Making roses – Guest blog by B_Twin

Or — One Way To Be Stressed

A friend asked me a few months ago if I would make a wedding cake for her grandson.  I agreed. (I'm a Sucker^.) I do deserve a whack over the head though. I really don't like making chocolate mud cakes for Other People's Important Occasions^^.  Especially not when they need TWO 12″ cakes (for dessert) and one 8″ display cake.  *whimper*

The decorations were left up to me, the only stipulations being Simple Design, Roses. And gold ribbon. I was also given a sample of the dress material.

Roses that are a champagne colour… Oh lordy…. The best match I could find in my garden was Julia's Rose.

Example 1: Julia's Rose - bud

Example 2: Julia's Rose

Example 3: Julia's Rose

(Have I mentioned that there is a lot of colour variation with this rose due to season / weather / CuzItFeelsLikeIt ?? arrggghhh)

So here is a quick photo essay of how I made^^^ the roses…. :)

Step 1: Make the base / centre, let dry.

Step 2: Start making petals

Step 3: Wrap first petal around the base.

Step 4: First "row" of petals

Step 5: Second "row" of petals

Step 6: Start to colour the roses

Step 7: Add a third "row" of petals to the full size roses. Set the shapes using inventive techniques...

Step 8: Dried flowers ready for final petal colouring and calyxes

Step 9: "Steam" the flowers to set the colours

Step 9b: "Buds" after steaming

Step 10: Making the arrangement

The final arrangement on the cake

The only downside is that the colours really haven't photographed well. :/

—–

^ Not in the Cannot Go Out In Sunshine sense though… *PHEW*

^^ Ganache and I have this… mutual dislike for application. I like eating it. Just the 'spreading on the cake' part gives me Stress.

^^^ It is a well established in Cake Decorating that everybody makes roses differently. This is the way I blunder through the exercise! *

* Yes, well, 'amazing' is the word that pops into my mind.  –ed.