Petal Perfection Cake

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1. At least 1 week in advance, make 16 fondant panels, one at a time (make extras to allow for breakage): Roll out fondant, use second largest blossom cookie cutter to cut panel. Use small paring knife to cut off 2 petals from blossom. Lay panel flat and use cutter from Floral Collection Set to imprint 3 pansy and 5 leaf shapes. Let dry on flat surface covered with cornstarch. When dry, use tip 2 and think royal icing to outline pansy and leaf imprints for Brush Embroidery (do brush embroidery immediately after outlining). Edge panels with Tip 13 outline. Let dry.
2. Make the following gum paste flowers: 16 white pansy blossoms with pearl stamen centers. On foam square, soften edges with ball tool from confectionery set and let dry. Make 80 apple blossoms and shape on thick foam; add tip 2 dot centers in royal icing. Make 25 light rose pansy blossoms; 20 medium rose apple blossoms on wires with pearl stamen centers. Also on wires make 20 large rose leaves and 20 small rose leaves. Let dry in craft block. Wrap wires with florist tape. Place craft block, cut to fit, in Floral Scroll Base. Assemble floral arrangement, using wired flowers and leaves only, in base (use 9 in. plate and 10 1/4 in. pillars as guide for width). Set aside.
3. Prepare 2-layer cakes for rolled fondant by icing lightly with buttercream. Cover with fondant; smooth with Easy-Glide Smoothers. Prepare cakes for pillar and stacked construction. On 12 and 15 in. hexagon cakes, use pansy, apple blossom and small rose leaf cutters to imprint designs on cake sides. Outline with tip 2 and apply Brush Embroidery, add tip 2 dot centers. Use tip 2 and thin royal icing to pipe string stems and tip 1 bead flower buds. Follow same procedure for 8 in. round, using apple blossom and rose leaf imprints with Brush Embroidery. Pipe tip 5 bead bottom borders on all cakes.
4. On 18 in. cake, lightly score cake 1-1/2 in. from bottom edge. Mark 3/4 in. above first line and 3/4 in. above second line. Pipe tip 3 beads on top two lines. Pipe tip 6 bead bottom border. Attach each fondant panel, piping a tip 3 line of royal icing on top edge of panel and pressing into cake at the 1-1/2 in. mark. Continue positioning panels, making sure sides touch. Attach apple blossoms and pansy blossoms to panels and on sides of cake using tip 3.

5. At reception, assemble cakes. Pipe tip 5 scallop around 9 in. plate. Position ornament* and floral arrangement.

   *Note: Always place a separator plate on the cake before you position any figurine or ornament. This protects both the cake and your keepsake. For extra stability, secure your ornament to the plate with tacky craft tape.

   **Note: The top tier is often saved for the first anniversary. The number of servings given does not include the top tier.