How to Make Sugar Pom Poms

This tutorial teaches how to make flower pom poms out of gumpaste. These pom poms can be made in various sizes and can be added to cakes, cupcakes and confections.

List of Materials

1. Foam board
2. Gumpaste
3. Gum glue and paintbrush (or other edible glue)
4. Rolling pin
5. Ball tool
6. Xacto knife
7. Ruler

Step 1

Break off a piece of gumpaste and roll it into a ball. This will be your base, so the size of your ball will determine the size of your pom pom and how many ruffles you will need to make.

Side note: 

These pom poms are quite heavy so be careful not to go to large. Most pom poms will need to be supported by wire, toothpicks or dowels.

Pom-Pom-3

Step 2

Flatten the bottom of the ball so that the base sits flush against a surface. Set aside your base.

The flat edge will be the bottom of your pom pom, the part you attach to your cake.

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3. Roll out the remainder of the gumpaste so that it’s nice and thin.

4. Cut the rolled out gumpaste into small strips. About 2 – 3 inches long.

5. Use the ball tool to ruffle the edges of each of the strips. You only need to ruffle one side.

6. Pinch and gather each of the strips to form a small ruffle flower

7. Make a bunch of little ruffles. The size of your base will determine how many ruffles you will need.

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Step 8

Take your base and cover it in gum glue (gumpaste & water) or whichever edible glue you prefer working with

Step 9

Stick the ruffles around the edge of the base.

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10. Stick another layer of ruffles on top of the first set of ruffles.

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11. Continue to layer the ruffles until all of the gaps are filled in.

Final-Pom-Pom

12. Let your pom pom dry before attaching to your cake.

Happy Pom Pom making!

Tip: 

If you are making larger pom poms, you will need to attach toothpicks, a wire or dowel before your pom pom has fully dried.

Comments (7)

on

LOVE the look of this :-) They look a little heavy, though. How do you secure them to the side of the cake? Royal icing? Thanks.

on

I made these for a cake fairly recently. One thing I discovered is I had to start with a ball much smaller than the size of the pom I desired. As you can see from the pictures in steps 8 & 9, the pom will at least double in size when you're finished. I made poms in varied sizes & I secured all but the very smallest ones with toothpicks. The smallest secured with piping gel.