tool, half on the petal and half on the foam pad. Cut each petal into 2.
2
Wet the bud with water and insert the wire of the bud through the back of the shape. Attach the petals around the bud. Repeat this process with the second shape.
3
Add white paste to the dark pink and cut out 2 shapes using cutter No.1. Cut the shape into individual petals using a knife. Each shape will produce 10 petals. Place on a foam pad, turn over and sweep over the edges with a ball tool half on the foam pad and half on the petal. Turn the petals over and use a large cel pin to draw a line down the centre of each petal, applying a small amount of pressure going from the top of the petal to the bottom. The petal will change shape when you do this. Pinch the bottom of each petal. Attach the first 10 equally around the bud. Attach the second 10 in between the petals of the first layer.
4
Repeat the above steps for cutters No.2 and No.3, adding white paste to each layer as you go. Repeat this process for the larger outer shapes. Allow the flower to dry completely.
5
Once dry, the flower can be dusted with edible dust. Steam the flower over a pan of boiling water, taking care not to burn your hands.
Make the all-in-one crysanthemum
1
Cut out 2 light pink shapes using cutter No.1. Place on a foam pad. Turn them over and sweep over the edges with a ball tool, half on the petal, half on the pad. Cut each petal on your shape into 2.
2
Wet the bud with water and insert the wire of the bud through the back of the shape. Attach the petals around the bud. Repeat this process with the second shape, leaving a few away from the bud for the second layer.
3
Add some white paste to the pink and cut out 2 shapes using cutter No.1. Turn over and sweep over the edges with a ball tool, half on the pad and half on the petal. Cut each petal into 2. Turn over. Apply pressure using the fluted end of the FMM Flute and Vein tool on the petal. Draw the fluted end to the centre of the shape. Each petal will shape and curl upwards. Place them in a former to semi dry.
4
Repeat the above steps for cutters No.2 and No.3, adding white paste to lighten the colour for each layer.
5
Push the wire of the bud through the centre of the cut out shape 1 and secure with water. Attach the second one, making sure the petals sit in between the first layer. Hang the flower upside down on a drying stand. Repeat this process for the larger outer shapes. Allow the flower to dry completely.
6
Once dry, the flower can be dusted with edible dust. Steam the flower over a pan of boiling water. Be careful not to burn your hands.
Make the decorative shapes
1
Roll out lime green flower paste. Cut out 1 shape using cutter No.3. Place cutter No.1 on top of the cut out shape. Place in the middle and cut out the centre. Make 3 in advance and allow them to dry. Make an additional 2 that will sit directly on the cake once assembled.
Cover the cake and board
1
Prepare your cake ready for covering with sugarpaste. Roll a sausage of white sugarpaste and a thin sausage of grey paste. Twist them together. Roll them out on a dusted surface to create the marble effect on the cake. Cover the top 3 layers of the cake.
2
Prepare and cover the bottom layer of the cake in white sugarpaste.
3
Make dark grey marble sugarpaste and use to cover the cake board.
4
Dowel and stack the cakes.
Create the ombre ruffles
1
Roll out dark grey modelling paste. Using the third largest circle from the geometrics cutter set, cut out 20 circles. Ensure the paste is rolled thinly. Thin the edges of the circles with the ball tool, ensuring the ball tool is half on the circle and half on the foam pad. Set to one side to firm up a little.
2
Wet the bottom of the cake with water, then take 1 of the circles and lightly fold it in half. Fold it in half again, then pinch the pointed part to make a small ruffle. Attach to the bottom of the cake, continuing around the cake until there is a full row. Repeat this process for the second row.
3
Add white modelling paste to the dark grey and, as above, create another 2 rows of ruffles. Continue this to the top of the bottom tier, adding white modelling paste each time to make the ruffles lighter as they go up the cake.
Assemble the cake
1
Use thin white ribbon around the bottom of the top 3 tiers. Attach white ribbon with orange trim around the cake board.
2
Secure the flowers to the cake with royal icing. The yellow and pink dahlias take centre stage on this cake. Above and below are the orange dahlias, then the crysanthemum; refer to the photograph for guidance.
3
Attach the 3 dry lime green decorations around the flowers with water. They go behind the crysanthemum on the top tier, the centre dahlia and the fourth dahlia down. The ones that are dry are standing away from the cake. Attach the 2 lime green decorations that are not dry around the other 2 flowers, referring to the photograph for reference.
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