Fondant Carnation Cake Topper

Made without a carnation cutter!

I love waking up on a weekend morning feeling inspired! After spending time with my sister yesterday, and finding out that a carnation is her favourite flower too, I felt inspired to teach myself how to make one from fondant and i want to share it with you.

I had one, maybe two problems:

1. I don't own a carnation cutter, but if you want one, try here
2. I have no florist tape! You need some! However, the fact that I didn't have any will not affect the quality of this "How-To"

• 1 small scalloped edged cookie cutter
• 1 medium scalloped edged cookie cutter
• Modelling fondant of your own colour choice (standard fondant will not work)
• Food colour pastes (if colouring your own fondant)
• Your rolling pin and tools
• Small calyx cutter (optional)
• A little green modelling fondant (optional)
• A cocktail stick
• Wire, curled over into a loop at the top
• Florist tape (I didn't have any and you will see what I used later in this post)
• Edible glue / water
• Brush for glue / water

Here, I had a problem. As this was an impromptu make this morning, I had no tape.

So I covered the loop at the top of my wire using modelling fondant.

This was a bad choice so don't make the same error as I did, make sure you get florist tape.

Your fondant creation will grip onto it and wont slip off the wire as mine did at first.

Cover the loop and a few mm's down the wire

For each carnation you will need to cut two small and one medium scalloped edges circles.

Place them under cover so they do not dry off.

If you are making more than one carnation, cut one small one for each carnation before you go onto cutting the other small one (and then later your medium one)

Using your cocktail stick, roll out each individual scallop.

If they crack or break, don't worry, this will add to the effect!

Do this all the way around.

Already you can see the beautiful, frilled edged of the carnation forming.

Add glue / water to the centre portion of your frilled circle and place wire through the centre of your circle up to the tape.

Fold in half and gently press together

Imagine what you have in front of you divided into three portions ...

Step #1: Dab a little glue / water onto the centre portion and bring the right portion over then, pressing gently, stick it to the middle.

Step #2: Turn your creation around and repeat.

Step #3: Pinch the underside so it grips onto any tape you have showing (or just the wire) so it's nice and tight.

Hang your creation upside down to dry

Repeat step #4 "Roll edges" for this second circle.

Add a dab of glue / water to the centre, push wire through the centre and bring up, tightly by carefully, to meet the first circle.

Pinch gently so this second circle sticks to the first and also to the wire.Hang upside down and allow to dry

At this point, you can stop if you only need the small carnation

Repeat the previous step with the larger (medium) circle

Hang upside down to dry

This step can be carried out, with care, before the last circle has fully dried

Using your smallest calyx cutter, cut out some greenery

Using your tool, spread out the leaves

Add this to the bottom of your carnation in the same way as you have been adding the circles - don't forget the glue / water

Pinch to the wire

Hang upside down until completely dry

Following the lack of florist tape, I went to the wholesalers and purchased some, along with some additional craft (food grade) wire. It makes all the difference

Then I decided to make this!

My Carnation posy with gypsophila, also made from sugar paste / modelling fondant