Transform a simple cake into a fabulous floral creation with these gorgeous DIY wedding cake decorations, courtesy of Rosalind Miller!

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Peonies are one of the hottest wedding flowers for 2014, so it’s no wonder that they’re popping up on wedding cakes! Instead of spending your hard-earned wedding budget on fresh (inedible) blooms for your cake decoration, why not make these beautiful sugar decorations instead? Not only can you customise them to match your colour scheme, but you’ll be able to add your own unique touch to a plainer cake! Read on to find out how to make these stunning decorations…

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What you’ll need

  • Florist’s tape
  • Dark pink flower paste
  • Edible gold lustre dust
  • Gold stamens
  • Edible glue
  • Firm foam pad
  • Ball tool
  • Small non-stick rolling pin
  • Small paintbrush for glue
  • Hollyhock cutter in two sizes – 85mm and 75mm
  • 80mm two-part veining set

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1. Colour the flower paste a dark pink shade (or whatever matches your theme!).

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2. Thinly roll out the flower paste and cut out two shapes with the smaller hollyhock cutter (you could also use a five-petal rose cutter) and one with the larger cutter.

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3. Press each shape between the two-part veiner to vein and shape. Place on the firm foam pad and use the ball tool to thin out and gently frill the edges. Then leave to dry in a curved apple tray until the pieces are leather hard (half an hour or so).

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4. Take around 20 gold-tipped stamens and tape together with the florist’s tape. Trim the ends so the stamens measure 2cm long.

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5. Make a hole in the centre of one of the indents in the apple tray large enough to fit the bunch of stamens, then place the large hollyhock shape into this and brush a dab of glue in the centre. Place a smaller hollyhock shape onto this, making sure the petals are overlapping, and then repeat for the third shape.

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6. Poke a hole in the centre of the flower with the end of a paintbrush. Brush glue onto the taped end of the stamens and push them through this hole and the hole in the apple tray. Then leave to dry.

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7. Brush the centre edges of each petal with edible gold lustre dust.

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Find this tutorial and many more in Rosalind Miller’s book, Wedding Cakes – or take a look at more DIY wedding cakes on the Wedding Ideas website!