Peony

I needed a single, full size Peony for the top of an elegant clean-line wedding cake.

As this flower is quite large.   I used a 1 1/2"styrofoam ball which has been glued onto a 20 gage wire. I usually prefer to keep the whole flower edible, however, in this case it was going to be kept as a keepsake.  If the flower was to be eaten, I would have used a large marshmallow in place of the stryofoam.

Using the large Rose cutter, cut several petals.  Thin the edges of the petal and pressed each separately between a peony veiner, then I ruffled the wide edges of the petal again.  Attach three petals around the ball and leave to dry.

Cut several more petals and follow the above procedure.  The second row of petals require 4 petals. Attach them to the ball and again set aside to dry, this time overnight.

The next morning  I dusted the flower center from light to dark, narrow tip to outer edge respectively,  in rose, carnation, plum and eggplant petal dust.  Being mindful that the petals that are glued directly to the ball, they can only be colored with the plum and eggplant.  The second row however, should get the full spectrum of color.

Now we can start of the individual petals.  Again cut several as above.  These additional petals will require a 26 gage wire inserted into the narrow end of the petal.   

All of the inner  petals where then rested in the scoop of a plastic spoon.  The third row has 5 petals and the four row has 7 petals.

The final row is done with 9 petals and notice that this row I dried the petals on the backside of the spoon.  Dry all the petals several hours.

All of you outer petals are now ready for color.

As these petals are seen deep into the final flower, I also added a little green at the wire end and pull it up the center.  remember to dust both sides of the petal.

Petals are ready to be attached to the dried center. First attached five petals to the center, then seven and then the outer nine petals. As all these petals are individually wired, you can place them where needed for a full open look.

Top and Side view of the completed flower.

 

Close-up side view.

The finished cake was 9" and 6" Chocolate Peanut-butter cake with Peanut-butter Mousse.  It is frosted in a candle-lite white buttercream and if edged in dark charcoal dots.  

 

This wedding had 220 guests.  The bride opted for sheet cakes to cover the necessary servings.  I offer up to 4 flavors of cake in a full sheet.  She chose to add 1 full sheet cake and a 1/2 sheet cake.  In the full-sheet she had 1/2 of it White cake with fresh Raspberry Compote, 1/4  Lemon cake with Lemon Curd and 1/4 Strawberry cake with Fudge filling.  In the 1/2 sheet she had it the same as the wedding cake flavor, Chocolate Peanut-butter cake with Peanut-butter mousse.