How to Pipe a Gladiola

Fall in love with this easy-to-pipe gladiola flower! While many flowers are piped on a flower nail, this royal icing flower that dries hard, is piped in a Lily Nail. It symbolizes remembrance, faithfulness, and love. In nature, it grows in a variety of colors and will enhance any party theme.

Skill LevelIntermediate

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

Click to mark complete

Prepare a large lily nail by placing a candy foil in the center and pressing it down all the way with the plunger part of the nail.
Prepare royal icing to stiff consistency following recipe instructions. Prepare decorating bag with coupler, royal icing and tip 70.
Hold the decorating bag at a slight angle with the back of the bag pointing towards the right (left for left-handed decorators). Position tip 70 so the opening of the tip is horizontal, inside the cup with the point of the tip against the bottom inside of the nail.
Using firm pressure, pipe a leaf-shaped petal, beginning at the bottom center of the cup. Relax pressure as you reach the top edge of the cup, pulling gently to form a pointed petal. Be sure the tip stays in contact with the foil inside the cup as you pipe the petal.
Turn the nail 1/3 of a rotation, pipe another petal the same as length as the first one. The two petals should form a “V” shape.
Rotate the nail another 1/3 and pipe a third petal forming a “Y” shape. All three petals should be about the same length.
Switch bag to tip 67. Positioning tip 67 as you did tip 70, use firm pressure to pipe three shorter petals between the larger petals.
Trim stems of lily stamens to extend slightly above the flower petals, then insert stamen cluster into the center of the flower.
Gently remove the foil from the cup and allow the flower to thoroughly dry before removing it from the foil.

Notes

- Sharpen petal tips by dipping fingers in cornstarch then lightly pinch the point of the petal.
- Depending on humidity, royal icing flowers should be allowed to dry 12-24 hours.