DECORATE IT

Sweet Sugar Flowers
Turn a plain cake into a feast for the eyes
with these simple blossoms. BY JULIE SLOANE

Photography by Noah Watters

It’s one of those wedding industry secrets: cake decorators charge a lot for sugar dough flowers, but in fact many aren’t that difficult to make. Elaborate, realistic flowers do take skill and practice, but even a novice can elicit “You made that?!” reactions with simple blossoms that will last almost indefinitely if kept cool and dry.

This sugar dough, known as gum paste, isn’t necessarily deli-
cious, but it is edible. More importantly, it can turn any plain cake
or cupcake into a feast for the eyes.