Fresh Like a Spring Daisy

I am working like a dog trying to get ready for the Cake Show on March 21st and 22nd. Yes, on top of taking on my first wedding cake, I thought I would add more grey hairs to my head by submitting a cake for the Capitol Cake Show. Of course, I am not entering in the Master or Professional Division. I'm not THAT crazy. I am comfortably submitting my cake for the Division B which is one step above the Wee Ones (teens and kids) Division. So I will competing with moms and amateurs and that gives me some peace of mind. But the redhead in me wants to kick some cake booty. So I am putting together a very unique cake. I think I am the only one that is submitting a cake that has cupcakes on it. I dunno, but I think I am the only one. I won't ruin the surprise of what I'm doing yet. Once I'm done I'll take a picture and post it. Anyhoo, I am making a ton of sugar flowers to the point that my fingers are getting sore. Since I have not been able to finish the instructional videos (because this cake show has taken over any free time I have had), I thought I would post a small instructional entry on how to make a sugar daisy. It's easy IF you can get yourself to a cake supply store or Michael's and buy necessary

 items. Here's what you will need:

1. Gumpaste (you can buy this already made at Michael's)

2. Daisy cutter or any multi petal cutter 

3. Crisco

4. Cornstarch

5. Yellow food coloring

6. Wire stem (available in the floral design area of any arts and craft shop)

7. Veiner (not necessary, but a great little tool)

8. Glue (you can use honey or mix some powder gumpaste with 

a bit of water, usually 2 to 1 powder to water)

9. Ball roller (available at Michaels or from Wilton.com)

10. Aluminum foil

11. A plastic cutting board and if you have a dense foam board (like what one uses to kneel on when gardening...but new and clean, obviously)

First things first. Above are the items you will need. The stems with the centers are made using gumpaste and yellow food coloring. The roll a small ball in your hands and flatten it out on the plastic board. Take the wire and bend one end and heat the end with a lighter until it's glowing. DO NOT TOUCH IT, you will burn yourself big time. Insert the wire into the flat side of the yellow dough and hold it steady for 20 seconds. Then insert the other end of the wire into a foam board or an apple works well too. Let it dry for at least an hour.
Using a rolling pin, roll a grape size ball of white gumpaste on your plastic board. Please rub a bit of Crisco on the board first so your gumpaste doesn't stick. If the gumpaste is sticking to your rolling pin, rub a little cornstarch on it. The gumpaste should be rolled out until it's thin, like  2 mm thin or less.
Take your cutter and place it on the gumpaste and press really really really hard. If the cutter is digging into your hand, please put a paper towel in between your hand and the cutter. Wouldn't want you to land your daisy cut hand in the emergency room.
Peel the excess gumpaste from around your cutter...GENTLY! 

Now, if you have a veiner like the one above, fabulous. If not, take a dull knife and run the knife down each petal without cutting the petals. You just need the indentation of the knife. If you have the veiner, place the flower in the veiner 
Squeeze gently, or press down gently.

Remove top of veiner and peel the flower off gently.

Place your flower on a dense foam board. 

Using the ball roller, carefully rub the petals to smooth out the lines a bit and thin out the edges. 

   Take the stem and add a little glue to the flat part of the yellow center. Poke the stem through the center of the flower and slide the flower towards the yellow center. Press gently so the center sticks to the flower. Then use a bit of aluminum paper to create a disc to support your petals. I usually add a bit of gumpaste under the aluminum disc so it won't slide down. If you want double petals, make another flower and glue it to the first set of petals. Remove the aluminum disc first obviously and add it back to support your petals. This flower takes 24 hours to dry.