This gumpaste fluffy peony tutorial shows you how to make a “wow” flower to adorn a wedding cake or special occasion cake.
It’s over 6 inches wide so it’s a true statement flower but you can adjust this downwards if you wish. To make the 6-inch flower we used a 2-inch rose petal cutter for the inner petals and then 2 1/2 inch and 3 inch petal cutters (or round cutters) for the outer petals. You can size down down the flower by using a smaller cutter for the inner petals, as long at the outer petals are half an inch and an inch bigger.
You’ll also find more peony tutorials here:
Gumpaste Fluffy Peony Tutorial: Materials
- gumpaste in your chosen color
- rolling pin
- a 2-inch rose petal cutter or a five -petal cutter with each individual petal 2 inches in size
- another two large petal cutters or round cutters that are a half inch and a full inch larger than the inner petal cutters
- sugarcraft cutting wheel or sharp knife
- 26-gauge white wires cut into quarters
- 24-gauge white wires cut into quarters
- foam pad
- ball tool
- edible glue
- drying wrack/mug stand or cake dummy
- veining board
- veining tool
- apple tray from the grocery store or other petal forming cups to dry the petals
- white floristry tape
Gumpaste Fluffy Peony Tutorial: How-To
Start by rolling out your gumpaste. Then take a single rose petal cutter or a five-petal cutter like the one below and cut out some petals. (You will need a minimum of twenty but up to thirty for a very big peony.) If using a five-petal cutter, separate the petals into individuals.
Next take each individual petal and using a sugarcraft cutting wheel or sharp knife cut out the shape below.
Then place the petal on a foam pad and run around the edges with a ball tool to soften them.
Next take a 26-guage wire, dip one end in edible glue, then wipe off the excess. Place the glued wire in the center of the petal and wrap it around the wire. Make sure the petal is firmly adhered to the wire then turn it upside down to dry overnight on a mug stand or the edge of a cake dummy.
To make the outer petals you will need a large petal cutter or round cutter that is a half inch larger than the inner petals, plus another that is 1-inch larger. Roll out your gumpaste over the groove in a veining board and cut out 6 petals in the smaller size cutter and six in the larger size.
Take a 24-gauge wire, dip the end in edible glue, wipe off the excess then insert into the vein on your petal about and inch or so. Press to make sure the wire is secure to the gumpaste.
Place the petal on a foam pad and run around the edges with a ball tool to soften.
Next take a veining stick (this one is by JEM) and roll it over the edges of the top half of each petal. (Ignore the fact that the wire is missing in this pic…I forgot to take a pic as I was doing it!)
Leave the petal to dry overnight in a forming cup or in an apple tray from the grocery store. (I’ve cut the sections of an apple tray into individual cups.)
The next day when all your petals are dry, start by taping the inner petals together.
Keep adding in more and more petals until you have taped them all together.
Tip: Before adding the outer petals, first tape each one about an inch down the wire from the base of the petal. This stops the petals from “swinging around” the flower when you’re adding in the petals.
Next, tape the first three smaller outer petals around the center. Make sure your keep the tape tight up underneath the flower. Then add in the next three smaller petals in the spaces between the first row.
Finally, add the three of the larger petals. Again, tape them into the spaces between the previous row. Then do the same again with the last three large petals.
