Succulent Topped Cake

A fondant succulent plant adds a fresh, natural touch on this buttercream-iced cake. Use the Wilton Gum Paste Flower Cutter Set to create this hardy-looking plant.

Amount12 Servings

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

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Make plant at least 2 days in advance. Knead 1/2 oz. Gum-Tex into 4 oz. white fondant. Tint green. Use 9 in. fondant roller with purple guide rings to roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick. Use wide orchid cutter from gum paste flower cutter set to cut 15 leaves for two outer rows. Store under storage board flap until needed. Use large ball tool from set to slightly thin edges and center of each leaf on thin shaping foam.

Use wide orchid cutter to cut four leaves for next row. Use knife to trim 1/4 in. from bottom end (without point) and taper in 1/8 in. on each side. Thin edges and center as above. Let dry 24 hours on cornstarch-dusted wave flower former, placing larger leaves in large sections and smaller leaves in small sections.

Use hydrangea cutter without ejector to cut one flower shape. Use knife to trim off petals for four small center leaves. Thin edges as above. Let dry 24 hours in small section of wave flower former.

For center bud, roll a ball of moss green fondant into a log, 3/8 in. dia. x 1/2 in. long. Use scissors to cut four slits in end of log, ¼ in. deep. Use fingers to shape into points for four bud petals. Use 5-division umbrella tool from set to imprint center of bud; use scissors to trim bottom flat. Let dry 24 hours on cornstarch-dusted cake board. Reserve remaining green fondant.
Assemble plant 1 day in advance. Use brush to brush top edges of leaves with deep pink Color Dust edible accents and centers of leaves with lime green Color Dust edible accents.

Use 9 in. fondant roller with purple guide rings to roll out reserved green fondant 1/8 in. thick. Use straight edge of third smallest (1 7/16 in.) round cut-out to cut a circle for plant base. Place base in large flower forming cup.

Prepare gum glue adhesive following recipe directions. Use brush and gum glue adhesive to attach six leaves to base for outer row. Attach five leaves for next row, supporting leaves with a small piece of green fondant and crumpled paper napkins. Use knife to attach four trimmed leaves for next row, supporting as above. Attach center buds. Let dry 24 hours.
Make cake. Prepare batter following recipe directions. Bake and cool two 6 in. cake layers. Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Prepare, fill and stack cakes on cake circle, for 2-layer cake, 4 in. high.
Decorate cake. Use spatula and icing to ice cake approximately 3/8 in. thick. On cake top, draw spatula in a curve from one edge to opposite edge to create textured effect. You will use the two end points as a guide for texture lines on cake sides.

For cake sides, draw spatula in a curve, moving from one end point to other. Repeat, gradually moving spatula just below previous groove of icing, to bottom of cake.

Position plant on top of cake 1 in. near edge of cake from focal point. Use additional icing if needed.