Blue Drape Wedding Cake

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1. Make lily petals and base three days in advance. Tint gum paste deep blue. Use 9 in. fondant roller with pink guide rings to roll out gum paste 1/16 in. thick. Use lily cutters from set to cut six wide petals and 12 narrow petals. Store under storage board flap until needed. For wide petals, working one petal at a time, use lily cavity (#8) of flower impression mat and instructions from gum paste flower cutter set to imprint petals. Use narrow end of veining tool to score center vein. Use knife tool to trim ½ in. from bottom of each petal. Pinch cut ends to shape. Let petals dry overnight on large convex section of wave flower former dusted with cornstarch. For narrow petals, add details as for wide petals. Place six leaves on convex section and six leaves on concave section of wave flower former dusted with cornstarch. Let dry overnight. For flower base, roll out remaining deep blue gum paste 1/16 in. thick. Use small rose cutter from set to cut out one shape. Let dry overnight in large flower forming cup dusted with cornstarch.
2. Assemble flower two days in advance. Melt 2 oz. blue Candy Melts candy according to package directions. Use blue, violet and black candy colors from sets to tint melted blue candy deep blue to match petals. Use melted candy in cut parchment bag to attach six wide petals to flower base. Attach six convex narrow petals between wide petals. Support petals with crumpled waxed paper. Attach six concave narrow petals between previous row of petals. Chill until firm 3 to 5 minutes. Reserve remaining tinted candy.
3. Make cakes two days in advance. Bake and cool 6 in. and 8 in. round cakes. Cakes are 5 in. high (two layers, 2 1/2 in. high). Prepare cakes for stacked construction.
4. Cover cakes one day in advance. Tint 72 oz. fondant deep blue to match flower. Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Tint deep blue to match flower. Use 20 in. fondant roller with orange guide rings to roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick. Prepare and cover cakes with fondant. Reserve remaining fondant.
5. Make fondant swags. Roll out reserved deep blue fondant 1/16 in. thick. For 6 in. cake, use fondant trimmer to cut a rectangle 6 in. wide x 12 in. long. Use bamboo dowel rods to make swag. Remove rods and pinch ends together. Use food-safe scissors to trim off excess on back side of ends. For 8 in. cake, repeat process, using a rectangle strip, 6 in. wide x 14 in. long.
6. Attach swags. For 6 in. cake, use damp brush to attach swag to cake starting at top back edge and wrapping around to bottom front edge, 1/8 in. to right of center point. For 8 in. cake, attach starting at bottom edge of 6 in. swag and wrap diagonally around front, ending at back bottom edge. Use scissors to trim off excess as needed.
7. Attach flower at reception. Melt reserved tinted candy according to package directions. Use melted candy in cut parchment bag to attach flower where swags meet. Hold in place until set, 1 to 2 minutes. +The smallest tier is often saved for the first anniversary. The number of servings given does not include the smallest tier.